Phillieshome.com | Philadelphia Phillies News, phillies Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>So now, it really does come down to team for the Mets. </div><p></p>Billy the Kid is shot, finished off by a left elbow that has turned to spaghetti. Billy Wagner gave the Mets all he had and now it's likely he has thrown the last pitch of his career. <p><div class="storyPoll"></div><p>Where do the Mets go from here? Luis Ayala, come on down and bring Aaron Heilman, Brian Stokes, Scott Schoeneweis, Pedro Feliciano and whoever else wants to try out for major-league closer in a pennant race — until the Mets sign Francisco Rodriguez in the off-season, bringing K-Rod and all those saves to Citi Field.<p>The odds of the Mets winning the NL East and making a mark in the postseason just got a lot longer, but remember the Mets posted a 22-11 record with Wagner on the shelf. Now that he officially needs Tommy John surgery, they just need to find a way to keep doing what they have been doing the last five weeks. <p>This is the National League after all. Anything is possible. <p>Remember the bullpen hero of the 2006 postseason? The Cardinals' Adam Wainwright went into that postseason with three major-league saves under his belt and then picked up four more saves plus a win in October as the Cardinals shockingly won the World Series.<p>The Rockies made it to the World Series last year with Manny Corpas as their closer. <p>Like I said, in the NL, anything really is possible. <p>"Everybody is buying in that we are doing this together," GM Omar Minaya said yesterday in a conference call on the day after Wagner's strained left forearm somehow became a big tear. <p>Minaya went on to say, "The thing about bullpens is that you are working as a unit and not depending on one guy. <p>"In a lot of ways, you almost had the feeling that we were going to have to do this without Billy. I never liked an environment where we are waiting for one guy to come, similar to the July 31 [trade] deadline. Baseball is not about one guy; it's about a team and the concept of togetherness." <p><div class="in_info_box"><h3>More from the <i>New York Post</i></h3><div class="in_info_box_content">--><ul><li>Schilling blasts New York fans</li><li>Serby: Payback is what Pats deserve</li><li>Semi-live Open coverage a mistake</li><li>Kernan: Curtain call for Delgado</li><li> <b>More from The New York Post</b></li></ul></tr></div><div class="in_info_box_btm"></div></div><p>Minaya got his one big guy anyway when he traded for Johan Santana. <p>That being said, having a Mariano Rivera, a Wagner, a Brad Lidge, a Joe Nathan, a Jonathan Papelbon, or a K-Rod in your corner sure does make life a lot more relaxed. The Mets, if nothing else this year, are making this one entertaining season. <p>Wagner has not pitched since Aug. 2, yet the Mets still lead the NL East. <p>This loss does not have to be a death blow to the Mets. It may prove to be, but it doesn't have to be that way if their bullpen somehow continues what it has been doing since Wagner blew out his elbow. <p>Jerry Manuel made it clear weeks ago that some players will go down in this fight when he said, "You're trying to win a championship, period. And in the course of winning a championship, there'll be some damage to some folks. That's the cost. That's the price you pay. Are you willing to pay it? Depends how much you want a championship." <p>Manuel and the Mets badly want to win a championship after last year's collapse. <p>At this point Wagner is down and out, but the Mets still are moving forward. The Mets lost the first two games to the Phils but survived the weekend because of the pitching heroics of Santana. He has set the bar high for the other Mets starters. Pedro Martinez doesn't have much left, but Mike Pelfrey and Oliver Perez continue to do well. John Maine paid the price with a shoulder problem, but could come back to help the bullpen. <p>A bullpen that is going to need every man and all the help it can get.<p></p><div class="spacer10"></div><div class="gray_dots"></div><div id="body_footer_link">Play FOX Fantasy Football Today > </div><div class="gray

Minaya got his one big guy anyway when he traded for Johan Santana.

That being said, having a Mariano Rivera, a Wagner, a Brad Lidge, a Joe Nathan, a Jonathan Papelbon, or a K-Rod in your corner sure does make life a lot more relaxed. The Mets, if nothing else this year, are making this one entertaining season.

Wagner has not pitched since Aug. 2, yet the Mets still lead the NL East.

This loss does not have to be a death blow to the Mets. It may prove to be, but it doesn't have to be that way if their bullpen somehow continues what it has been doing since Wagner blew out his elbow.

Jerry Manuel made it clear weeks ago that some players will go down in this fight when he said, "You're trying to win a championship, period. And in the course of winning a championship, there'll be some damage to some folks. That's the cost. That's the price you pay. Are you willing to pay it? Depends how much you want a championship."

Manuel and the Mets badly want to win a championship after last year's collapse.

At this point Wagner is down and out, but the Mets still are moving forward. The Mets lost the first two games to the Phils but survived the weekend because of the pitching heroics of Santana. He has set the bar high for the other Mets starters. Pedro Martinez doesn't have much left, but Mike Pelfrey and Oliver Perez continue to do well. John Maine paid the price with a shoulder problem, but could come back to help the bullpen.

A bullpen that is going to need every man and all the help it can get.

Play FOX Fantasy Football Today >

Author:Fox Sports
Author's Website:http://www.foxsports.com
Added: September 10, 2008

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News » Mets can still win without Wagner

Mets can still win without Wagner

So now, it really does come down to team for the Mets.

Billy the Kid is shot, finished off by a left elbow that has turned to spaghetti. Billy Wagner gave the Mets all he had and now it's likely he has thrown the last pitch of his career.

Where do the Mets go from here? Luis Ayala, come on down and bring Aaron Heilman, Brian Stokes, Scott Schoeneweis, Pedro Feliciano and whoever else wants to try out for major-league closer in a pennant race — until the Mets sign Francisco Rodriguez in the off-season, bringing K-Rod and all those saves to Citi Field.

The odds of the Mets winning the NL East and making a mark in the postseason just got a lot longer, but remember the Mets posted a 22-11 record with Wagner on the shelf. Now that he officially needs Tommy John surgery, they just need to find a way to keep doing what they have been doing the last five weeks.

This is the National League after all. Anything is possible.

Remember the bullpen hero of the 2006 postseason? The Cardinals' Adam Wainwright went into that postseason with three major-league saves under his belt and then picked up four more saves plus a win in October as the Cardinals shockingly won the World Series.

The Rockies made it to the World Series last year with Manny Corpas as their closer.

Like I said, in the NL, anything really is possible.

"Everybody is buying in that we are doing this together," GM Omar Minaya said yesterday in a conference call on the day after Wagner's strained left forearm somehow became a big tear.

Minaya went on to say, "The thing about bullpens is that you are working as a unit and not depending on one guy.

"In a lot of ways, you almost had the feeling that we were going to have to do this without Billy. I never liked an environment where we are waiting for one guy to come, similar to the July 31 [trade] deadline. Baseball is not about one guy; it's about a team and the concept of togetherness."

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