In Case They Missed It the First Time, Billy Wagner Rips His Teammates Again - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Billy Wagner isn't happy that he's one of the few guys on the Mets willing to talk to the media after losses. After ripping his teammates in the clubhouse following yesterday's game (it's even more entertaining when you watch the video), he poured gas on the fire by doing it again on the radio. David Lennon of Newsday transcribed some of Wagner's comments to ESPN 1050's Michael Kay:

KAY: I know you're a good quote, but that doesn't excuse other people from not being there ...

WAGNER: Well, I mean, it gets frustrating for some of the guys that are there. Whether I'm there or David Wright or whoever is there constantly, there comes a point where they don't need to be answering the questions that should go to someone else. Then it causes that tension because my opinion on something may not be the way it really was.

Is calling out your teammates the best way for one of the leaders of this team to act? Probably not, but that's part of Wagner's point: he doesn't actually see himself as the team's leader.

WAGNER: I don't think I'm nowhere near the captain of this team. I think that, like you said, I'm a good quote. I'm not afraid to stand out on an island. We all hear the complaints. We know the situation, and yes, we're all frustrated because we want to win. We're out there putting out the effort. But somebody's got to stand up and say enough's enough. Things aren't going well, let's stand there and take the beating and then when it turns around, let's reap the benefits.

Unlike when Paul Lo Duca singled out his Spanish-speaking teammates last year, Wagner told Kay that he only has a problem with certain guys (he gestured toward Carlos Delgado's locker when complaining in the clubhouse), not entire groups of players. That should help him avoid some of the backlash among fans, but I'm not sure it's going to make the inevitable closed-door team meeting that's going to happen soon any more comfortable.