William (Billy) Edward Wagner (born July 25, 1971 in
Tannersville, Virginia) is a Major League Baseball
closer for the New York Mets. Previously, Wagner
pitched for the Houston Astros (1995-2003) and the
Philadelphia Phillies (2004-2005). He bats and
throws left-handed. His entrance song is "Enter
Sandman" by Metallica.
As a youth, Wagner was a natural right-handed
pitcher, but after breaking his throwing arm twice,
he taught himself how to use his left arm by
throwing nothing but fastballs against a barn wall.
He graduated from Tazewell High School, where he was
named the 1990 Baseball Player of the Year. He also
attended Ferrum College in Virginia and went 16-4
there, while setting single season NCAA records for
strikeouts per nine innings (19.1 in 1992) and
fewest hits per nine innings allowed (1.88 in 1992),
and holds the Division III mark for career
strikeouts (227 in 182.1 innings pitched). Wagner
was inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of
Fame in Salem, Virginia, in February 2003.
Wagner was selected in the first round of the June
1993 Major League Baseball draft by the Houston
Astros, and was used exclusively as a starting
pitcher in the minor leagues. He made his major
league debut on September 13, 1995, retiring the
only batter he faced in a 10-5 defeat against the
Mets. It was his only appearance during that season.
