Wagner Out For A Calendar Year

In a story that came from sports radio 66 WFAN in New York, Mets closer Billy Wagner will miss the rest of the 2008 season and all of 2009 with a severe elbow injury. The injury is to his MCL ligament.

It will require surgery and he will have to miss participating in baseball action for a full calendar year.

The Mets will have to rely on Luis Ayala as the team's closer for the rest of this year. In the off-season, expect the Mets to go hard for K-Rod Fransico Rodriguez of the Anaheim Angles, to be the Mets closer in 2009 and beyond.

Wagner is 36 years old and it will be interesting to see if this injury ends his career. More later...