Note to Dibs: Billy Wagner is not a delicate "save stat" compiler--he actually works for his team

Dibs said after the sad Mets-Phillies game Friday that included a tired Billy Wagner trying unsuccessfully to get 6 outs for his team:

• "Billy Wagner hasn't gotten a 6-out save in years."

I had a feeling this wasn't quite true about Billy Wagner. What about 6-out WINS? Dibs didn't mention Wagner had one of those in 2005. Because he wants you to ignore a pitcher's career, his actual results, and just focus on the manager manipulated "save" stat--including a lot of easy saves. Dibs has made it clear he's a close friend of the stat compiler on the NL west team who wants awards in the worst way.

• Using only the "save" stat can eliminate many impressive performances by closers--that's what Dibs hopes you'll do. If you only listened to Dibs, you wouldn't know Billy Wagner actually has recently gotten 6 outs as a closer for his team even this year, also in 2006 and 2005. (That's as far as I looked). But IF YOU ONLY LOOKED AT THE 'SAVE' STAT YOU'D NEVER KNOW AND IT DEMEANS WAGNER'S ABILITY AND WORK:

• 6 outs 4/24/07, Wagner scoreless but ND, in a game the Mets finally won.

• 6 outs 6/25/07, Wagner scoreless but ND, in a game the Mets finally won.

• 6 outs 4/21/06, Wagner scoreless but ND, in a game the Mets finally lost.

• 6 outs 5/5/06, Wagner gave up 1 ER, got a ND, but the Mets finally won.

• 6 outs 7/19/05, Wagner scoreless, and got the WIN for the Phillies.
• (DO YOU TO THINK A 'WIN' DOESN'T COUNT? HIS TEAM, EMPLOYER, AND FANS PROBABLY THOUGHT IT COUNTED JUST FINE, DIBS).

And he had a couple 5 out appearances WHICH WERE SAVES:

• 5 outs 6/13/06, Wagner scoreless AND GOT THE SAVE.

• 5 outs 5/1/05, Wagner scoreless AND GOT THE SAVE.

From Baseball-Reference.

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