Wagner on Burrell: ‘We’re not enemies’

New York Mets closer/Philadelphia villain Billy Wagner was zigzagging his way through a National League clubhouse overflowed with media yesterday afternoon when stopped by Phillies catching instructor Mick Billmeyer.

“Remember the time I threw cheese in the bullpen?” Billmeyer asked with a smirk before Yankee Stadium played host to the 79th All-Star Game.

Once called a rat by Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell while they were teammates in Philadelphia, Wagner let out a laugh.

Billmeyer, a longtime prankster who is part of the All-Star festivities because he threw to Chase Utley during Monday's Home Run Derby, turned to a group of Philadelphia reporters and retold a favorite story.

“It was great,” he said. “I had these big triangles of cheese and tossed them (from the Phillies bullpen) into the Mets bullpen. Billy's like, "I knew it had to be you to think of something like that.' ''

Wagner laughed some more.

Wagner was called a rat during 2005 spring training, the morning after being spotted by Burrell dining with Phillies beat writers.

Over the years, there's been a belief that the Burrell-Wagner feud has grown now that they're on rival teams.

Not true, Wagner insists.

“We're not enemies at all,” he said. “We talk.”

Talk?

“Not on the phone, but on the field,” Wagner said. “I'm thinking about selling my '68 Chevy and he's like, "Now isn't a good time.' Pat says, "We can't let too many people seeing us talk or shake hands or else people might think we like each other.”

Wagner, who is sixth all-time with 380 career saves, says he's loves Burrell the player and respects Burrell the person. They're not friends, but friendly with a mutual respect.

“Without a doubt,” Wagner said. “Everything was all blown out of proportion. Me and Pat laugh about it all the time.”

But in 2005, the last of Wagner's two seasons with the Phillies, there definitely was friction.

The spring “rat” insult clearly showed Burrell felt Wagner was too friendly to the Philadelphia media.

And in July, things got worse when Wagner said the Phillies “ain't got a chance” at making the playoffs during a slump. The Phils called a team meeting, Burrell and others spoke up against Wagner, and the outspoken reliever responded by telling reporters that he felt like it was “24 against one.”

Wagner became a free agent after the 2005 season and moved on, passing on an offer to return to the Phillies to sign for bigger money with the Mets. Since, many of his in-game confrontations with Burrell have been well-documented even though he says they've let bygones be bygones.

Getting serious, Wagner said it's a shame that Burrell, who has 23 homers, 57 RBIs and a .404 on-base average at the break, didn't get picked for his first All-Star Game.

“His whole approach (to hitting) is different,” Wagner said. “He was always a guy who would hit some home runs, but now he's dangerous every time he's in there.”

Wagner is an All-Star for the sixth time in a season he has saved 22 and blown five, three in a row at one point.

“Do I feel I deserve to be here? No,” Wagner said. “Pat should be here.”

(phillyburbs.com)