Billy Wagner

William Edward Wagner (born July 25, 1971), nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He pitched for the Houston Astros (1995–2003), Philadelphia Phillies (2004–2005), New York Mets (2006–2009), Boston Red Sox (2009), and Atlanta Braves (2010). Wagner is one of only eight major league relief pitchers to accumulate at least 400 career saves. A left-handed batter and thrower, Wagner stands tall and weighs . A natural-born right-hander, Wagner learned to throw left-handed after fracturing his arm twice in his youth. His 11.9 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched ratio (K/9) is the highest of any major league pitcher with at least 800 innings pitched. He was a seven-time All-Star and the 1999 National League (NL) Rolaids Relief Man Award winner. He finished in the top ten in saves in the NL ten times, and in the top ten in games finished nine times. Early life Wagner was born to 16-year-old Yvonne and 18-year-old William “Hotrod” Wagner in Marion, Virginia on July 25, 1971. Wagner's parents divorced in 1976 when he was five years old. Wagner and his younger sister, Chasity, spent the following ten years living variously with combinations of their parents, their stepparents, and their grandparents in the general Marion area. During this time, Wagner and his family often relied on food stamps. Wagner described a typical breakfast as a "few crackers with peanut butter and a glass of water." At seven years old, Wagner's right arm was broken while playing football. Shortly after having the cast removed, he broke the arm again. During this time, Wagner, a natural right-hander, began throwing a baseball left-handed.