The Braves got a surprise visit from former closer Billy Wagner on Tuesday afternoon. Wagner made the 2 ½ hour trip from his family farm in Crozet, Va. with his two oldest sons Will, 15, and Jeremy, 12.
Wagner, who retired after the 2010 season, recently completed an autobiography “A Way Out,” which was co-authored by former ChopTalk magazine writer Patty Rasmussen. It is set to be released Sept. 3.
“Honestly, it’s not meant to be a bestseller; it’s meant to help that kid in southwest Virginia who somebody said ‘You’re not going to be anything and you’re never going to accomplish anything,’” Wagner said. “So they can read it and go ‘Well this kid was in the same situation.’ And you may not go on to be a major leaguer, but there’s a way out.”
Wagner finished fifth all-time in saves with 422. He completed his career in 2010 with the Braves in manager Bobby Cox’s final season.
Wagner played only one of his 16 seasons with Atlanta but grew up a Braves fan in Southwest Virginia and said “We don’t watch anything else.” He pays special attention to closer Craig Kimbrel, whom he took under his wing as a rookie.
“To see him grow and then watch how he went on and dominated, it’s fun to watch,” Wagner said. “I told him it’s like looking at myself in the mirror.”
Wagner is now the head baseball coach at the Miller School of Albemarle, where his son Will is a freshman. He said his transition into retirement has been easy.
“I haven’t missed it at all,” Wagner said. “I’m on the baseball field all the time as a coach. It’s fun to look back. I know I’m looking at Sports Center and I go ‘Did I even play?’ It feels weird to watch. I feel like I played it 20 years ago.”
