Billy Wagner may not pitch again until 2010:

Mets closer Billy Wagner has a torn ligament in his left elbow and will have surgery this week, meaning he'll miss the rest of this season and likely all of 2009, too.

The surgery will repair a torn MCL ligament and a torn flexor pronator, and has a recovery time of at least a year, the Mets announced Monday. Since Wagner is currently in the third year of a four-year, $43-million contract, it's possible he has thrown his last pitch for the Mets, though the team holds a $8 million option on Wagner for the 2010 season or there is a $1 million buyout on the deal.

We know what Omar Minaya will be looking for this winter. At age 37, it's possible that Wagner will not be able to make a comeback. Wagner was quite durable during his career, only missing significant time in 2000 and 2004. What do Mets fans think of John Maine going to the bullpen, possibly in the closer role? He certainly can strike out enough batters to be successful in the role.