In roughly 48 hours, Billy Wagner will be in New York. And the star free-agent closer is eagerly awaiting the trip.
Wagner will be here Monday to visit the Mets and see the area. The Mets want the flame-throwing reliever to be their next closer, and Wagner seems interested in checking out the city.
“We’re very excited,” Wagner told The Post in a phone conversation yesterday. “We’ve looked forward to it.”
Wagner said it will be a four-person contingent that heads to New York on Monday: him, his agent (Bean Stringfellow) and their wives. Wagner plans to check out possible housing areas and schools, stay overnight and head back on Tuesday.
The Mets have prioritized Wagner throughout this offseason already, as GM Omar Minaya, assistant GM John Ricco and special assistant Tony Bernazard traveled down to Virginia two weeks ago to see Wagner at his home. This past week, they continued their recruiting.
“The Mets sent a little video of the area and what to expect,” Wagner said, “Some of the places outside to live in and places like that.”
Added Wagner of the video, which he said arrived earlier this week, “It was stuff about schools, things about houses. Just locations. Things like that. It’s something that we enjoyed. I thought it was something that helps us get used to the area, see what we’re kind of looking for, that kind of thing.”
He also noted that, “My wife thought it was great because she liked some of the areas she saw on there.”
Wagner said the video also included “some stuff about the advantages of playing for the Mets. Some highlights of the team, things like that.”
On Wednesday of this past week, the Phillies visited Wagner, sending a group of GM Pat Gillick, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and manager Charlie Manuel. Wagner said the visit went well.
“I was pretty excited about meeting Pat and hearing what he had to say and how he was going to improve the team. I’m pretty excited to see what goes on with these guys,” he said, later adding, “That’s probably the best meeting we’ve had the past couple of meetings.”
The Mets will likely make their offer to Wagner during the visit here. Stringfellow has said that Wagner needs at least a three-year pact and a no-trade clause.
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The Mets’ trade with the Padres became official yesterday as the Amazin’s dealt Mike Cameron to the Padres for Xavier Nady.
Free-agent role player Marlon Anderson signed with the Nationals, according to the AP, for a two-year deal and $1.85 million.
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Mets put pitchers Brian Bannister, Anderson Garcia, Henry Owens, Yusmeiro Petit and Juan Perez on their 40-man roster and outrighted outfielders Ambiorix Concepcion and Todd Self to Triple-A.
mark.hale@nypost.com