"If the Mets and the Red Sox execute a trade sending Billy Wagner to Boston, Wagner won't see too many familiar faces in his new clubhouse.

Of the Sawx's current traveling group, only one person has been a Wagner teammate: Red Sox first-base coach Tim Bogar, a former Met, played with Wagner on the Astros from 1997 through 2000, the period when Wagner established himself as an elite closer.

"I remember when he first started working on his slider," Bogar said.

As a first-year member of the Red Sox staff, Bogar said he wasn't consulted on Boston's waiver claim; it has been a long time, after all. But Wagner had that closer's swagger even back then, and Bogar has no doubt that the Red Sox would benefit from having Wagner.

"He's pitched in New York," Bogar said. "He can handle this, no problem."

The Mets and Red Sox must complete a deal by 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, or else the Mets can pull back Wagner or simply award the waiver claim to Boston.

Rizzo's renovation

Mike Rizzo is popular among his peers, so happiness filled the industry when the Nationals gave Rizzo, who had been their acting general manager since March, their full-time gig.

Nevertheless, given how poorly the Nats have been run since the Lerners took over in 2006, would it have made more sense for team president Stan Kasten to have blown up everything and brought in an outsider?

"Their structure is such a mess," an official from another club said on the condition of anonymity. "I wonder if Mike can institute all of the changes that need to happen there."

It is a different vibe, unquestionably: the insider being promoted, as opposed to someone coming in with no history or favors owed. But in this space's opinion, Rizzo has accomplished enough good — including the past three amateur drafts, which are starting to pay off — that he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Swindal spotting

A buzz went through Yankees circles last week when Steve Swindal, the former heir to George Steinbrenner's throne, visited Steinbrenner Field. Was he returning to reclaim his throne, now held by Hal Steinbrenner?

No, Swindal said, laughing. "It's still family to me. I'm just a fan. It was a very informal visit."

Swindal and his wife, Jennifer (George's daughter and Hal's sister, of course) experienced a rather public divorce in March 2007, which caused Swindal to leave the Yankees. But the couple is on good terms, so much so that Steve Swindal and Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal made waves when they attended a Mets-Yankees game together at Yankee Stadium.

But no, Swindal isn't returning to the family in any form. He works at Marine Towing of Tampa, a company that aids ships in the Tampa Bay area. He's also on the governing board of the Tampa Port Authority, and he told Newsday that he's putting together a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic for kids who are under 16."