"In his final season, Braves closer Billy Wagner keeps mowing down hitters and passing along tips on how it's done to his potential replacements, hard-throwing rookies Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters.

Wagner, 38, has impressed everyone in the organization both on the field and in the clubhouse, where the left-hander has shared his vast knowledge since spring.

"He's a leader," pitching coach Roger McDowell said. "He takes great pleasure working with the young pitchers. Whether it's Kimbrel or Jonny Venters or whoever, he takes great pleasure in trying to help those guys get better.

"Just to see it on a day-to-day basis is pretty neat."

Wagner announced in April he would retire after the season. He hasn't wavered one iota, despite having a $6.5 million option for 2011 that already vested with his 50th game finished this season.

He is headed to his Virginia farm to be with his wife and four children after he's done pitching this year, and Wagner said that'll be the end of his career. But he'd sure like to keep pitching into November - the World Series.

He insists he's not thought about these being the final weeks of his career.

"I just try to stay focused in what I've got to do, and try not to make more of it than it really is," he said. "It's no big deal. It is, it's been special, but it's baseball."

Of the pennant race: "That's been fun. I think it's always fun when you see the excitement of your teammates, especially the ones who've never been there."

Meanwhile, Wagner is having one of the best seasons of his career, with a 7-2 record, 1.48 ERA, 33 saves and 86 strikeouts in 63 appearances (61 innings)."