Call him the reluctant all-star. In a season in which nothing has gone as planned for the Mets, Billy Wagner was almost apologetic once he learned of his selection to this year's Midsummer Classic in the Bronx. It probably didn't help that on the same day the announcement was made, Wagner served up a tying two-run homer to the Phillies' Jayson Werth for his sixth blown save. Oops.

"Why did I get elected to the All-Star Game? I don't know," Wagner said. "I mean, I don't know what my statistics are compared to anybody else's. There's teammates who don't think I should be going, obviously."

That kind of self-deprecating language is typical Wagner, a former Ferrum College star who is making the sixth all-star appearance of his 13-year career. As for the clubhouse, Wagner was exaggerating. But when you're the only player picked from a team that had six all-stars in 2006 and four last season, there can be some feelings of guilt.

It's not his fault that National League manager Clint Hurdle picked him to represent the Mets over other deserving candidates such as Chesapeake's David Wright (who ultimately made it) and Jose Reyes. Hurdle actually witnessed one of Wagner's low points this season when he suffered his second blown save May 23 at Coors Field.

"I have no validation for why I should be there," Wagner said. "I'm sure I've went to some I shouldn't have went to. I'm sure I didn't go to some I should have gone to. There is no validation to me."

The morning of the all-star announcements, Mets manager Jerry Manuel figured that his team's representatives would be Wagner and Wright, who eventually made it as an injury replacement for Alfonso Soriano.

Wagner got off to such a good start that he seemed to be an easy choice for the short trip to the Bronx. He didn't allow a run in his first 10 appearances, a span of 10 innings, and struck out 10 with only two walks. But things got a little bumpy once Wagner got to June, when he suffered three consecutive blown saves and four in eight chances.

"In this role, you're always one pitch away," Wagner said. "I'm not going to complain about giving up a hit or a home run. When you walk guys, that irritates you more because you're creating the situation. When you're throwing and guys get hits, that's pretty much the whole basis for this game, isn't it?"

It's not likely that Wagner will find himself on the mound in the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Wagner is the most experienced of the NL's closers, a group that also includes the Giants' Brian Wilson and the Cubs' Carlos Marmol. But he has not fared well in his past two appearances.

Last season at AT&T Park, Wagner served up a two-run homer to the Indians' Victor Martinez with two outs in the eighth inning of the American League's 5-4 victory. Wagner didn't pitch in 2005, but in 2003 at Comiskey Park, he allowed a solo home run to Jason Giambi with two outs in the seventh. The AL also won that year, 7-6.

With almost no preparation and little familiarity with the AL players, Wagner believes that pitching in the All-Star Game can be one of the most challenging assignments of the season - especially with home-field advantage in the World Series riding on the outcome.

"You don't really care what inning," Wagner said. "I've never been there when we've won, so it doesn't even matter. You don't know the guys well enough to say I'm going to do this or I'm going to do that. I've given up home runs to guys I don't even know. They know you by reputation."

Wagner, 36, knows he doesn't have many of these opportunities left. Maybe only one more, if he decides to retire when his contract runs out at the end of next season.