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NEW YORK (AP) - Billy Wagner heard it from all sides.
Giants reliever Brian Wilson talked about admiring the New York Mets closer when he was playing in college. Braves star Chipper Jones made sure Wagner knew he was the oldest All-Star on the National League team.
"I gotta make myself feel better that I'm not the oldest one here," Jones said.
Wagner, who turns 37 on July 25, actually was the oldest player on both rosters for Tuesday night's All-Star game at Yankee Stadium. Not that it mattered to him.
"I think over the long haul you look and go, 'Man, I've been here for a while and I'm still here,"' he said. "It starts to be a compliment more than somebody kind of saying something negative."
Wagner had 22 saves and a 2.31 ERA in the first half, earning his second straight All-Star selection and sixth overall. He was looking forward to talking shop with the rest of the relievers in the bullpen.
"Just kind of get an idea of how they feel about how this goes and how the whole relieving aspect goes," Wagner said. "It's fun."
Wagner also has big plans for Wednesday night - a trip to the White House to have dinner with President Bush. "Still wondering how that came about," he cracked.
Jones, the third-oldest player in the game behind Boston catcher Jason Varitek, also was enjoying his first All-Star appearance since 2001.
"Last time I was one of the youngest," the 36-year-old Jones said before signing a jersey for Colorado's Matt Holliday. "Crazy."
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STOPPER'S ROW: Make a right when you walk into the AL's clubhouse - the Yankees' home the rest of the year - and you'll see a formidable grouping of All-Stars that could stop the most confident hitters: five of the best closers in baseball, starting with Mariano Rivera in his walk-in corner locker.
"You start down the row here, there's got to be a thousand saves," said Francisco Rodriguez, leading the majors with 38 saves.
