Same Problems Plague Giants, Wilson

Last night had all the makings of an inspiring Giants win - a rejuvenated offense with the callup of Jesus Guzman, seven strong innings from Tim Lincecum, a clutch game-tying home run from Aaron Rowand, and scratching out a run against a closer who hadn't allowed one all season. Unfortunately, the Giants leave with yet another loss, one that can be attributed to all the same problems that have plagued them over the past two weeks.

Closer Brian Wilson will take much of the heat for last night's loss - and some of that is warranted. He did enter with a 2-1 lead and, as Jon Miller put it on the radio broadcast, proceeded to hand them runners. Only the game-winning single was hard earned, as Wilson put himself in a precarious position by walking two batters and hitting another. Wilson has allowed winning runs in three of his last four appearances, calling for more than one fan to wonder why Jeremy Affeldt is not pitching the ninth innings.

Here at SO&B, we are Wilson fans but will acknowledge that he is currently in the worst patch of his young career. If the Giants were serious contenders this year, then Wilson's job may be on the line. But since this is yet another development/rebuilding year, I can't see the point in threatening Wilson's ninth inning role. Wilson clearly has issues with control that need to be worked on. It is important to remember that Wilson is only in his second full season, and he has been groomed as the closer of the future. If he is going to adopt such a role, he needs to develop his command and he needs to learn how to get out of a rut like the one he is in now.

But Wilson does not deserve all the blame. The offense continues to lack inspiration with runners in scoring position. Bruce Bochy sent Guzman up as a pinch hitter in the seventh with runners on the corner and one out - only to have Guzman hit into a double play. They managed one run in the ninth and could have added insurance but were hindered by Bengie Molina being unable to score from second on a Nate Schierholtz single. With the bases loaded and one out, Guzman struck out and Kevin Frandsen grounded out, leaving the score at 2-1.

On a positive note, Lincecum was electric as usual - 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 walk, 1 run, and 10 strikeouts. Additionally, Rowand was a cool 2-for-4 raising his average to .270; Randy Winn stayed hot with two hits including a clutch ninth inning single; and Affeldt pitched a perfect 2/3 of the eighth.

Affeldt, Rowand, and Wilson

I'd really prefer not to dwell on what happened last week against the Mets. We were riding high after Pablo Sandoval's game-winning bomb, and a four-game losing streak did a lot to suck the momentum out. Heading to San Diego, we are again 6.5 games behind the Dodgers and it feels a bit like starting back at square one.

Since the 2000 playoffs, there's something about playing against the Mets that I just don't like. This series did raise some intriguing questions, like, how do you stake Tim Lincecum to a 5-1 lead and not get a win? or how'd we scratch six runs against Johan Santana and not get a win?

Three players who were up for discussion during this series were Jeremy Affeldt, Aaron Rowand, and Brian Wilson.

How about Affeldt on Thursday night? Affeldt relieved Merkin Valdez who had just given up a game tying, bases-clearing double to David Wright, who then proceded to steal third. With the leading run on third and nobody out, Affeldt struck out the side to keep the score tied. Then he went out and through a scoreless eighth. It revived my confidence in the lefty.

Affeldt could have taken home a win that night had Rowand managed to drive Randy Winn in from third with one out. Instead he hit a weak grounder, and retreated to a chorus of boos. Afterwards, he spoke with Andrew Baggarly, who wondered why we never see Rowand slamming his bat or throwing his helmet.

“If I’m going to snap, usually it’s in the tunnel,” he said. “I don’t want the guy on the mound or the other team to realize that I’m frustrated. My whole career, I’ve done it that way.”

Rowand, whose serious work ethic is well-documented, also noted that he may need to make some changes in his approach - "“I’m starting over today,” he said before Saturday's game. “I’m simplifying everything.” Against Santana, Rowand had three RBIs on three hits, including a home run. Not bad. Still, Rowand in just in the second year of a five year, $60 million contract - something he would not have received had he entered the market a year later. To trade Rowand at this point, however, would be silly. The Giants would likely have to eat much of the contract, and given that Rowand is a). the opposite of a clubhouse cancer and b). not keeping better players out of the lineup, it would serve the team best to keep him around. Besides, if he can return to form, he makes for a good number six hitter - provided the lineup around him gets better.

Also catching the ire of the fans this past weekend, was closer Brian Wilson. On Friday and Saturday, Wilson entered the ninth in a tie game and then put the game, well, a little out of reach. The challenging Mets lineup seemed at ease at the plate and on the bases, while Wilson hurt his own case with a miserable throwing error. So, what do I say? Perhaps, "he's a bum" or "replace him with Affeldt"? No. These two games were tough and probably Wilson's worst outings of the year. But, those are the breaks for a closer. Now, if this becomes a habit, we can start talking about a change. Wilson's failures are magnified by the fact that he is always in there with the game on the line, and subsequently greater scrutiny comes with that, too. At $480,000 - significantly less than Affeldt and Bobby Howry, Wilson remains a terrific value on a team with plenty of bad contracts, and continues to bounce back from struggles. He pitched a 1-2-3 ninth on Sunday.

Giants Get Sweet Revenge

You may remember a game, almost two years ago today. The Giants were playing the Mets in a nationally televised game. Tim Lincecum made his fifth major start, allowing three runs and striking out eight in seven innings. But the game remained tied at three until the Giants scored the go-ahead run in the top of the twelfth inning. Armando Benitez came in to close it out and, well, the rest is history. A walk to Jose Reyes and a couple of balks later, the game was tied. Carlos Delgado finished it with a walk-off homer. Benitez would not pitch in a Giants uniform again, and that game remains one of the more crushing losses of the past few years.

On Sunday, the universe went a long way towards righting itself. Once again on ESPN, the Giants won 2-0, thanks entirely to a couple of well-timed balks by Mets' starter Mike Pelfrey, who never seemed very comfortable on the mound. In the first time, after Pablo Sandoval singled, Pelfrey seemed to catch his spike in the dirt and couldn't get the pitch off. Sandoval went to second, and came home on a Bengie Molina single. In the fifth inning, after Aaron Rowand led off with a single, Pelfrey started and stopped. Travis Ishikawa advanced Rowand to third with a groundout, and then Matt Cain helped himself with an RBI single, after a suicide squeeze attempt went foul. Cain continued to allow a lot of baserunners, walking five and throwing nearly 120 pitches in six innings, but he continued to work his way out of trouble. Jeremy Affeldt had another good outing. After a Carlos Beltran double put runners on second and third with nobody out in the eighth, Affeldt struck out Gary Sheffield, intentionally walked David Wright, and got pinch-hitter Angel Pagan to ground into a double play. Brian Wilson pitch a one-two-three ninth for his ninth save.

If you were watching the ESPN telecast, you might not have realized that there were actually two teams on the field. The broadcast team of Joe Morgan and Steve Phillips, egged on by Jon Miller, spent nearly the whole game talking about the Mets and their "leadership issues." Phillips at one point said that the Mets don't have that "perfect player" like Dustin Pedroia or Derek Jeter, and later suggested that they should consider trading Carlos Beltran, because despite being one of the best players in baseball, he just doesn't have that gamer/clubhouse presence that we all know is more important. Hey, if the Mets want a center fielder with those attributes, maybe we could swing a deal (he hit into another bases loaded double play today, but at least he hustled really hard!). If only Steve Phillips were still the Mets' GM. But seriously, it seems like a lot of people buy into that school of thinking. Dear Mets' fans: I would love to have David Wright's, Jose Reyes's, or Carlos Beltran's problems.

What Will the 2010 Giants Look Like?

Every once in a while, we like to step back from the season in progress and take a look at the bigger picture. This is a topic that's been on my mind lately. Despite the Giants’ initial success this year, most people who follow the team closely have set 2010 as the year when the team will regain their status as serious contenders. However, the issue of who will actually take the field next spring is still very much up in the air. So much will depend on the performance of players on the current team, the progress of top prospects, and the free agent market. Taking these factors into account, here is a position-by-position breakdown of how the team could shape up.

C: Bengie Molina’s contract is up after 2009, creating a space for 2008 first-round pick Buster Posey, who has been as advertised so far at Class-A San Jose. Some have suggested that Molina should be kept around as a veteran mentor, but a prospect like Posey needs to be playing every day, and I’m not sure Molina would like a part-time role. If the Giants want to keep Posey in the minors for a month or two to begin the season, they might be better off going with a backup-type like Miguel Olivo or Yorvit Torrealba.

1B: This is perhaps the most wide open position on the roster. Travis Ishikawa has not inspired confidence with his performance right now, and who knows where he will be a month from now, much less 2010. The Giants are reportedly floating the idea of moving Pablo Sandoval across the diamond to first. Jesus Guzman, who opened a lot of eyes in Spring Training and has continued to hit well at Triple-A Fresno, could get a look as well. On the free agent market, options include Nick Johnson and Adam LaRoche, who could also be trade targets if the Giants remain in contention.

2B: The Giants have shown a lot of patience will Emmanuel Burriss this year, and they have been rewarded with improved performance over the past couple weeks. Burriss has excellent speed, has shown a decent ability to get on base, and has played an acceptable second base, but his complete lack of power makes him more suitable as a role player. If Brian Sabean decides he wants a more potent bat, he could go for Orlando Hudson or Felipe Lopez.

3B: Like first base, this one is up in the air. Pablo Sandoval has a future with this team, but it may not be at third. If Sandoval is moved, there are not a lot of inspiring internal options. Adrian Beltre has been linked to the Giants in trade rumors in the past, and he will probably be the best available free agent. Conor Gillaspie, currently at San Jose, is the best third base prospect in the organization, and could see big league action at some point next year.

SS: Barring injury or historically poor performance, Edgar Renteria is pretty much locked in as the starter next year, with Brandon Crawford maybe stepping up in 2011.

LF: For all the talk of a slump, Fred Lewis is still getting on base at a .390 clip. But if his power does not develop and his strikeouts continue to pile up, his role may be that of a fourth outfielder. Even though he’s only been in the league a couple years, Lewis is 28. He’s not going to develop much more as a player. There will be some big bats available this offseason, most notably Matt Holliday and Jason Bay.

CF: Like it or not, the Giants are pretty much stuck with Aaron Rowand in center field. Unless Sabean can find someone willing to take on his contract, Rowand will be out there again in 2010.

RF: Randy Winn’s tenure in right field will likely come to an end this season, and whoever takes over will have big shoes to fill. The Giants hope it will be Nate Schierholtz, but there are doubts about his ability to consistently hit big-league pitching, and he may be more suited to a bench role. If the Giants choose the free agent route, they will have a hard time finding anyone who can cover as much ground in right as Winn, as the market is full of aging, defense-averse sluggers like Vladimir Guerrero, Bobby Abreu, and Brian Giles. Xavier Nady has been linked to the Giants in the past, and if healthy could be an option.

SP: Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, and Jonathan Sanchez will all be under contract, and if all of them return, that leaves only one spot to fill. A lot depends on the development of Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson, both of whom were recently promoted to Double-A. If the Giants feel that one or both are ready to step into the rotation, they could look to trade Sanchez or even Cain in the right deal. As good as Matt Cain can be, if the Giants were offered the kind of haul that the Orioles got for Erik Bedard or the A’s got for Dan Haren, they could be tempted. Kevin Pucetas, Joe Martinez, and Henry Sosa could also battle for a spot in Spring Training. Whatever the case, it appears unlikely the Giants will need to bring in a free agent to fill out the rotation.

RP: Trying to imagine what a bullpen will look almost a year before the season is a fruitless exercise, but here’s what we know: Brian Wilson will likely still be closing games, and he will be supported by Jeremy Affeldt in the second year of his contract. If Sergio Romo comes back and pitches like he did last year, he should be there too. Bob Howry could be brought back if he continues to pitch well. Other free agents include John Grabow, Fernando Rodney, Kevin Gregg, and Joe Beimel. Within the organization, Osiris Matos and Alex Hinshaw should still be around, while Sosa and Waldis Joaquin could be dark horse candidates.

Now back to the real world.

-C.B.

Brian Wilson Upset at Casey Blake

The Giants won 7-5 yesterday in 13 innings, completing a 4-3 road trip, but closer Brian Wilson was not happy after the game. After hitting a one game-tying homer of Wilson in the 12th, Dodger Casey Blake returned to the dugout and imitated the Giants closer's postgame arm gesture. Friends sent Wilson photos and after the game he was distraught and did not want to talk. He was consoled by teammates. Blake has had no comment.

Wilson does the arm gesture at the end of games. Kept a secret initially, its meaning was later revealed to Andrew Baggarly as being a tribute to his late father, his faith, and the belief that you've still got fight left in you no matter the odds. Wilson does not face opponents when doing the gesture, instead looking out towards center field. "It shows no disrespect toward anybody," he has said. "It’s all positive praise. It’s not for showboating."

Wilson seemed to perceive Blake's gesture as an affront to his faith and late father, though it is unclear whether Blake knew the meaning.

Whether or not Blake was aware, he was still showing up Wilson. Blake had just hit a game-tying homer off an All Star closer and was probably feeling pretty pumped about it (as anybody would). Returning to the dugout, as a means of celebration, Blake opted to imitate Wilson's gesture. I took it to be his way of saying, "You won't be doing this today."

The Giants did score two runs in the 13th and Wilson closed things out for the win. Winning is the best revenge, and the rivalry now has more fuel.

Let's Hear It For the Boy and Observations from the Past Week

By this point, there should be no doubt - Tim Lincecum is for real. After those two lackluster starts at the beginning of the year, he has picked up where 2008 left off. Even when he does not have his best - like he didn't against the Cubs - he is still the best. I appreciate how Lou Pinella conceded defeat before the game even began, omitting Ryan Theriot, Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Milton Bradley and Geovany Soto from his lineup card. Perhaps this will become a trend when Lincecum pitches? Perhaps we should pencil in Lincecum as the starter each game?

Bengie Molina gave his pitcher all he needed with a first inning, three run homer, but the Giants decided to throw a few more runs in for good measure. Listening to The Razor and Mr. T after the game, it was asked whether Molina was the Giants best free agent signing behind Barry Bonds. There is no doubt Molina has been an offense savior during his tenure with the Giants, and it might not be a bad idea to keep a vet like him around, while nurturing young Buster Posey into the majors.

The Giants are playing .500 ball and still haven't lost a series since their disastrous first road trip. Since we have not posted in about a week, here's a few things we noticed during that time:

-Barry Zito is totally clean shaven and it suits him well. When you're as well-groomed as Zito looks these days, it's a sign that you are confident and take pride in what you are doing. Zito has been money as of late, maybe not $126 million money, but still. Most impressive about 2009's Zito as compared to 2007 and 2008's Zito is that he has cut back on his walks and gone deeper into ball games. He still doesn't have a win but deserves 2 or 3.
-While we're comparing grooming habits to performance, let's talk about Brian Wilson. That new haircut of his is pretty frickin cool, simply enhancing his overall coolness. After his one blown save, Wilson has bounced back strong, twice having to get a 4-out save, while also pitching a scoreless ninth in a 0-0 game.
-Wilson needed to get a pair of four out saves, because Jeremy Affeldt was twice unable to finish the eighth. Let's hope Affeldt can get things back on track, because Bruce Bochy is already talking about replacing Bob Howry with Merkin Valdez as the eighth inning righty. If the Giants are going to have any shot this year, the bullpen has got to be solid.
-Jonathan Sanchez is still struggling with the mental game. Though in his defense - and Dunae Kuiper raised a similar point - I've always felt that a pitcher should be able to go out and give up three runs and still win. Unfortunately, with this offense, when you fall down 3-0 early, a comeback does not appear likely. "How about the offense picking up a pitcher every now and agin," Kuiper said. Agreed.
-Randy Johnson is at 297, going for 298 tonight.
-More Nate Schierholtz please.

Barry Beats LA...Zito Good Too

With the all-time home run king looking on, the Giants scored the game-tying and game-winning runs on two balls that didn't leave the infield grass. I'll take it. The Giants beat the Dodgers for the first time this year and improved their home record to 7-2. With Tim Lincecum going tomorrow, the Giants now have a good chance to take the series.

Barry Zito was not quite as sharp as he was in his last outing in San Diego, as he struck out just two while walking three, but he managed to work his way out of jams through the first six innings. The Dodgers finally got to him in the seventh, and Zito was gone after a two-run homer by Casey Blake and a single by Juan Pierre. Merkin Valdez, pitching for the first time in a while, allowed a game-tying single to Orlando Hudson and go-ahead single to Manny Ramirez, but avoided further damage by getting Matt Kemp to ground into a double play. The Giants then rallied for two against Ronald Belisario in the eighth.

The story of the game might be Brian Wilson, who is now Twitter-free. A day after blowing a three-run lead in Arizona, Wilson struck out Blake, Blake DeWitt, and Rafael Furcal to close out the game. After falling behind Furcal 3-0, Wilson planted three straight knee-high fastballs for called strikes.

Of course, Barry Bonds was in the building, and I think anyone watching would agree that the man would make a great color commentator.

Who Would've Thought a 2-1 Weekend Would Be A Disappointment

Going into Friday's game, all I wanted was for the Giants to take two of three from Arizona, and that they did. It is a little disappointing because they came oh-so-close to leaving with a sweep, but here's a look back at a mostly positive weekend...

If you watched Friday night's game, then it was painfully clear that something is just not right with Tim Lincecum. Despite a Giants win, Lincecum in no way resembled the 2008 Cy Young award winner we know and love. He could only muster eight innings, and allowed a whopping five hits. Even worse, his strikeout total dropped from 13 in his previous start to only 12. He also increased his walk total from his previous start, allowing one. And, he allowed a 2-out RBI single to a pitcher! Miraculously, the Giants dominant offense carried them to a 5-1 victory.

Saturday's victory resembled the kind of win that only winning teams get. You know the kind where your number starter gets knocked out early, and your offense and bullpen carry you to victory. Clutch two-out hitting has been rather elusive for the Orange and Black, but all five came in such circumstances - an Edgar Renteria double, a Randy Winn homer, and a single from the oft hitting challenged Emmanuel Burris. The hitting was clutch, but I just cannot say enough good things about the bullpen's performance, especially the strong setup guys we have in Jeremy Affeldt and Bob Howry. A major issue the Giants have faced in their string of losing seasons has been a lack of quality setup guys to finish the job - coupled with starters who cannot go deep. Both Affeldt and Howry have handled their late-inning duties successfully (each has three holds), achieving a certain late inning confidence.

What was that about late inning confidence? Sunday's game had all the makings of an inspiring getaway win for the Giants - seven solid innings from Matt Cain (who was in line for win number three), a clutch homer from Pablo Sandoval, more great setup work from Affeldt and Howry, and a 4-1 lead with Brian Wilson on the mound. Blown saves happen - it is just a fact. I will not go into any monologues trying to diagnose Brian Wilson's strength and weaknesses. Even the best closers have a bad day. Despite the loss, there are still numerous positives to take from this game and even more from the series - the Giants have turned that dismal 2-7 into a respectable 8-9.

For Zito and the Giants, It is All About the BB

I have three words that will be the key to the Giants' success in 2009 - base on balls. If Giants hitters can coax a few of these each game, they will put themselves in a position to score runs and win games. If Giants pitchers can avoid these, it is going to be very difficult to score runs off of these guys. I believe walks were the key to our 0-6 road trip, and subsequently the key to our 4-1 homestand.

But let's talk about Barry Zito. No article or re-cap of a Zito game fails to mention the ridiculous contract he is now in his third year of. Perhaps, Zito will never escape this, but it looks like the lefty has turned over a new leaf. Zito was electric yesterday afternoon. For a guy who typically struggles in April, struggles in the first, and struggles with walks, he put forth one of his best efforts ever as a Giant. For seven innings, Zito held the Padres scoreless, allowing just two hits. Most impressive, he allowed zero walks (but did hit one batter). He even struck out the side in the fourth, facing the heart of the Padres order.

Zito did knock his ERA down several notches, but couldn't improve on his 0-2 record, seeing as how the Giants were pretty much dominated by Chris Young, whose line was pretty much identical to zeros. Still, I felt something I have not felt in a very long time. Even though the game remained 0-0 through nine innings, there was an undeniable feeling that we would eventually win this game. The Giants have now made an entire trip through the rotation with each pitcher throwing a quality start. It has created that atmosphere where every game can be won behind strong pitching. More important, something special is also developing in the bullpen behind setup guys Bob Howry and Jeremy Affeldt and closer Brian Wilson. Those three combined for three scoreless innings, with Wilson pitching two for the win.

Strong pitching, both from starters and in relief will carry the Giants far. The key for Giants hitters is to create those opportunities to score runs. Some days, those opportunities may lead to a grand slam; others, it will simply lead to that one run needed to win.

Big Unit Throws Near No-No

And, finally! Giants pitchers are starting to throw just like we expected them to. Unfortunately, Giants hitters are continuing to hit just like we expected them to. In their best series of the year, the Giants took two of three from Arizona with stellar starting pitching and scoring-challenged hitting. Giants starters did not allow a run to Arizona in 21 2/3 innings.The big story of yesterday was Randy Johnson, who earned win number 296 if his career, his first as a Giant. Johnson had us on the edge of our seats carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Despite allowing a leadoff double, Johnson preserved his shutout, while Bob Howry and Brian Wilson carried the team the rest of the way. A thrilling game to watch from start to finish! The Giants mustered two runs - one on a sacrifice fly and one on a double play, both with the bases loaded. There were some positive signs for the Giants on the offensive front - there were five walks (one intentional), while Bengie Molina and Pablo Sandoval had multi-hit games. Unfortunately, they also struck out 11 times.

A quick bone to pick here. Following Saturday's loss, I read a blog post entitled Note to Sabean: Trade Brian Wilson, which stated, "The guy is a headcase. He’s not a competitor. His ERA is too high. He walks leadoff hitters. His trade value will never be this high again." First, Wilson has only had two real opportunities to prove himself this season and he is 2-for-2, facing the minimum in those games. While he does need to work on keeping the ERA down, the majority of his runs allowed come in non-save situations. Furthermore, when he has given up leads this season, they have been situations where he has entered with men on base, sometimes with zero margin for error. Why did the Giants lose so many games last year? The bullpen was a big part, but Wilson was a saving grace. Oh, and he comes cheap.

If the Giants plan to keep hitting like they do, pitching is going to have to be near flawless. Thankfully, today it was.

Giants Win! My Joe Martinez Theory

I have this theory. Before Joe Martinez took a line drive to the face, the Giants were riding high, en route to a 2-1 start. The event shook the Giants up pretty good - it was evident from their reactions after the fact. I think the orange and black took that with them on the road, and it showed in their play. Mental mistakes were made in the field, baserunning gaffes cost the team runs, and the pitching was not anywhere near as sharp as we expected.With the Giants returning home on Friday night, Martinez was in the building looking significantly better and I think his presence really loosened everyone up a bit. I expect better play from this team in the coming weeks. It wasn't a strong night on the offensive front - save Andres Torres' insurance homer in the eighth when he could not get around the bases fast enough. This evening was really about the pitching.

We had concerns about Jonathan Sanchez when he mentally broke down in his first start, however his line was strong against the Diamondbacks - nearly seven shutout innings of 2-hit ball. Then the trio of pitchers who blew the lead against the Dodgers last Wednesday sealed the deal this time - 1 out from Jeremy Affeldt, 2 from Bob Howry, and then 4 from Brian Wilson in his first save of the season. With strong pitching, a decent bullpen, and an un-threatening lineup, these are the kinds of games the Giants need to be winning to stay competitive.

Giant of the Week: Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson is the unsung hero of the 2008 San Francisco Giants. He has presence on the mound, without any flashiness, as if he prefers to let his fastballs do all the talking. While the bullpen around him has had plenty of ups and downs, he has held leads with remarkable consistency. With only two blown saves to his name (and only one resulting in a loss), who knows what this season would look like without Wilson. Last week, Wilson racked up four saves, preserving leads after great outings from Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum. He shut the Dodgers out for an inning on Saturday, as well, helping send the game into extra innings. Wilson has only improved as the season progresses, proving that he is a closer that you could build a bullpen around.

Why Wilson is an All Star

Tim Lincecum graces the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated and it seems all but certain he will be suiting up at Yankee Stadium on July 15. The Giants continue to push fans toward voting for Bengie Molina and Aaron Rowand on their ballots. But just as deserving to be out there for the mid-summer classic is closer Brian Wilson, who secured his league-leading 22nd save of the season last night in a 2-1 victory over the Cubs.

Wilson's league lead in saves is impressive for a number of reasons - one being that this team has only won 37 games. Wilson has only blown two saves this season, and only one of those was a loss. That loss was May 3 in Philadelphia - nearly two months ago. Since that time, not every save has come easy (he did allow a run and put the tying and winning runners on last night), but he always closes the door. There's a fire and intensity when he pitches that every closer needs to succeed. "Put in a good word for me with Clint Hurdle," he says. Wilson is fun to watch - and he deserves to be out there on the national stage in two weeks.