MLB Team Outlook: San Francisco Giants’ remain uncertain about Brian Wilson
If anything held no certainty about the Giants along with the team’s performance, it was the fate of Brian Wilson, a dependable Giants’ closer. The team manager could not, or has not, put an end to the speculations making the rounds for quite a while now.
The closer who has been assiduously working to make a recovery from strained oblique muscle is still said to be resting in the disabled list.
Wilson’s chance to start the season stands 50-50, according to Bochy. His complete rule out, however, was not announced by the manager whose team is opening their defence of the World Series Championship on Thursday.
Giants, it has to be quickly added, do not essentially have any tangible worry from Wilson’s uncertain appearance in this season. Inclusion of Wilson in the disabled list does not inspire anxiety partly because the player’s list can be backdated for around
10 days to retain his activation as early as April 5, next month. No doubts can be entertained about that. No scepticism expressed.
Jeremey Affeldt, the left hander representing the Giants was all praise and hopeful to see Wilson back in the team. “The caliber of closer that it's a little bit of a kidney shot when he goes down," said Affeldt. “Whoever's closing that night is just filling
in. You're never going to replace him."
Making an astoundingly impressive 48 saves in the Major Leagues in 2010, Wilson’s return is an inevitable need of the team. The whole team looks forward to his quick return, especially the catcher Buster Posey. He said, "We definitely want him there and
we're doing for him to be there. But at the same time, we want him to be 100 percent healthy when he comes back."
But nonetheless, there is no adequate time left for him to gather his pace back, reorganize himself completely and regain his arm strength to be decisively on the driving seat when it comes to discharging his role as one of the absolute essentials of the
team.
The team manager, Bochy, said that he was clear as to who would be the reliever, or the combination of relievers, that his team would use in the role of closer in case Wilson was sidelined. He, nonetheless, carefully avoided any question pertaining to who
the potential player could be as he said he was not prepared to make it known for now.
But speculations were rife on Monday night. The right-hander Santiago Casilla was being named to be the possible reliever should Wilson be out of team due to his injury. Casilla’s 95-mph fastball is a feat the team will willingly utilise as he had the most
of substantial Major League closing experience for San Francisco. It was both Affeidt and Casilla who managed to save four and two games respectively earlier in 2010.
If a closer-by-committee method, that is one of the favourites of Bochy, is employed, it would be a thoroughly useful match-up for the team. Provided that is done, Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez would be the part of team. Also, the possibilities exist, the
right-hander Guillermo Mota and left-hander Dan Runzler, could also make their way through the list of players. Though Bochy said that Wilson had played the light catch Monday, there is no assurance if he will be able to make it. "We're not going to push him
if he doesn't feel great," Bochy said. "But so far in his throwing sessions on flat ground, he hasn't felt anything."
Whatever the outcome is, it remains to be seen how the Giants compensate the potential departure of this endearing asset.
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