Farewell to The Beard

[rxmeister]

The Giants non tendered Brian Wilson last night, and due to the fact that he was raised in the New England area, lives in LA, and is unhappy about being non- tendered, it looks like he's thrown his last pitch for the Giants. Some fans disliked him because of his craziness, but most loved him. I'll root for him anywhere but the Dodgers, which is probably where he's going to wind up. Non tendering him was a no brainer though, you can't pay him all that money when you don't even know when he'll pitch again. Sergio Romo becomes the closer from day one, and as the Reds, Cardinals, and Tigers can tell you, he's the man for he job. Good luck, Brian, except if you go you know where.

[klaiggeb]

Some fans disliked him because of his craziness, but most loved him.


---boly says---

I didn't dislike, him, but I NEVER thought his actions and antics were funny. To me, he acted like a jackass.

The stupid clothes he wore, the idiotic stuff he did.

Sorry, not funny.

When he was in the booth with the boys, THEY thought he was hysterical.

I thought he just sounded like an idiot.

On the mound... a different story.

boly

[sharksrog]

Boly -- I didn't dislike, him, but I NEVER thought his actions and antics were funny. To me, he acted like a jackass.

Rog -- I was probably more neutral than Boly, but I didn't like a lot of the antics either. That said, two things changed my mind.

First, Wilson was in the TV booth once, and he was both witty and good.

Second, Brian really got me when he was playing the piano on Ryan Theriot's head to the beat of the ballpark music.

Here's where I disagreed with the masses. I didn't think he was quite as good as many others did. I think it was the tight rope acts.

Brian's career save percentage was 87%, which is indeed pretty good. But he also had a lot of pretty easy saves during that time.

He had a Giants ERA of 3.21, which is pretty good for a reliever, but no better than average for a closer. His won-loss record was 20 and 20.

I guess if we put it all together, one could say that including saves and holds (Brian had them early in his career), Brian's won-loss record was 205-45. No starter could ever do that well, but for a closer, it's not great.

Mariano Rivera is in another league, of course, but his "won-loss" percentage is 85%, or nearly as high as Brian's save percentage. And since blown saves weren't officially recorded until 2002, that means we're not "starting" his career until age 32 -- an age when many relievers are nearly done.

Brian was good, but Sergio Romo is clearly better. Brian was more like Santiago Casilla as a Giant -- and I'm giving Brian extra credit for being a closer, which may or may not be appropriate.


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[rxmeister]

What you're saying Rog, is completely accurate, but we'll always have the 2010 post season to remember as the one time when Brian came up big without that much drama. Let's not forget he once had a 100 mph fastball and a couple of trips to the all star game. I'll always remember him fondly. By the way, just read that the Dodgers have no interest in Wilson. That's good news, if true.

[sfgdood]

you guys are not looking at the right set of circumstances. The thing is, as good as Wilson may have been (or bad, depending on your personal recollection) the fact is you can't look at his free agency through the prism of what he was before he was injured...you have to look at it in terms of what will he be able to give right now. The fact is he's had his second TJ surgery and what he will be when he gets back is very much in question. No matter what team ultimately signs him, it's doubtful he will be a closer on Opening Day. He IS a workout fiend and will always give everything he has. But for him to be mad because the Giants arent willing to risk 6 million (or more) on a bad-elbowed ex-closer is just foolish. He needs to be in Hollywood if that's his mindset.

~Dood

[sharksrog]

Randy -- But for him to be mad because the Giants arent willing to risk 6 million (or more) on a bad-elbowed ex-closer is just foolish. He needs to be in Hollywood if that's his mindset.

Rog -- No one except a masochist likes to be rejected, but you are absolutely right that the Giants' perspective is more accurate than Brian's seems to be.

By the way, for those who decry the players' lack of loyalty, I suspect that is what Brian is upset about. Teams trade, release and refuse to realistically bid on players all the time, but I don't hear anyone talking about how unloyal they are.

Doesn't anyone understand this is a business?

That fact was jolted home to me when I heard Chris Speier tell his wife Aleta he was leaving for work. DARN, I had always thought it was PLAYING ball, but when one does it for a living, it's business.

By the way, Chris is the only player I can think of who was his own agent. His son Justin's agent became Chris's former Giants rookie buddy, Chris Arnold.


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