Wilson Pushing to Close

Back before the season starter, early on in spring training, Brian Wilson was a guy who got a lot of talk regarding the Giants and their late inning relief situation. A lot of baseball experts and Giants fans thought that Wilson would battle Benitez for the closers role and ultimately take the closers job once the season got started. Wilson battled control issues all spring and didn't even make the Giants opening day roster. In fact, he hadn't seen any big league time this year before being recalled on August 11th. All Wilson has done since that time is prove to the Giants that they should have given him a call earlier. Wilson hasn't given up any runs on 2 hits in 6 innings pitched while striking out 5 and collecting a save. Bruce Bochy seems to have bought into Wilson as he's trotted him out for the ninth inning in the last 2 games. Brad Hennessey had been closing ever since Armondo Benitez was dealt to Florida back in June and has done and admirable job, but I think the Giants view Hennessey as more of a setup/late inning reliever rather than a closer. Wilson has the closer mentality and certainly posses the weapons to be a successful closer at this level. He was lights out in his 4 months doing the job in Fresno and it has carried over into the major leagues. His cutter, when controlled, can be a premier pitch and his mid-90's fastball and hard slider are both plus pitches. I don't see any reason not to keep Wilson in the closers role the rest of the way.

Barry Zito has looked the best I've seen him since he joined the Giants. Zito has turned in 3 consecutive good starts and in the last 2, he showed shades of why the Giants gave him the huge contract that they did over the winter. He has looked like the staff ace that he's supposed to be and the reason why is his control. When looking at Zito's starts over the season, there is a trend. Every time he walks 2 or less batters in a game, he turns in a good start. When he walks more than 2, things can get ugly and they normally do. The same thing applies for Matt Cain and the person I question for this is Dave Righetti. I think it's time the Giants explore other options as far as their pitching coach goes. I've never been too impressed with Righetti or with the lack of progress Cain has made this year as well as the decline of Zito. Even Noah Lowry walks too many batters, though it doesn't effect him the way it does Cain and Zito. I'm ready for a new teacher.