NEW YORK — Always looking to make some additions to a bullpen that was one of the worst in the Major Leagues last season, the Mets are showing interest in one of the biggest characters in baseball: former Giants closer Brian Wilson.
The two sides have yet to sit
down to discuss any details of a potential deal, but the Mets are the only team
known to have watched the 30-year-old throw
on his way back from a second career Tommy John surgery that limited his 2012
season to just two appearances.
This type of low-risk,
high-reward free agent has been a staple of the Mets' plans the past few years
and any deal between the two parties would be contingent on Wilson accepting a
minor league deal with potential incentives based on his level of performance.
Wilson has been one of the most
consistent closers over the past five seasons, picking up 164 saves from
2008-2012. The pitcher also referred to simply as “The Beard” due to his
popular jet-black facial hair is 20-20 with a 3.21 ERA in his seven-year stint
in the majors.
If the Mets are able to convince
Wilson that his next uniform should predominantly feature blue and orange, he could be a strong addition to the bullpen in terms of both skill and clubhouse
leadership, provided he is able to return to his previous All-Star form.
Wilson is one of the best when it
comes to keeping inherited runners from scoring, which can’t be said for Frank Francisco
and Bobby Parnell, who are seen as the go-to combination to finish games at
this point. Wilson’s quirky personality would also bring a much needed shot in
the arm to the normally stoic likes of Francisco and Parnell, who looked a bit
indifferent at certain times last season and utterly shell-shocked at others.
For the right price, the Mets
could be the next club to ask whether or not other teams “Fear the Beard.”
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