Earlier this week, ESPN reported
that Romeo emancipated himself from the Montegues and that the Capulets adopted
him and became his legal guardians. Wait, no, that’s just what it felt
like when ESPN reported that Brian Wilson (RHP) accepted and signed a minor
league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Brian Wilson, a Dodger. Sigh. I’m not
hurt, I’m just disappointed.
Brian Wilson was more than just our
closer.
On the field, he was a homegrown
talent, drafted by the Giants in the 24th round of the 2003 amateur
baseball draft. He was the guy who we called on time after time, via Bruce
Bochy, at the end of the game to close it out for us and save the W. He often
made that 9th inning far too exciting, and far too dramatic, than
was ever necessary, but more often than not he got the job done in a way that only
he could. When the show was over, he’d turn around and pay tribute to his
father, while the rest of us paid our own tribute to him and the rest of our
boys.
Off the field, he was the guy who
would roll up to the Starbucks on Chestnut in his blacked out Mercedes, wearing
an outfit that could only be described as part army surplus, part Zac Brown,
and would sit outside shooting the breeze with the other locals. Solving all of
the world’s problems, no doubt. Wilson was the face of the “torture”, the lead
“misfit”, the bearded eccentricity that didn’t make sense to anyone outside of
San Francisco, but somehow fit perfectly in the City by the Bay. Torturous
saves, the most entertaining media interviews ever, coined phrases, fake
beards, a spandex tuxedo, “Fear the Beard” t-shirts, and the first World Series
Championship, ever, in San Francisco. BWilly was our guy- and then he wasn’t.
The stints on the DL began soon
after that glorious, glorious 2010 season. Short, at first, and then longer and
longer, until, a year later, it was finally concluded that Willy needed his
second career Tommy John surgery. Out for the season, out for the remainder of
his contract. When the time came, the Giants offered Wilson an incentive filled
contract to stay with the team. Fresh off of 2 seasons in which he didn’t pitch
more than a couple consecutive games, and of having his arm completely
reconstructed, for the second time, Brian deemed the contract “insulting”. He
was offended that the organization would offer him such a low base and
incentive payments based on playing time after all that he had done for the
team. Apparently, Brian had already forgotten about the previous two seasons in
which he had essentially been paid for being the team mascot. Forgotten that
the team drafted him after his first Tommy John surgery, stuck with him through
his struggles in the minor leagues, and through his various oblique and arm
injuries in the following years. Forgotten that the team had just brought home its
second Commissioner’s Trophy in three years, this time without him. Robb Nen
thanked the organization for showing him the same loyalty he had shown them,
Brian Wilson announced that he wanted to become a Dodger.
Purposeful message received, #38. I
suppose not everyone can be the great Kirby Puckett. Say hey to Jason Schmidt
and Juan Uribe for us. I hope you enjoy L.A. as much as they have. I hope the
city and the fans show you as much love and pride in who you are both on and
off the field as we did. No, I hope they show you more. Because, you can’t come
home again.
Too much awesome?? Please. Not
nearly enough.
C
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