Giants closer Wilson on track to throw again Monday

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.It wasnt Game 5 of the World Series. But Bruce Bochy liked what he saw when Brian Wilson took the mound on Thursday.The Giants All-Star closer threw 20 pitches, took a rest to replicate an inning break, then threw 20 more. Bochy estimated that Wilson was throwing with 80 percent effort, but noted that there were some cutters and sliders in the mix.Wilson is on the schedule to throw with the second group of pitchers, meaning he would take the mound on Monday. But Bochy confirmed that Wilson would not face hitters as other pitchers graduate to that step, and his black beard wouldnt grace the mound during the first week of Cactus League games.

We wont see him in game action until probably the second week, Bochy said.Wilson endured a trying season in 2011, when he began on the disabled list because of back stiffness and then appeared in only two games after straining his elbow Aug. 15 at Atlanta. Shortly thereafter, Wilson saw the nations two preeminent elbow specialists, Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Lewis Yocum, who shared the opinion that he could rehab the elbow without surgery.Wilson acknowledged earlier this month that he should have scaled back his rigorous offseason workouts after throwing the World Series-clinching pitch on Nov. 1, 2010. He did more cardio and baseball-specific work this past winter and lifted fewer reps in the gym.