SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.Brian Wilson has obeyed everyinstruction from trainers and followed every step in the conservative timeline created forhim this spring as the Giants ease his right elbow back to full strength.
But when the season begins, Wilson doesnt want to be heldback.
I make the team healthy, there shouldnt be any worries orwhat-ifs or (thoughts of) maybe lightening the workload, he said on Saturday.You should be ready for 162 games.
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Wilson continues to look healthy, if not completely lockedin. His third outing of the spring wasnt nearly as smooth as his first two andhe couldnt complete his scheduled inning on Saturday. But third baseman PabloSandoval threw away a potential double-play grounder that wouldve gottenWilson out of the inning quickly.
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Instead, Wilson had to push himself while throwing 30pitches before Scott Munterremember him?was summoned to get the finalout. The long outing was a good test for Wilsons elbow.
His stuff was fine and he had velocity, Giants managerBruce Bochy said. He was down to his last hitter and, never fails, he had tothrow nine or 10 pitches.
Wilson is starting to move from a rehabbing player to ahealthy, unrestricted one. He didnt think he needed to appear on consecutivedays until the end of the spring, saying its a valid point but that therewas no need to risk anything this early.
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Bochy said he is eager to see how Wilson is able to bounceback, though.
Yeah, and Willie knows it, Bochy said. It would be greatto get that checked off and maybe get an out and go back out there.
Bochy said hed also like Wilson to go one-plus innings atsome point. He planned to avoid using Wilson for four- and five-out saves asmuch as he did in the past, but youd still like to have that option. Itd benice for Willie to occasionally do it.
Wilson is certainly sticking to the rest of his routine.Right-hander Clay Hensley has joined Wilsons intensive, constantly moving, boot-campstyle drills on the field that include running cones, crawling on all fours andsprinting with a parachute strapped to his waist.
Its not easy, Wilson said. I know that. He knows that.But thats the point. Its not easy to pitch.
Wilson went three-up, three-down in his first two outings. On Saturday, he was charged with an unearned run and struck out two while allowing a hit in addition to his two walks.