Brian wilson dodgers biography examples

After unveiling his new knuckleball in his first appearance of the spring, Brian Wilson followed it up with two more yesterday to two different and puzzled Rangers hitters.

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After seeing that appearance yesterday, it’s a lot more likely that he’s practicing it for actual usage during the regular season, which would put him on a rather rare list of pitchers.

The recent history (since 2007) of non-knuckleballers throwing the knuckleball is very short. Eddie Bonine used the pitch the most when he worked it into his repertoire with the Tigers (232 Times), Ryan Franklin sparingly used one in relief with the Cardinals (26 Times), Manny Parra of the Brewers “fooled around” with a knuckler seven times (an even rarer lefty knuckler), and Livan Hernandez threw it once with the Mets (because of course he did).

What does it mean? I don’t know. There’s so little history of it, and it’s especially weird for a guy who put up a closer-worthy season and still has closer-worthy stuff to debut the pitch.

In the tiny sample size we’ve been able to see thus far, Wilson appears to have a decent grasp for command of the pitch, and the knuckler has had consistent late movement down and in to a righty. So like with Vicente Padilla‘s “soap bubble”, it might just work if not overused.

The Dodgers took a chance on a rebound for Brian Wilson, and he was even better than they could have hoped for.

More: Dodgers sign WilsonWilson's triumphant return

What went right

Just about everything, really. Wilson joined the Dodgers in mid-August, 16 months after Tommy John surgery. He didn't quite have the fastball of his heyday — he averaged between 92.6 and 93.2 mph in 2013, down 3-4 ticks from his peak in San Francisco — but Wilson effectively used a cutter to carve up hitters down the stretch.

Wilson was only with the Dodgers for five and a half weeks, but 17 of his 18 appearances were scoreless. He struck out 13 while only allowing eight runners to reach base in 13⅔ innings. Wilson even stranded 10 of his 11 inherited runners.

By October, Wilson was the main setup man to closer Kenley Jansen. He struck out eight more in six playoff innings and in his postseason career has yet to allow an earned run in 17⅔ innings.

In short, Wilson was everything the Dodgers could have asked for. He was well worth the $1 million flyer for the Dodgers, and it was good for Wilson too, reestablishing his value as a potent back-end reliever heading into the open market.

What went wrong

Wilson gave up a run once. On Sept. 7 in Cincinnati.

2014 status

Wilson is a free agent, and likely to get a deal to close again somewhere. My guess is that Wilson will surpass Brandon League money (3/$21m) and settle closer to Rafael Soriano territory (2/$28m).

American musician (born 1942)

For other people named Brian Wilson, see Brian Wilson (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and mastery of recording techniques, he is widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and significant songwriters of the 20th century. His best-known work is distinguished for its high production values, complex harmonies and orchestrations, layered vocals, and introspective or ingenuous themes. Wilson is also known for his formerly high-ranged singing and lifelong struggles with mental illness.

Raised in Hawthorne, California, Wilson's formative influences included George Gershwin, the Four Freshmen, Phil Spector, and Burt Bacharach. In 1961, he began his professional career as a member of the Beach Boys, serving as the band's songwriter, producer, co-lead vocalist, bassist, keyboardist, and de facto leader. After signing with Capitol Records in 1962, he became the first pop artist credited for writing, arranging, producing, and performing his own material. He also produced other acts, most notably the Honeys and American Spring. By the mid-1960s he had written or co-written more than two dozen U.S. Top 40 hits, including the number-ones "Surf City" (1963), "I Get Around" (1964), "Help Me, Rhonda" (1965), and "Good Vibrations" (1966). He is considered among the first music producer auteurs and the first rock producers to apply the studio as an instrument.

In 1964, Wilson had a nervous breakdown and resigned from regular concert touring to focus on songwriting and production, leading to works such as the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and his first credited solo release, "Caroline, No" (both 1966), as well as the unfinished album Smile. As he declined professionally and psychologicall

It's probably been a while since you thought about Brian Wilson, West Coast relief pitcher whose beard was as big as his presence on the mound. 
You remember the guy:

Or perhaps you remember this version:

His last pitch in the big leagues may have taken place three years ago with the Dodgers in 2014, but the 34-year-old is apparently attempting a comeback.
There's a twist, though. Two, in fact. 
First, he's shaved his iconic facial hair "situation." Second, as Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown revealed on Wednesday, the Pitcher Formerly Known As 'The Beard' is trying to be a knuckleball hurler this time around:

If your jaw is agape, you're not alone. This is quite a development. 
Brown reported that Wilson threw a 30-pitch bullpen session at USC on Wednesday morning, and as this quote suggests, his trademark candor and confidence are still in full quantity: 
"That right there," Wilson said while pulling off his muck-caked shoes, "was an MVP-Cy Young knuckleball. You can write that down, too. No joke."
There's definitely a market for those who can throw adequate knucklers in today's game, as and can no doubt attest. It won't be easy, but neither was the thought of closing out the AL champion Rangers in the 2010 World Series, and ... well:

Wilson, who collected 172 saves and 407 strikeouts between 2006 and 2014, has already had a larger-than-life career. If anybody can do what he's trying to do right now, it's him -- bearded or not.
He's also dabbled with a knuckleball over the years, tossing one to an unsuspecting during a Spring Training contest in 2014: 

Should Wilson's new career foray pan out, we do have to wonder what it'd mean for Wilson's status in Barry Zito's (made-up) band, though ...