"Day-to-day" Jack Wilson may be done for the year
Published 7:47 pm Saturday, September 19, 2009
Because of injuries, the Mariners probably haven’t seen the real Jack Wilson since they traded for him in July. There’s a strong chance they won’t see him play again until next year (Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune gets the credit for writing that several days ago).
Wilson has a bruised heel, the result of a hard impact with first base on Tuesday when he planted his foot hard onto the bag and has been considered day-to-day since. An MRI didn’t show any structural damage, but Wilson won’t travel with the team on its trip next week to Tampa Bay and Toronto.
Manager Don Wakamatsu is hoping Wilson will be well enough to play during the final six games at home Sept. 29-Oct.4. There may be a better chance of Russell Branyan (herniated disc) then than Wilson.
Wilson immediately displayed his strength in the field, ranging deep into the shortstop-third base hole to reach ground balls, but is batting only .220 in 31 games. He also has been plagued by a tight left hamstring.
“You look beyond the numbers sometimes, and at the athletic ability, how he understands the game and how he plays the game,” Wakamatsu said. “He plays shortstop extremely well. Offensively it’s always tough switching from one league to the other and get re-acclimated. But he’s a baseball player. I like what I’ve seen.”
Wilson has an $8.4 million club option on his contract for next year, but you’ve got to think he and the Mariners will work out a new deal.
It’s a fairly slow day on the news front concerning the Mariners. Pitcher Chris Jakubauskas (knot in his shoulder) is fine and will be available to pitch Sunday, Bill Hall is back in left field despite problems with his right quad, and Matt Tuiasosopo will make his second start at second base.
There was no apparent residual euphoria over Ichiro Suzuki’s game-winning home run Friday night. Instead, the Mariners were glued to the telecast of the final minutes of the Washington-USC football game. Ken Griffey Jr., of course, was the most vocal about the Huskies’ victory, saying stuff that really can’t be printed in a family oriented forum.
