Brian Wilson was a 24th round draft pick by the San Francisco Giants in 2003 as a relief pitcher after playing at LSU. He spent this past season with the Giants Single A, Double A, and Triple A organizations. He is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox. I had a chance to converse with him recently.
IP: Who were your baseball idols growing up? Which teams did you follow?
BW: My idols growing up were Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens. Not for their outstanding careers; they had a ridiculous workout regime varying from great eating habits to running a ton to lifting like mad men. I followed the Atlanta Braves because TBS was the only channel that showed baseball all the time for me to watch.
IP: Growing up in New Hampshire, did you have the opportunity to go to many games?
BW: Boston was only an hour away so I frequented red sox games about 7 times a year.
IP: I assume you played little league. What positions did you play? What was your favorite?
BW: When I was growing up I played shortstop and later moved to outfield because I had a strong arm. When I was in high school, I began playing first base to conserve my arm.
IP: You attended LSU. What was it like playing baseball there? Was there interest from Major League teams before college?
BW: Playing ball at LSU is and was equivalent to playing pro ball. We drew crowds and played top-level schools. I was actually drafted in the 30th round by the Indians coming out of high school, but opted for college.
IP: Have the recent events of the hurricanes affected you or friends from school?
BW: I know people that were living in NO and Baton Rouge during the hurricane but I couldn’t get through to them.
IP: Have you heard from the people you know in NO and Baton Rouge yet? Were you worried when you couldn’t communicate with them?
BW: I have heard back recently from a family I knew back in BR and they are doing fine.
IP: Do you still keep in touch with guys you played with in college, like Aaron Hill?
BW: Teammates from college that I played with are always being run into during the season playing for the opposing teams. Unfortunately, I have not heard from my college roommate Aaron Hill in awhile, but hopefully I’ll play against him.
IP: You were drafted in the 24th round of the 2003 draft by the Giants. How is the draft different than the drafts of other sports? Everyone watches the football draft and knows what goes on, but very few know about the baseball one. How did you find out you were selected?
BW: The baseball draft is so enormous that people cannot watch it on TV so the publicity is far less. Usually you can hear the draft on the Internet at MLB.com. Naturally I tuned in and heard my name in the 24th round in 2003 and was excited.
IP: Have you bought any of your rookie cards?
BW: I have not signed a card deal so I do not have any rookie cards.
IP: What is the process for card deals? Do the companies make the first move, or you?
BW: Companies usually make the first move whether they want to actually make the card is up to how well you play and are known.
IP: What was/is it like playing with some big name prospects, like Merkin Valdez, Fred Lewis, and Alfredo Simon?
BW: Believe it or not, the entire minor league is basically a threshold of top prospects. Playing with top prospects is not anything out of the ordinary, but it is interesting to watch their seasons progress.
IP: Who is the toughest hitter you have faced? Who have you had the most success getting out?
BW: Being a closer you don’t face a lot of guys multiple times during the course of a year so success and failures of certain hitters can only be accumulated over years of pitching. One hard out was Ryan Shealy of Colorado Springs. The reason why is he has power to all parts of the fields, so when I faced him I really had to concentrate.
IP: Is there any difference between closing (which you were in Single A and Double A) and being a set up man (in Triple A)?
BW: The 8th and 9th innings are two completely different innings. I wasn’t a setup man in AAA because we never had save opportunities for our closer. I would come in when we are up by 4 or down by 4 to get some innings in. There is no adrenaline when pitching those innings as compared to saving a game.
IP: What is different about each level you have played at? What could you do in Double A that you can’t get away with in Triple A?
BW: All levels are the same with respect to their power at the plate. The difference is the hitter’s ability to hit a mistake by the pitcher. They have more plate discipline and are able to make the pitcher throw them what they want to hit.
IP: What do you think your chances are of making the Giant’s roster next year?
BW: I have no idea what the Giants are looking for in me or a pitcher so the only way I would be able to know is to wait until spring training to see where I fit in.
IP: Do you get star struck when you see some opposing players (like players on rehab assignments)? Have you ever asked a teammate or an opposing player for an autograph?
BW: I did not see any big league players this year on my team or other teams. I tend to try not and bother players with autographs only because you play with them everyday.
IP: I have a good-sized autograph collection. What are you thoughts on autograph seekers? Is there a line that shouldn’t be crossed? Do you have stories about autograph seekers?
BW: Signing autographs are fine, but crossing the line is asking for all the cards to be signed and sometimes there are 10 different things people want signed. After a loss, no one wants to sign anything so it’s basically on a win-lose perspective.
IP: What do you think of the steroid policy adopted by MLB? Do you think any big name players will be caught/suspended? What needs to be changed in the policy?
BW: I could care less if people use steroids because, from what I’ve seen and heard, you still have to have talent and work hard. The steroids are just another step ahead of the game like any other sport or game. I don’t feel guys who test positive for steroids are always on them or taking them so it is unfair to get the same penalty.
IP: Alex Sanchez was a teammate of yours at the end of the season. Did anyone ask him about the steroid suspension?
BW: No one ever talks about steroids in the locker room especially when someone gets caught.
IP: Greenies (amphetamines) have been a popular topic recently in baseball. Are they used as much as some people at saying? Are they part of the banned substance list?
BW: Greenies have moved over to the steroid column; so when people get busted for them it will be the same penalty as steroids. Again, greenies are just boosters like caffeine and ginseng. Also, it’s unfair to consider it non-useable in baseball.
IP: Do you get harassed from fans and teammates about sharing the name of a Beach Boy?
BW: Fans usually think it is funny to poke fun at the coincidence but it doesn’t bother me that much, because the Beach Boys are famous and produced great music.
IP: Are you worried about hazing when you get called up? Do you think your name will make things harder on you?
BW: Everybody gets ridiculed when they go to the majors so I’m sure I’ll get my fair share if I get the chance to be there. I’m not scared because it’s supposed to be fun jokes, not mean.
IP: The Inside Pulse encompasses most of pop culture and I want to ask a question from each section.
What is your favorite video game? Were you/are you still a person that plays a lot of video games?
BW: I don’t really play video games that much anymore, but when I did it was role-playing games like Resident Evil or Doom.
IP: What TV shows do you watch in your free time?
BW: I like to watch 24 with Kiefer Sutherland and Everybody Loves Raymond because it is funny.
IP: Did you watch wresting when you were younger? If so, who was your favorite?
BW: Never watched wrestling
IP: What is your favorite sport to watch (other than baseball)? What is your favorite to play? Do you still follow LSU sports?
BW: I love to watch ping pong because those guys are ridiculously good at their sport. Playing wise, my favorite sport to play is racquetball for the endurance and competitiveness in it. If I am flipping through the TV channels and I come across an LSU game I will watch for a while.
IP: What action figures did you like as a kid?
BW: I didn’t play with action figures because I was always playing a sport at some time.
IP: Did you read comics as a kid? If so, who was your favorite? What super power would you like?
BW: I didn’t like reading, even if it was comics, but if I were to have a super power it would be mind manipulation.
IP: What is your favorite movie? Actor/Actress?
BW: Favorite movie is tough but I’ll give you one of my top ten and that is Spy Games. My favorite actor is Colin Farrell and actress is Angelina Jolie.
I want to thank Brian for his time and wish the best of luck now in the AFL and next season. Check out MiLB.com for Brian’s AFL diary. Also, check out the other guys in the Sports Section. I will be back after the first round of playoffs end with a look back at them and a preview of the next round.
