Q from Cala-bro': I had Wakamatsu on. I asked him, hey, some great leather the guy showed, but had some adjustments with the bat.
Wakamatsu said, I can explain that. He's coming over from the NL; he hasn't seen the pitchers -- and he's coming over right when the AL pitchers are grooving in. They've got their command, they're on top of their games.
It's a tough time to make the transition. Even for a veteran like Jack Wilson, there's a learning curve.
Wilson: Yeah. It's like the minor leagues. You step up to the plate and you have no idea what the guy throws. You just do your best.
But defensively was even worse! Being in the NL Central for 9 years, I knew the hitters like the back of my hand. Curve inside, changeup outside, I knew exactly where to be.
With the Mariners, "I was lost like Jack Cust out there, no idea at all."
But, I learned what I could. Obviously I was frustrated. But they cut me slack, and I'm excited for spring training next year.
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Dr's Diagnosis: I had never in my life heard what Wakamatsu said. But it makes perfect sense.
Obviously it would apply more to the non-star hitters; Albert Pujols isn't going to struggle in a June transition to the AL.
But with respect to the NL hitters coming across at the trade deadline... that's a great visual on the problem. Here's your first game against John Lackey and he's just putting the ball in the catcher's mitt every pitch... it's going to be tough.
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Also a great description of the role that intuition plays in the performance of a great athlete at the highest levels.
Quite a contrast, Wilson's description of his efforts on defense, as opposed to Betancourt's....
How much influence do you think that Wilson's approach will have on Jose Lopez' defensive effort?
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Q from Dreyer: I know how psyched you were to show what you could do. It must have been frustrating.
Wilson: Yeah, but the team was great about it.
They told me, just get healthy, you'll be fine, you're our guy.
Jack (Zduriencik) was very personable, very supportive -- the whole staff was awesome -- it made it very easy to come back to Seattle. If we got anything close to our free agent value, we were going to come back.
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Dr's Diagnosis: We have offered our opinion that Zduriencik is ready to make tough decisions. Don't take us to mean that such an exec is necessarily an unpleasant person.
On the contrary, most ruthless execs we knew, had great smiles, told great jokes, had great people skills. Until it came time to lay off 1,500 people, at which time they signed the paper and went off to lunch without giving it a second thought...
The point is, Zduriencik obviously has the people skills for the job. I think at any given time, 29 of the 30 GM's do. :- )
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Q from Brock: 2009 was strange for you, not knowing what Junior had in store, that kind of stuff. You come in, 2010, as an established guy. How much difference does that make?
Wilson: Oh yeah. I don't have all the questions going on, I can just play my game...
Joining a championship-caliber team is just very exciting to me. I'm looking forward to spring.
Cheers,
Dr D