(Photo via wiki commons)
Brian Wilson back in the MLB next season? The 34-year-old is trying to make it happen — as a knuckleball starting pitcher, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Wilson threw 30 pitches Wednesday for two MLB teams who are considering taking a flier on the former Giants closer. Wilson has not pitched since a 2014 stint with the Dodgers, that saw his ERA balloon to 4.66 in 61 appearances.
Still ever the humorous guy, Wilson gave Yahoo! writer Tim Brown the following quote.
“That right there was an MVP-Cy Young knuckleball,” Wilson said. “You can write that down, too. No joke. I can already see myself out there throwing up some waffles.”
Wilson, of course, was a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the Giants from 2006-2012, amassing 171 saves, a 20-20 record and an E.R.A. of 3.21. His 48 saves led the league in 2010.
Last Spring, Tim Lincecum turned a showcase workout into a contract with the Los Angeles Angels, but the tenure was short lived. Lincecum went 2-6 in nine appearances with a 9.16 ERA and his season ended in Triple-A.
Wilson hasn’t started a game since 2004. The last we heard from him was in this TMZ video from 2015, centered around Rhonda Rousey. This knuckleball ploy seems like a long shot, but kudos to him for trying to reinvent his career.