Armed with health, Rangers reliever Wilson back on track http://tinyurl.com/kkorfg 11:13 PM CDT on Friday, June 19, 2009 By ANTHONY ANDRO / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News SAN FRANCISCO – C.J. Wilson doesn't have to talk about the difference between his performance this season and 2008. He just points to his left elbow. Wilson was hampered with bone spurs in his elbow last season, eventually forcing him to have arthroscopic surgery in August to remove them. Now healthy, the left-hander looks a lot like the pitcher who was the Rangers' best reliever in 2007. Wilson doesn't see it that way, though. He's taken what he learned from that season and tried to improve on it. "That was two years ago," Wilson said. "I was a different person. I'm definitely a better pitcher. I learned a lot from last year. In 2007, I was in a groove. All people care about are the results." The results for Wilson have been great, in whatever role he's been used. He's been an eighth-inning reliever, a two-inning reliever and a closer because of the shoulder injury to Frank Francisco. Wilson's excelled at all three. He's 4-3 with six saves and a 2.89 ERA in 29 appearances. Wilson had one bad outing in Detroit, allowing three earned runs in one-third of an inning. If you take that away April 12 appearance, Wilson has a 1.95 ERA. He has not allowed an earned run in 18 of his last 19 appearances, going 3-1 with a 0.93 ERA and six saves in that span. "He's been outstanding," manager Ron Washington said. "He's using all his pitches. He's throwing them all over for strikes. He's got good tempo out there. He's just doing what he has to do. That's a lot of credit to C.J." Wilson probably will move back into an eighth-inning role when Francisco gets a few innings under his belt. Wilson, who has 38 career saves, would like the closer's job but understands that's not in his control. "Why wouldn't I be comfortable being the role I'm in?" Wilson said. "The closer makes the most use out of my talent. I do what's asked of me. That's all I can really do. I can't worry about things that aren't in my control." Wilson said his arm was hurt the entire 2008 season, and that he should have had the surgery earlier in the year. Instead, he pitched and posted a 6.02 ERA. But Wilson's success this year hasn't surprised pitching coach Mike Maddux. He saw what Wilson could do in spring training. "He has such a good idea of what he's doing out there," Maddux said. "He's a tremendous utility guy. You can use him in any situation, and he as the stomach to handle the closer's job as well. I still expect him to get better." That's a sentiment Wilson shares. "We're 65 games into the season," Wilson said. "There's a lot of work left for me to do to be proud of this season. We still have a lot of distance to cover as a team. I want to be there pitching as well at the end of the season as I have this whole time." -- . ′人生五十一睡夢 .＊ * ◢ ◢◣︿◢◣ . ＊* 一期榮華一杯酒 *′. ◤◣ ◤︺◥ ◢ ▁▁ ◤◣μ◢◥ - 上杉謙信(1530~1578) - ※ ◣◢︸◣◢◤◣ ψnolies --

※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 123.205.40.51 ※ 編輯: Terrill 來自: 123.205.40.51 (06/20 15:33)