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Brian Wilson Attempting Comeback As Knuckleballer

By Steve Adams | February 8, 2017 at 5:55pm CDT

Former Giants closer Brian Wilson hasn’t thrown a pitch in Majors in two full seasons, but he’s now seeking a Major League comeback as a knuckleballer, reports Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports. The MVP Sports client, who will turn 35 in March, is eyeing a transition to the starting rotation with his new pitch and has already worked out for two teams.

Wilson taught himself a knuckleball in his youth and would often tinker with it even as a pro, per Brown, but he never used it in a game setting as a professional. Since setting his mind on a comeback, though, he’s worked to throw the pitch from different arm angles and at different speeds. He also grips the pitch a bit differently from the more traditional knuckleball.

A return to prominence in the Majors is somewhat of a long shot for Wilson, who has two Tommy John surgeries under his belt and hasn’t started more than one game in any single season since 2004 — his first professional season. Additionally, he’s never reached even 80 innings in a full season due to to his role as a reliever, so it’s far from certain that his body will sustain a starter’s workload over the course of a season. But, Wilson does have a career 3.30 earned run average over the life of 382 innings in a career that has resulted in three All-Star appearances. It’s not hard to imagine a club at least taking a flier on Wilson, given the lack of any real risk in bringing him to camp this spring. Fans of Wilson will want to check out Brown’s column in full, as it features several quotes from the always-eccentric (and now clean-shaven) right-hander.

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Brian Wilson

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Comments

  1. giantsfan8

    3 years ago

    This will be very entertaining

    2 Like
    Reply
    • 22Leo

      3 years ago

      No, it won’t.

      1 Like
      Reply
    • LanceLance

      3 years ago

      virtually everyone who has ever picked up a baseball has tried to throw a knuckleball. the problem is being able to throw it without any rotation every time which is really tough to do and why only a handful of guys have done it successfully in MLB history.

      Like
      Reply
  2. milkman

    3 years ago

    I hope his beard is bigger and badder than ever

    Like
    Reply
    • Senioreditor

      3 years ago

      He lost the beard.

      Like
      Reply
      • BlueSkyLA

        3 years ago

        He should look for it in the last place he saw it.

        1 Like
        Reply
        • alt2tab

          3 years ago

          He can borrow Jeff Todd’s

          Like
          Reply
        • Steve AdamsSteve Adams

          3 years ago

          Ha! Even Jeff would probably have to concede that Wilson is his beard superior. Or maybe Wilson’s just more dedicated to growing his. I now wish to know the answer to this.

          Like
          Reply
      • thekid9

        3 years ago

        By cracky

        Like
        Reply
    • thor would look better in red

      3 years ago

      milk is that you?

      Like
      Reply
  3. rustyhingerustyhinge

    3 years ago

    This is awesome. X.

    1 Like
    Reply
  4. freaky55

    3 years ago

    This is what baseball needs! Said nobody ever

    3 Like
    Reply
    • slimjones92

      3 years ago

      What’s your problem?

      2 Like
      Reply
      • Surprisingly a Bucks Fan

        3 years ago

        I second that, he’s making a comeback, what’s the problem?

        1 Like
        Reply
        • liamsfg

          3 years ago

          I second that, this is hardly news and likely will not come
          to fruition.

          The Dodger’s can have him again.

          Like
          Reply
  5. walrus2488

    3 years ago

    “Wilson taught himself a knuckleball in his youth and would often tinker with it even as a pro, per Brown, but he never worked with the pitch as a professional.”
    What

    2 Like
    Reply
    • lowtalker1

      3 years ago

      Meaning he used it a little in the minors
      Once you get back paid you’re not an amateur but instead a pro… majors or minors

      Like
      Reply
      • slimjones92

        3 years ago

        Huh?

        1 Like
        Reply
        • lowtalker1

          3 years ago

          Means he used it a little bit in the minors and it didn’t stick so he said **** it and when to something that would get him at the minors

          The difference between a pro and a Amateur is you get paid
          Pro doesn’t mean major leagues it means getting paid

          You must have went to sf unified or something

          Like
          Reply
        • lowtalker1

          3 years ago

          Get out of the minors

          Like
          Reply
        • RytheStunner

          3 years ago

          Nowhere is the word “amateur” mentioned in the quote. It says he tinkered with the pitch as a pro and then proceeds to say he never worked with it as a pro. The statement was contradictory until they edited it to include “in a game setting”..

          1 Like
          Reply
        • slimjones92

          3 years ago

          Hey lowtalker1 you might want to actually read the article before spewing your nonsense & talking trash to other commentors. You’re an idiot.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • chieftoto

          3 years ago

          Youth=Youth. Not minors. As in, he had one growing up and had fun in the bullpen with it in the minors and majors but never used it.

          Like
          Reply
      • drm166

        3 years ago

        Pro is short for professional. It doesn’t make sense.

        1 Like
        Reply
    • slimjones92

      3 years ago

      Exactly what I was thinking hahah

      1 Like
      Reply
    • MatthewBaltimore23

      3 years ago

      I know, right? He tinkered with it as a pro, but not as a professional.

      1 Like
      Reply
    • eonarashi

      3 years ago

      Poorly worded, but I assume that meant he’d play around with it in the pen and practices, but never during an actual game because he didn’t trust it. From what I’ve seen and heard, a lot of pitchers do this with knucklers.

      1 Like
      Reply
      • pjmcnu

        3 years ago

        ha, got me by 45 seconds!

        Like
        Reply
    • pjmcnu

      3 years ago

      I think what he meant (and you’re right, it’s unclear) is that he tinkered (i.e. threw it in non-game situations while a pro, but never worked with it (i.e. used it in a game) as a pro. Poorly written, but at least it makes sense with that interpretation.

      1 Like
      Reply
      • skyb

        3 years ago

        Correct – He was messing with it in Dodgers camp during his final spring training before they cut him loose. Therefore I supposed he TINKERED with it as a pro but didn’t really throw it in-season (although I swear I saw him throw it a handful of times that final season)

        1 Like
        Reply
      • pinkie200

        3 years ago

        Jesus…thank you. All they are saying is he tinkered with it as a pro but never used it in a game setting. In other words he probably messed around with it in the minors (pro) and even when he was in the majors (pro) but in bullpens and workouts.

        Like
        Reply
    • stl_cards16

      3 years ago

      He’s thrown a knuckle ball some before and toyed with it. He never used the pitch in games as a professional.

      Like
      Reply
    • Steve AdamsSteve Adams

      3 years ago

      Ha. That’s on me for re-arranging some wording and not looking back closely enough. I noticed myself and updated a couple hours ago. He used to mess around with it here and there but never in a game setting, apparently.

      1 Like
      Reply
      • puigpower

        3 years ago

        Yeah he threw one a handful of times his last Dodger season. It was fun to see.

        1 Like
        Reply
  6. dbacksrs

    3 years ago

    The Dodgers just read this and will sign him to a two year, $25 million dollar deal.

    Like
    Reply
    • thinkblech

      3 years ago

      Nope – Colletti’s in the studio and Wilson ain’t Cuban.

      Like
      Reply
      • chieftoto

        3 years ago

        Ha

        Like
        Reply
  7. beany_boy

    3 years ago

    I loved Good Vibrations and Help Me Rhonda.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • sensesfail18782

      3 years ago

      This may be my favorite comment for this post.

      Like
      Reply
    • sensesfail18782

      3 years ago

      This may be my favorite comment on this topic.

      Like
      Reply
    • jordanjee

      3 years ago

      For sure. Don’t forget “God Only Knows.” Pet Sounds is one of the best albums of all time. Glad to see he’s making a comeback.

      Like
      Reply
  8. bleacherbumbleacherbum

    3 years ago

    This shall be interesting..

    Like
    Reply
    • chieftoto

      3 years ago

      Idk man. There’s about a 30% chance we will even hear about it again and a 1% he does anything. But who knows! Good luck to him!

      Like
      Reply
  9. BlueSkyLA

    3 years ago

    Not mentioned is possibly the most famous knuckleball revival, Jim Bouton (brief though it may have been). And every bit as much of a character in his day as the bearded weirdo.

    Like
    Reply
    • jakem59

      3 years ago

      I think R.A. Dickey is the most famous knuckleball revived pitcher.

      Like
      Reply
      • BlueSkyLA

        3 years ago

        Did he write a landmark book about it?

        1 Like
        Reply
        • johnsilver

          3 years ago

          Good one.. Another time. Another era and many here never heard of him, yet Bouton was a fairly hard throwing Righty during his days as a starter in the begining with the NYY, before blowing out his arm and transitioning to the knuckler.

          Like
          Reply
        • bravesfan1998

          3 years ago

          There’s a movie

          Like
          Reply
        • davidcoonce74davidcoonce74

          3 years ago

          To be fair, RA Dickey did write a book about it. Just not landmark the way Ball Four was. Which is probably an impossible task considering the era and climate in which Ball Four was written, and of course its look at what goes on in the clubhouse was unprecedented for the time. We know a lot more about that stuff now.

          Like
          Reply
  10. jst8131

    3 years ago

    bum once he went dodgers

    1 Like
    Reply
  11. SillyScully

    3 years ago

    Favorite personality in the game. Glad he’s making an effort for a comeback…Brian Wilson doesn’t throw a knuckleball, the knuckleball throws him.

    Like
    Reply
    • thinkblech

      3 years ago

      In Soviet Russia, beard grow YOU!

      Like
      Reply
  12. oaklandathletics116

    3 years ago

    YES

    Like
    Reply
  13. crazy4cleveland

    3 years ago

    I loved this guy. Such an oddball.

    Like
    Reply
  14. Cam

    3 years ago

    The transition should be smooth – he was throwing his meatballs with knuckler velocity anyway.

    Like
    Reply
    • milkman

      3 years ago

      I mean, rings son

      Like
      Reply
    • JDGoat

      3 years ago

      Lol

      Like
      Reply
  15. grapher0315

    3 years ago

    Really admire his perseverance. With the money he has made, he could enjoy retirement but still is putting in this effort. Hope he has success.He is certainly entertaining.

    1 Like
    Reply
  16. Mike Matthews

    3 years ago

    He must be broke.

    Like
    Reply
    • davidcoonce74davidcoonce74

      3 years ago

      I doubt that he’s broke. He made 42 million dollars in his career. I would guess that it’s just boring to think you’re not going to have anything to do for the next 40-50 years. Why not try to stick around as long as possible?

      Like
      Reply
  17. del4rel

    3 years ago

    inb4 padres opening day starter

    Like
    Reply
    • arcadia Ldogg

      3 years ago

      Take a shot. If he’s displaying the ability to throw it, San Diego is the place. And their yard helps.

      Like
      Reply
  18. start_wearing_purplestart_wearing_purple

    3 years ago

    Gotta love a knuckleball!

    Like
    Reply
  19. madmanTX

    3 years ago

    The game needs more knuckleballers. I miss guys like Charlie Hough and the Niekro brothers.

    Like
    Reply
    • FrozenRopes

      3 years ago

      You can’t say Niekro on here…

      Like
      Reply
      • stymeedone

        3 years ago

        The politically correct term is Niekro-American.

        Like
        Reply
  20. SamFuldsFive

    3 years ago

    A lot of guys have tried to make it back to the show with a knuckleball, but not any of them really ever make it.

    Like
    Reply
    • start_wearing_purplestart_wearing_purple

      3 years ago

      A few have but no not many.. Only Dickey and Wright are active pitchers who throw a knuckleball. And since the 90s only 6 pitchers have thrown it regularly and had success. But still it’s a very cool pitch to watch.

      Like
      Reply
  21. Wolf Chan

    3 years ago

    I wish he didn’t screw things up so bad here in SF, the giants usually have a pretty good track record of bringing guys back and it would have been entertaining to see him back

    Like
    Reply
  22. Mookie's Lip

    3 years ago

    Red Sox can always use a spare knuckler.

    Like
    Reply
  23. sss847

    3 years ago

    GOT HEEEEM

    Like
    Reply
  24. JD396

    3 years ago

    Good luck with that, Brian

    Like
    Reply
  25. asuchrisc

    3 years ago

    Didn’t AZ sign Thole? Maybe there is a fit.

    Like
    Reply
  26. connfyoozed

    3 years ago

    I’m highly in favor of anyone who throws a knuckleball making it in the big leagues. There can never be enough knuckleball pitchers… unless you are their catcher.

    Like
    Reply
  27. bravesfan1998

    3 years ago

    Cool

    Like
    Reply
  28. Sid BreamSid Bream

    3 years ago

    I’m surprised all the ‘experts’ aren’t talking about his WAR.

    Like
    Reply
    • davidcoonce74davidcoonce74

      3 years ago

      Ooh. Sick burn.

      Like
      Reply
    • differentbears

      3 years ago

      Why would they? Whatever you feel about WAR, how would it apply to someone trying to reinvent themselves?

      Like
      Reply
  29. bigred44

    3 years ago

    Miami might be a fit with that huge ballpark.

    Like
    Reply
  30. impactrookies

    3 years ago

    The second coming of Charlie Hough! Teams will be lining up!

    Like
    Reply
  31. bosox90

    3 years ago

    Ha, I watched the Knuckleball documentary on Netflix just yesterday! Would love to see Wilson out there dancing knuckleballs after entire career of being an intimidating presence throwing fastballs by hitters, would be quite entertaining.

    Like
    Reply
  32. Joe W.

    3 years ago

    I hope he pulls it off, a good kuckleball pitcher is fun to watch.

    Like
    Reply
  33. BigGiantHeadBigGiantHead

    3 years ago

    Fear the beard. The knuckleball – not so much.

    Like
    Reply
  34. Yamsi12

    3 years ago

    He can get shelled even more.

    Like
    Reply
  35. McGlynnandjuice

    3 years ago

    My bold prediction of the day:
    Makes a comeback as a starter for the diamondbacks and wins the NL Cy Young Award

    Like
    Reply

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