The Brian Wilson sweepstakes (if you really want to call it a sweepstakes…more like a raffle for a fruit basket) has ended, and the winners are the Los Angeles Dodgers. The former Giants closer has agreed to terms on a minor league deal with the Dodgers after getting offers from three teams after a throwing session on Thursday.
Wilson missed nearly all of the 2012 season for the Giants while recovering from Tommy John surgery, the second of his career. Wilson saved 163 games from 2008-2011 for the Giants, and his best year was San Francisco's 2010 championship season, when Wilson saved 48 games in 53 chance while striking out 93 hitters in 74 2/3 innings and posting a 1.81 ERA.
The 31-year old could end up in a Dodgers bullpen that includes failed closer (and highly-paid) Brandon League, former Cubs closer Carlos Marmol, and one-time Rays closer JP Howell, along with current Dodgers closer (and the best option from day one) Kenley Jansen. Jansen has been incredible this year while forcing League to vacate the closer's role, saving 14 games in 17 attempts while striking out 72 hitters in 53 1/3 innings. Jansen has also cut his walk rate to a career-best 1.52 batters per nine innings in the process. The bolstering of the bullpen could be necessary however, as Jansen's 53 1/3 innings are nearing his career-high of 65 innings, set last season, and is one of the ten highest totals in baseball among all relievers.
Now, it's obviously not a guarantee that Wilson is going to be back to his old form and will help the Dodgers much this year. He's 31, and his velocity was steadily declining over that past couple of seasons, even before his Tommy John surgery. He could be an incredible signing that helps solidify the back-end of the Dodgers' bullpen on their way to a pennant…or he could be just another low risk/high reward signing that fell on the lower end of the spectrum. We'll know more once he starts facing pro hitters in game situations.
