Second baseman Jack Wilson wasn’t yanked from the Seattle Mariners last game – he pulled himself out despite manager Eric Wedge and coach Robby Thompson both asking him not to do so.
The result: Wilson isn’t in the lineup today and may not be any time soon.
Asked what he thought of Wilson’s actions, Wedge brought it home with one word: “Unspeakable.”
Wilson, the veteran shortstop who was asked by Wedge to shift to second this spring, did so without complaint, although he said he still viewed himself as a shortstop. On Wednesday in Texas, he committed two errors in an inning, essentially costing Felix Hernandez the chance to win a game.
Initially, Wedge said he pulled Wilson because the player was ‘hazy.’ Wilson later refuted that, and said Wedge had been right to lift him. Now, Wedge said, he was trying to cover for Wilson.
“I did not take Jack out of the game,” Wedge said. “He pulled himself out. Robbie and I tried to talk him out of that in the tunnel behind the dugout.”
Asked what Wilson would have to do get back in the lineup, Wedge shook his head: “I won’t talk about this any more.”
Is it possible Wilson has played his last game in Seattle after just six games into the 2011 season? Yikes!
On the one hand, I really like how Wedge is handling this.
on the other hand, why didn’t Wak get this same level of support from the FO when he had discipline issues with “Figgy”?
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Wonder why Wedgie is changing his tune today? Makes you wonder if Wilson refused to play 2nd again becasue he’s not comfortable and the team is throwing him under the bus.
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moo – that’s a great question, and one i doubt jack is anxious to answer.
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dess – it’s the big leagues and jack is a big boy. wedge tried to protect him with the ‘hazy’ bit, but jack then said he was fine and wedge had been right to pull him. today, wedge brought it up only when asked. mr. wilson may have committed the ultimate sin in wedge’s book by refusing to go back in the game.
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Fair Enough. After Figgins last year and Wilson this year do you think the M’s will re-evaluate these spring training position changes with established major leaguers?
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Shorstop, 2nd base…Jack Wilson’s been out of the lineup half the time he’s been a Mariner. He missed part of spring training over some cold or another. Tweaked his hand, hamstrings, whatever. The team has basically had to beg him to play the entire time he’s been here.
Let Jack Wilson sit and collect his paycheck until Z can find a team desperate enough to take him and his fancy yellow pants. Wedge wants gamers on this team and so does everyone else.
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