DAN WILSON ARTICLES PG. 12
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New challenge for Wilson

Thursday, January 10, 2002 -- Of all that Dan Wilson dreams about as a baseball player - a .300 batting average, 20 homers a year and another run through the playoffs - his greatest desires essentially boil down to two things: He hopes to remain a starting catcher for many more years, and he wants to do it with the Seattle Mariners. For the first time since Wilson came to Seattle in 1994, neither of those is guaranteed beyond the 2002 season, or maybe even during it. This is the final year of Wilson's contract, and the winds of change at the catching position are swirling at gale force after the Mariners made an offseason trade with San Diego to acquire 24-year-old Ben Davis, a strapping 6-foot-4, 215-pound switch hitter. Suddenly, the 32-year-old Wilson embarks on his ninth season in Seattle not only looking over his shoulder, but ahead to an uncertain future with the Mariners. "I've been with Seattle for a long time and it's the team I'd like to stay with," Wilson said this week as he participated in the Mariners' annual caravan appearance at Kamiak High School. The Mariners have talked the past few years about upgrading themselves at catcher, especially offensively, and believe they've done it with Davis. He batted just .239 in 2001 - his first full major league season - with 11 homers and 57 runs batted in, but he's considered a future star. Wilson is one of the better defensive catchers in the majors and the Mariners especially value his ability to handle pitchers, but his high-water offensive marks (.285 average, 18 homers and 83 RBI in 1996) were 20 points, 15 homers and 41 RBI better than last year. And last year was a dramatic improvement over 2000, when he batted .235 with five homers and 27 RBI. Thus, enter the youngster. "Mr. Wilson had better watch it," said Rick Anderson, a Mariner High School graduate who will be the Minnesota Twins' pitching coach this year and has seen Davis in the minors. "(Davis) has a chance to be pretty good." If there's an ounce of bitterness in Wilson's heart about his predicament, he isn't showing it and he never will, said John McLaren, the Mariners' bench coach and a former catcher. "I don't think this will have any effect on Dan whatsoever," McLaren said. "Dan's a total professional, a total team player. Whatever's best for the team, Dan always says 'That's what I want to make happen.'" When spring training starts in five weeks, Wilson will begin schooling a catcher who may replace him. Awkward? Potentially. Challenging? For sure. Can Wilson handle it? Just watch him. "I look at every year as a challenge, and this year seems like it's going to be more of a challenge," Wilson said. "But I'm excited for what's to come and the relationship that we (himself and Davis) are going to have and how the catching situation's going to come down. I'm excited to see how everything plays out." Wilson said he was surprised by the trade, which sent catcher Tom Lampkin, pitcher Brett Tomko and infielder Ramon Vazquez to the Padres for Davis, infielder Alex Arias and pitcher Wascar Serrano. "With all the things it sounded like they wanted to do, it didn't seem like catching was one area they wanted to work on," Wilson said. "But Ben's going to be a great player. He's got great tools. It's going to be fun to see him develop." McLaren says Wilson will be nothing short of the best tutor a kid like Davis can have, and that Davis should consider himself fortunate. "Dan will do everything he can to help Ben Davis," McLaren said. "It's a big plus for Ben because he's new in the league. And I think it'll only make Dan a better player. It gives Dan a break. He's caught a lot of games over the years and his body's had some wear and tear. Now we've got somebody who can relieve him. And most of all it's good for the team." And that, along with everything Wilson wishes for himself, is what he seems to value most.

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