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Wilson passes A test
M's catcher hits homer, catches 6 innings in rehab assignment with AquaSox

He signed an autograph for the batboy, then looked at the lineup card and found himself batting third. There was no mistaking that Dan Wilson was back in A-ball. The veteran catcher for the Seattle Mariners made a rehabilitation appearance with the Everett AquaSox on Wednesday, his first game since he went on the disabled list June 15 with a pulled muscle near his left rib cage. Wilson homered on the third pitch of his first at-bat, walked on four pitches in the fourth inning and, just when it looked like he'd never been away, he had to run the bases. That's when it became apparent why they have these rehab assignments. Wilson was on first base in the fourth when Brett Higgins singled deep into the left-center gap. Salem-Keizer left fielder Jason Pekar slipped chasing the ball, and Everett manager Terry Pollreisz waved a fast-tiring Wilson home. He barely beat the ball to the plate and slid home safely. "It was eventful," Wilson said. "I'm not so sure my legs were quite ready to go yet." Otherwise, Wilson passed his first test back on the diamond since being hurt. He also grounded out in the fifth and, behind the plate, got a full-body workout from Everett pitchers who issued 11 walks in the six innings he caught. "I think I'll probably feel it in the morning," he said. "There were some long innings."
Wilson hopes to get four at-bats tonight as a designated hitter for the Tacoma Rainers at Cheney Stadium and, barring a physical setback, rejoin the Mariners on Friday at San Diego. "I'm eager," he said. "It's tough sitting out and watching baseball, especially when the team is doing so well." Wilson had the undivided attention of 4,384 fans and a few dozen young AquaSox players on Wednesday. "This is a great chance for us to sit back and watch how a guy like this prepares himself," said Mark Carroll, the AquaSox's No. 1 catcher. The Sox have been through this before. M's pitcher Freddy Garcia made two rehab starts with the team last month, and every pitcher on the staff watched him warm up before his first outing on June 21 at Salem-Keizer. "This is just like when Freddy was with us," Carroll said. "You see how professional they are in the way they go about their business. You want to soak up as much as you can." Wilson soaked it up, too. For the first time since 1990 at Charleston, W. Va., when he was a 21-year-old in the Reds' organization, Wilson returned to his baseball roots. "It's all flooding back to me," he said. As for batting third? He couldn't remember the last time he'd done that. "Maybe Little League?" he said, questioning his long-term memory. "It's been a while, that's for sure."

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