DAN WILSON ARTICLES PG. 33
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Dan's the man in April

Dan Wilson has always hit well against the Texas Rangers. But never has he been this hot this early against this team. With two hits in yesterday's 5-3 Seattle win, Wilson finished the Mariners' first home-and-home series of 2002 with the Rangers batting .611 (11 for 18) against them. Wilson, who played in five of the Mariners' first seven games of the season against Texas, has had seven runs batted in, a double and his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning off Rangers starter Doug Davis. "He kind of got deep in the count, I'd seen a lot of pitches and he tried to come in with a fastball," Wilson said of the 2-2 pitch from Davis that he drilled over the left-field wall and behind the Seattle bullpen. "It looked like he maybe left it out over the plate, kind of up in the zone a little bit. It was just a pitch I was able to drive. I haven't hit a ball like that in a while, and it felt good to get that first (home run) under the belt."
How hot is Wilson? He not only leads the Mariners with a .422 batting average, he would lead the American League if he had enough at-bats. It's a turnaround from last year. Wilson, a .269 career hitter in April, batted only .213 (10 for 47) with three RBI in April 2001. Wilson is off to a 19-for-45 start, with 11 RBI and seven games left this month. "I don't remember starting this hot before," Wilson said. "It feels good. It's important that they (the hits) come during victories. You don't want to be swinging the bat well and the team be losing." Yesterday, in addition to the homer, he ripped a two-out single to center field for another RBI. Wilson, who has a six-game hitting streak, improved to 8 for 21 lifetime against Davis, including two home runs. "It's not really something you can explain," Rangers Manager Jerry Narron said. "He's just swinging the bat well, and he's off to a great month."
Wilson feasted on Texas pitching when the Mariners swept a four-game series in Arlington on April 12-15. He was 6 for 9, playing in only two of the games. Mariners Manager Lou Piniella said he would still like to be able to give Wilson some rest, but reserve catcher Ben Davis' strained abdominal muscle has been slow to heal, forcing Wilson to play more. "Danny is swinging the bat well, as long as I can keep him rested," Piniella said. "Without the rest, you don't have the bat speed. I'm not talking about a .400 pace (for Wilson), but certainly enough to where we can keep him hitting well." Wilson, 33, doesn't seem to mind. "I feel like I'm letting the ball get deep, and I'm able to see the offspeed pitches as well as the fastballs," he said. "I'm just staying inside the baseball. I'm getting good pitches to hit and I'm getting the hits. "I'm not getting any younger," he said when asked about getting rest. "We'll just see how it goes. It's early in the year right now."
Wilson is what's happening now for the Mariners, especially against Texas. He is batting .310 lifetime against the AL West team, and his 97 career hits are the most Wilson has against any team. Fortunately for the Rangers, Wilson won't hit against them for another three months. The next time will be in mid-July after the All-Star break. The Rangers could use a break from the Mariners' hottest bat.

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