DAN WILSON ARTICLES PG. 9
******HERE YOU WILL FIND ARTICLES ABOUT DAN WILSON FROM VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES, SAID ARTICLES REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AUTHORS AND ARE HERE ONLY FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES******



Wilson's bat springs to life after .235 season

The smile has returned to Dan Wilson's face. The life has come back to Dan Wilson's swing. One feeds off the other. The latest demonstration of Wilson's demeanor and swing came in his first two at-bats yesterday in Seattle's first Cactus League win of the year, 18-3 over San Diego. His first time up, he whistled a drive to right center, the final out of a two-run first inning. An inning later, he followed David Bell's three-run homer with a solo shot in a seven-run uprising. Wilson added a double and scored a second run later in the game, too. "The most important thing at this point of the spring is seeing hitters have good aggressive approaches," Mariners manager Lou Piniella said. "Danny's doing that. He's really driving the ball." The Mariners had a terrific season last year, clawing to within two victories of the World Series. Wilson loved that; what he didn't love was the level of his contribution. A career .262 hitter, Wilson hit a punchless .235, losing both confidence and playing time. "I never felt that I got into a groove," Wilson said. "I had some mechanical problems that started it. After awhile, those turned into mental problems." And that was just in the first two months of the season. Then Wilson was injured and missed a month. He came back, but his swing never got out of the dugout. "Baseball can eat you up if you let it," Wilson said. "It's a consuming game, more so when you are struggling. I took it very seriously. I didn't contribute the way I wanted to. I want to contribute in a positive way." This weekend was the Mariners' -- and Wilson's -- first chance to gauge his progress since the season ended. If he were being graded, he would have made the honor role. If you just listen to the sound of Wilson's bat when he makes contact during batting practice, 2001 seems different. Gone is the dull "thunk" sound his bat made too often. It has been replaced by the crack of line drives flying left and right. "I think Dan's confidence is back," hitting coach Gerald Perry said. "You can see it in the way he swings every day." The Mariners need Wilson. Joe Oliver, the club's most productive catcher the second half of last season, has gone to the Yankees. Alex Rodriguez, the hub of the Mariners offense in the No. 3 spot, is off to Texas. The Mariners have to pick up the slack, and Wilson and fellow catcher Tom Lampkin are going to have to hit for the team to be successful. "We need a comeback from Danny," Piniella said. "Last year is over. This is a new year, and he's gone about his work well. I think you will see Danny have an impact this year." In order to get to the point where he's in position for a comeback, Wilson needed to purge the demons of 2000. He did that in consultation with Perry and Lee Elia. The hitting coach in Seattle during most of Wilson's best years with the Mariners, Elia came back this year on a part-time basis, and Wilson was his first project. "Danny had his best years when Lee was here," Perry said. "Any help I can get, it's more than welcome. And they seem to work well together." Elia has left the club for awhile and didn't see Wilson's 3-for-7 weekend, although he will be back. But the residue of his presence is in Wilson's revitalized swing. Elia spotted a few fundamentals that had left Wilson's game. The hope in Seattle is that a long winter hitting off the batting tee -- something Wilson had gotten away from -- has brought those elements back into focus. "Danny has a great work ethic; that's one thing that hasn't changed," Elia said. "The willingness to work is half the battle, and Danny works as hard as anyone."

NEXT PAGE

BACK TO MAIN PAGE