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New Hampshire People
Brian Wilson - Pitching Giant
San Francisco Giants right-handed relief pitcher Brian Wilson is a native of the state of New Hampshire. Wilson, who was born on March 16, 1982 in Londonderry, went on to attend (and play for) Londonderry High School, where he was a bit of a troublemaker, getting kicked out of classes for arguing with teachers. According to Brian, baseball was the only thing on his mind, and that feistiness might just have led him to the big leagues.
Wilson was drafted by the San Francisco Giants out of Louisiana State University in the 24th round of the free-agent draft in 2003. He made his major league debut on April 23, 2006 against the Colorado Rockies.
Today he leads the National League in saves. He was picked to pitch in the All-Star Game for 2008 at Yankee Stadium in New York. That's quite an accomplishment for a young pitcher. But he's known for his fearless attitude and his ability to get important outs when it counts.
In 2007 he was sent back to the minors after a bad start during spring training. He played most of the 2007 season in AAA Fresno, where he rediscovered his command of the ball. Wilson was called up in August but had to compete with Armando Benitez for the position of closer. By then, he had completed 6 out of 7 saves. When the closer Brad Hennessey started to struggle, Wilson stepped in.
In 2008, Wilson, who was named to the All-Star Team for the first time, had 40 saves (including 24 consecutive saves during the regular season), 3 wins and 2 losses in 59 games pitched. He was tied for second place in saves during the regular season for the National League. In 2009, he had his best year with an ERA of .241.
Brian is also the star of a reality-based television show about his life called Life of Brian, which airs on Comcast SportsNet.
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