PHOENIX — Crazy-eyed, bearded cult icon Brian Wilson was already looking ahead Tuesday night. He didn’t have much to say about the National League winning the 82nd All-Star Game at Chase Field, except that he hoped his San Francisco Giants could ‘‘take advantage of home field and defend our title.’’
Well, Wilson wasn’t looking ahead entirely — there was one moment in the game that Wilson, the Giants’ closer, was completely obsessed with until he was distracted by the next shiny object.
‘‘Heath Bell, what can I say?’’ Wilson said of the San Diego Padres reliever. ‘‘To make an entrance like that, slide into the mound [from his trot in from the bullpen] . . . I mean, you do that, you better get the guy you’re facing out. He did that. So . . . nailed it.’’
Besides earning the save for the NL team, Wilson made headlines at the Midsummer Classic for his blatant public recruitment of New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran. The offensively challenged Giants are in first place in the NL West, have a pitching staff that rivals anyone’s and want to add an outfield bat.
The Mets already started their fire sale by trading closer Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers after the All-Star Game, and they could move Beltran, as well as free-agent-to-be Jose Reyes. It’s a second-half trade waiting to happen.
Wilson wasn’t alone in setting his eyes on the prize to start the second half. That’s what parity has done this season. In the six division races, the Philadelphia Phillies have the biggest lead: 31/2 games in the NL East. Of the 30 teams, 18 realistically have a chance to make a postseason push.
What that means is the trade market could get very interesting as July 31 nears, with more buyers than sellers.
‘‘Fear the Beard’’? Maybe, but only if the Giants’ front office can pull the trigger on an outfield bat before another contender comes along to spoil their plans.
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