During the offseason, ex-Marlins Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera were traded to the Detroit Tigers, and Willis has really been struggling ever since. His stats and numbers are way down—they are just not Willis type numbers. It's hard to watch and believe this, but he is really struggling alot.
This season, Willis has started in four games and has appeared in five total. He is posting an 0-1 record currently. And his ERA is way up, its an 10.32.
He has given up 13 runs in just 11.3 innings this season. He has walked 21 batters and has only struck out five. This is just really hard to believe, but unfortunately it is all true.
Career-wise his numbers aren't as ugly as this seaons' are. He is 68-55 lifetime posting an 3.86 ERA with 762 strikeouts.
The Oakland native pitched in seven games in the 2003 postseason and started two of them for his former team, the Marlins.
No one really knows why he has been pitching so poorly this season. I mean the guy is an outstanding pitcher overall.
He won Rookie of the Year back in 2003, was a National League All-Star in both 2003 and 2005, and also led the NL with 22 wins in 2005.
Back in April, Willis suffered an hyperextended right knee, possibly adding to his pitching problems. His command this season has been really off compared to that of previous seasons.
Maybe he is shaken by his rough start this season and cannot get that out of his head. If he has to be sent down to the minors to get his confidence and pitching mechanics back, then that's what they will have to do. Whatever it takes to get the old "D-train" back will be worth every cent of his paycheck.
Do I see Dontrelle bouncing back from his poor start in '08? Yes I do—I don't know when though, it could take weeks, or even months, to get back to his proper form.
This guy is a very good pitcher, and he is one of the best around, so yes I do see him getting back on track sometime soon—this guy has the stuff to do it.
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