Dontrelle Willis: Super Utility Man

I think the Tigers should make Dontrelle Willis a super utility player.  Tigers fans will remember that the immortal Shane Halter played this role a while back to rave reviews (not really). 

Willis is clearly not a starting big league pitcher.  I would like to suggest that Willis make the team as a reliever/outfielder.

The Tigers are stuck paying Willis $12M in 2010 whether he wins 20 games or zero games.  I think his final total will be closer to zero, so why not toy with him doing something else.  This whole scenario becomes even more fun if the Tigers suck in 2010, because then they really would have very little to lose.

In my last post about Willis, a commenter suggested that Willis should face only lefties out of the pen so that he could regain some confidence.  Not a bad idea in theory, expect that Willis sucks against both lefties and righties:

• 2009: .306 against LHB,  3 HR in only 36 at-bats

However, in the past, Willis was better against lefties than he was against righties so maybe he could recapture some of that magic.

So, let’s assume that Willis can get his control a bit more under-control and that he can be decent against left-handed batters.  The first part of his role could be as a lefty reliever.  His next role would be as an outfielder / pinch-hitter.

Willis has always been a decent hitter, putting up a decent average and okay power numbers:

• .233 AVG, 8 HR, 352 AB, 5 triples

Not bad offensive numbers, but not great either. 

Here’s how you really capitalize on this sort of flexibility. 

Say the Minnesota Twins have a lefty leading off in the 7th inning.  Willis could come in to pitch to that batter.  The next batter hits right-handed, and under normal circumstances you would then take Willis out of the game and lose your left handed pitcher. 

Willis could then move to the outfield.  If at any point later in the game the Tigers need a lefty pitcher, they just call Willis back in and have him pitch some more.

This post is 98 percent humorous.  However, if Willis can get lefties out and is solid in that role, this would make quite a bit of sense.  At the very least, I’d like to see old man Leyland try it at least once. 

Just for me.