Dontrelle Willis Designated for Assignment by Detroit Tigers

It’s been absolutely perfect weather throughout the U.S. over the last couple of days, and I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day Weekend.

Memorial Day marks the beginning of many things.

It marks the unofficial start of summer, the official start of softball season (for me at least) and it opens the pennant races in baseball.

While all of these things are exciting and give most people something to look forward to for the summer, there is one pitcher in Detroit whose Memorial Day wasn’t that exciting.

The Detroit Tigers designated LHP Dontrelle Willis for assignment yesterday. If Willis goes unclaimed, the Tigers will have 10 days to trade him, release him, or option his contract to the minors.

Willis was 1-2 with the Tigers with a 4.98 ERA but walked 29 in 43.1 IP. While Willis did post his highest K/9 since his rookie year of 2003 (6.85 K/9), it was his overall inconsistency that led to his release.

So what exactly happened to Willis?

My simple answer is that he gained too much weight to harness his unorthodox delivery to home plate. His weight gain completely threw off his balance to home plate—thus the lack of control.

Look at a picture of Willis from his rookie of 2003 and look at a picture of him now. He must have gained 20 to 30 pounds in the last seven years.

Is Willis’ career is over at age 28? I don’t think so. I would be shocked if a team didn’t pick him up.

However, if I was a GM I wouldn’t pick him up in hopes of resurrecting his career as a starter. I would pick him up and make him a specialty reliever against lefties.

Willis can still get left-handed hitters out. This year, lefties were hitting only .224 against Willis with a .636 OPS. In this day and age of specialization, why can’t a team use Willis as a pitcher who just gets one or two batters out a game?

In my opinion, why can’t Willis become the next Darren Oliver? Oliver was a starter up until the age of 33 and has nicely carved out a niche for himself in the major leagues as a reliever.

Willis will get another opportunity. His career isn’t over just yet.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg