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Lookout Landing

Dontrelle Willis Has Figured It Out

A couple weeks ago, Willis spun an excellent start against the Rangers, causing many to wonder if after so many struggles he had finally gotten himself back on track. Said Willis after the game:

Now that I feel healthy and strong, I think I can start building some trust out there.

It made for a touching story that fans and coaches alike hoped would signal the revival of a most likeable and talented pitcher. A return to form after dealing with early-onset ineffectiveness and an anxiety disorder would make Willis' one of the most inspiring narratives in the league.

Willis has made three starts since he beat Texas. He's lasted all of 14 innings, allowing 15 runs and 11 walks. His third inning against the Red Sox today looked like this:

  • HBP
  • Walk
  • Called strikeout
  • Walk
  • Walk
  • Walk
  • Pulled

We knew that big extension Willis signed with the Tigers would be a problem from the get-go, but what we didn't expect was that within a few years it would imperil the general public. Crazy people are already dangerously unstable, so I can't imagine giving them a lot of money makes things any better. Willis is one more sabbatical away from drafting blueprints for a Museum of Hyenas and Topheavy Obelisks to be built in his yard. Way to kill all those families, Dombrowski.

1 recs  |  21 comments

Comments

I heard he had a no-hitter today though.
[Bait about Willis walking more guys than Rick Ankiel]
Isn't there a word for self-baiting?
He hasn't touched a girl in months
Sucks for the guy that struck out.
It was a borderline pitch
Pretty embarassing for the Rangers.
Sad.

Sad and so incredibly predictable.

This sucks.

I always wanted to see Willis come back, but everyone saw it coming.

Also, this article is the number one website that comes up when googling “top-heavy obelisk.” Congrats.

Also "Museum of Hyenas"
Greinke used to be kind of crazy :\
As I said on LSB after the Rangers lost to him...

Rangers offense: the cure for anxiety disorder.

Buh?

The Rangers offense has a .354 wOBA and is 7th in baseball with 278 runs scored. Unless I am missing the joke.

Seriously, you'd think cocaine would make you more anxious, not less
Didn't Dave Cameron say once or twice that Dontrelle'd be out of the league within a few years???
Did that come up when Dontrell to the Mariners rumors surfaced?

2006 maybe? I’d say he’s almost spot on

Before then

I think I said Willis might be the worst starter in baseball before that trade though

Dave, on September 27th, 2006:
Dontrelle Willis, the new Steve Avery. He’ll be out of baseball in four years.
Once Dontrelle’s fastball goes, he’s a meatball machine. And I’d estimate his fastball is gone in about two years.

Not bad at all. The (already not fast) fastball dipped about 2 mph in the two seasons after Dave wrote that, according to the BIS data. And completely forgetting where you’re supposed to throw said fastball doesn’t help.

Any ideas why Willis' fastball went away?
He used it a lot from a young age

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