Time’s Up For Dontrelle
By Blake VandeBunte • Mar 23rd, 2009 • Category: 2009 Season, Dontrelle WillisIf Dontrelle Willis isn’t able to make the opening day roster for the Tigers they should release him and move on. Everything I’ve read about Dontrelle Willis leads me to believe that he is nothing but a stand up guy who wants nothing more than be baseball player. Not only does he want to play ball, he wants to succeed.
Sadly, I don’t think that situation is in the cards for Willis. He’s been injured. He’s been ineffective. He’s been overpaid. Like or not, baseball is a business and it just doesn’t make business or baseball since for Dontrelle Willis to remain with the Tigers if he cannot pitch at the major league level.
Willis is only 27-years old. Theoretically he could still turn it all around. I just don’t see it happening. We all know the numbers from last season:
- 24 innings, 18 hits, 35 walks, five wild pitches, 9.38 ERA
His numbers this spring have hardly made one think that he’ll be any better in 2009:
- 8.2 innings, 17 hits, 7 walks, 12.46 ERA
Now the really sad part about the situation, his contract:
- $10M in 2009 and $12M in 2010
Willis is clearly in no position to make the Tigers to start the season. If he’s going to make it, he needs to make all kind of improvements. In order to improve he needs to pitch and in order to pitch he needs to head to the minor leagues. If Willis is willing (I’m guessing he would be) to head to the minors he would take innings away from youngsters down there. I don’t like that situation.
The bottom line is this and it’s cold: I don’t think Dontrelle Willis will ever be a big-league quality pitcher again. But, what do I know? I’m not a scout. I did a little work to see if any pitchers have ever rebounded from such an awful season to be successful again. To check it out, I looked for pitchers who threw at least 24 innings and had an ERA of at least 9.00. Here are the guys that have done that and had good seasons again since 1990:
- Gavin Floyd: 10.04 in 2005
- Roy Halladay: 10.64 in 2000
- Salomon Torres: 9.82 in 1997
The thing about all of those pitchers is that they put up those stink bombs very early in their careers. Willis was an established pitcher when he laid his egg. There is a big difference there.
Blake VandeBunte is a posting fiend.
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It just doesn’t make sense. Willis is only 27, he had the talent to be tremendously successful in the not-too-distant past, and he has a good attitude. He’s had minor injuries, but nothing career threatenting. So, how did he lose it? You were looking for examples of players who rebounded in this situation, but I can’t think of anyone who lost it so thoroughly and so young, after being so good so young.
Yeah that’s the thing, I just cannot find that kind of player. Rick Ankiel is the only one that come to mind, but he never had the success as a pitcher that Willis had. I mean, Willis won 22 games in a season once! It really is bizarre. It doesn’t make sense.
He was a good hitter in Florida. Maybe they should do an Ankiel and turn him into an outfielder.
I wrote a post about that last spring when he was struggling. I was joking at the time, but now, I seriously wonder if he should consider it. Here’s the link….
http://www.spotstarters.com/?p=494
Players union aside, what’s the chance the DW would renegotiate his contract? Ok, now add the union back into the equation, how much say do they have over such a move?
I agree with the Ankiel solution. I dont know his exact numbers at the plate but at 27 it’s worth a shot.
Andre, that would be ideal wouldn’t it? I don’t think the Tigers want to cut him loose for nothing. I’m sure if they could rework his deal (with his permission) that would be great. I believe he’s worth keeping if they can cut that contract in half. However, as you pointed out, the union won’t go for that.