Dontrelle Willis retires

Once upon a time, he was the most exciting, refreshing player in the game:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8124831/dontrelle-willis-announces-retirement-stint-baltimore-orioles-farm-team

 

Really a sad story, he looked like he had it all figured out as a rookie, I never would have predicted the career path he took.

I've seen several pitchers in the last few years, most notably Rick Ankiel, attempt to reinvent themselves as hitters. I wonder why Dontrelle never gave that a shot?

 

I haven't followed his career as some may, so take this for what it's worth, but he strikes me as a guy who had a lot of raw talent, but just never learned how to pitch. I loved his kid-like attitude and passion for the game, but at some point, pitchers have to learn and grow mentally to keep going in this league, and I just never saw that from him. Which leads to guys who, when they take the mound, you have no idea which guy will show up . . . the dominant pitcher or the guy who's going to scuffle through three innings of work. For me, as a Pirates fan, Ian Snell and Kris Benson fell into that category. Hitters adjust, and when talent and the element of suprise may carry them early on, eventually, it runs out. Guys like Gooden and Boyd showed they could learn how to pitch something other than a dominant fastball and succeed later in their careers.

 

He would've been another Jim Thome, unable to field his position. Great kid. Never developed another pitch, which might have kept him around a little longer. I thought he should've tried the knuckleball. I wish him well.

 

Jimy already has him penciled for Cooperstown.

 

Dontrelle Willis: Marlins Hall of Famer?

 

He had such a screwed-up motion it was almost inevitable that he'd arm problems that would shorten his career.

 

Hmmm. You'd have to say yes.

 

What's remarkable when you look at his career is how quickly he couldn't find the plate any more. He had pretty good control in his 2005 Cy Young-caliber season, and after that he just couldn't find the plate any more.

 

Ankiel was the same way.

 

I will always believe La Russa fucked up Ankiel by throwing him in to pitch the first game of the playoffs that year. The kid had enough problems with his dad being in prison, and he was too fragile emotionally to handle that assignment. Ankiel was the shit his rookie year, but after that playoff game he never recovered.

Classic example of La Russa being too smart by half. And it's the reason, even after two World Series titles, many St. Louis fans will never look at La Russa as anything but a carpetbagger.

 

This Cardinals fan will take the World Series titles over how Ankiel may or may not have been mishandled. He had plenty of time to get himself together. Maybe he was destined to be a pitching flash in the pan who was gonna become a basket case on the mound at some point, anyway. Heck, even someone with years under the belt, like Steve Blass, can have it happen.