Good news from Motown: Dontrelle Willis is back. Off the DL and apparently having licked his anxiety disorder for now, he shut down the Rangers last night. At one point he retired 16 batters in a row. And from what highlights I saw, he looked like the Dontrelle of old: slow windup, lots of power building up in the butt, and then the quick release with good control. If he’s pitching well this year, it will be a good time at Comerica this season.
(It’s interesting that Willis’ anxiety issues put him on the disabled list when I read about the same problem hitting Zach Greinke a couple years back. After taking some time off and clearing his head, Greinke is now arguably the best pitcher in baseball. Good to see jocks admit that once in a while, it DOESN’T do any good to tough it out. If you haven’t read the story by Joe Posnanski in the May 4 Sports Illustrated, you should.)
Bardball has been kind of skint lately with current event verse, so I had to whip up a poem this morning, while I sat in the shade in the backyard, enjoying a freakishly warm summer day. It’s not my best, but it’s as fresh as the morning headlines.
Triumph of the Willis
It brightens baseball’s heart, Dontrelle,
To have you back and pitching well.Your fastball cutting like a knife,
Endangering the catcher’s life,Your off-speed floating up and down,
Your hat too big like Charlie Brown’s.Your rookie year is long behind–
Was that the thing that messed your mind?We all get old, last time I checked.
That doesn’t mean your life is wrecked.You’ve got the stuff, now find the guile,
And you’ll be here a good long while.