Dontrelle Willis is retiring. It seems like the right decision since he hasn't been an effective major league pitcher since 2006. It's sad, but something we see often in sports. Someone comes along and takes the sport by storm only to be out of the spotlight just as quick. For four seasons Willis was a good pitcher, and was among the game's best in 2005 when he won 22 games and finished second in the Cy Young voting. He would never find success again.
Many players have a story similar to Dontrelle's, but I don't know of any that were as fun to watch. The funky delivery and the joy with which he seemed to play the game made him exceedingly fun to watch. In a way he reminds me of Rocco Baldelli. They each had came to the big leagues the same season and had early success, but it was short lived. Baldelli represents the other side spectrum, struck down by injury instead of poor performance. The harsh reality of sport is never fun to look at.
Now onto more, uplifting, links
- Jeff Sullivan presents the always entertaining The Week In Worst. Carlos Pena makes a guest appearance.
- From the blog Bill Foster Watch, what if Foster's Pier thinking was applied to Tropicana Field?
- Luke Scott and Joe Maddon talk slumps and the art of hitting.