Article published May 03, 2008
Willis finds plate in rehab
Effective despite Mud Hens' loss
Tigers pitcher Dontrelle Willis, on a rehab assignment with the Mud Hens, threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 18 batters he faced and only had two three-ball counts. He recorded four strikeouts and walked no one last night against Rochester.
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BLADE PHOTOS/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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By JOE VARDON
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
Tigers manager Jim Leyland was fairly open about Dontrelle Willis' trip to Toledo being about more than rehabbing his hyper-extended right knee.
Plagued by a wild streak last year, during spring training, and in his two starts with Detroit this season, Willis needed to join the Mud Hens for a start or two to relocate the strike zone, his manager said.
Willis was healthy in all facets last night, striking out four and walking no one in Toledo's 6-4 loss to the Rochester Red Wings.
Willis gave up two runs on four hits in 42/3 innings, and was removed after he struck out Red Wings shortstop Chris Basak. He threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 18 hitters he faced and only had two three-ball counts in 72 total pitches.
"I thought it was very productive," Willis said of his first Hens appearance. "I wanted to do whatever [the Tigers] told me to do."
Willis was nonchalant about slaying his ball-throwing dragons.
The Mud Hens’ Brent Clevlen collides with Rochester’s Jose Morales but is out at home plate in the sixth inning.
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Acquired in the huge trade this offseason that also netted the Tigers Miguel Cabrera, Willis has walked nine hitters in five-plus innings with Detroit and is coming off a career-high 87 walks with the Florida Marlins last year.
He showed no signs of control problems last night, but denied a concerted effort to throw more strikes.
"I'm not that complex," Willis said. "I just go out there and try to keep my team in it. If I've walked seven guys that night, I'll try to keep the ball club close with that."
On Thursday, Leyland told reporters that last night's start was "the time for a guy that struggled with his control all spring, and into the season, to go down and really work at it, to get back to his norm."
Hens pitching coach A.J. Sager said he was instructed by the Tigers staff to make sure Willis stayed consistent with the tempo of his delivery.
"I gave him the ball at 6:30 p.m. and shook his hand about 8:30 p.m. The rest was all him," Sager said. "I thought he was fine."
The only trouble Willis ran into came in the third inning, when Tommy Watkins and Denard Span both reached on bloop singles. Darnell McDonald drove both of them in on a two-out double off the right-field wall.
Willis grew stronger as the game wore on, and struck out four of the last six hitters he faced. He even tried to get Hens manager Larry Parrish to let him finish the fifth inning, even though he was three pitches away from his 75-pitch limit.
Injured when he slipped on the mound in Chicago on April 11, Willis said he pitched without pain in his knee. The left-hander said the decision on when he resumes pitching for the Tigers is up to them.
"Whatever they want," Willis said. "I felt like I threw it over the plate. It could be tomorrow. It's a day-by-day process."
Parrish said Willis would benefit from another start in Toledo, which could come Wednesday at Fifth Third Field.
"He commanded his fastball better than he did this spring, but he needs to command his breaking ball better," Parrish said. "Overall, he basically had a five-inning outing, no walks. I'd have to say that's positive."
Willis was credited with the loss, but the Hens (18-10) almost got him off the hook. Slugger Mike Hessman came to bat with the tying runs on base and two outs in the ninth, but struck out against Red Wings reliever Tim Lahey.
Hessman did hit a home run last night, his 10th of the season.
Jeremy Johnson, the originally scheduled starter for the Hens last night, relieved Willis in the fifth and walked the first two batters he faced, then gave up a three-run homer to McDonald.
After the game the Hens feasted on a meal catered by Biaggi's - courtesy of Willis.
Contact Joe Vardon at:
jvardon@theblade.com
or 419-410-5055.
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