Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Wayne Willis, nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseballfor the Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds. Willis was notable for his success during his first few years in the MLB and for his unconventional pitching style, which included a high leg kick and exaggerated twisting away from the batter. He was named the 2003 National League Rookie of the Year...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth12 January 1982
CityOakland, CA
CountryUnited States of America
That was the first instinct I had ? to slide, ... I figured the quickest way I could get to the plate was to reach out as far as I can. I just said, 'I'm going to give up my body.' It's all about putting pressure on the other guys.
I don't feel any pressure. I'm going to continue to do what I do as far as my work ethic and my training for me to get prepared for the season. That doesn't dictate anything.
I don't even know what I'm right now at as far as wins. I can't even tell you. I've still got 300 to go. You have to be very fortunate and very lucky and very blessed to stay healthy to be able to have a chance to go out there and do those type of things. I need all the help and luck to be on my side.
It's bigger than just me, ... For the most part, it's something that I can't fathom. Obviously, I'm close, but it's historical. I never thought I'd be in the history books as far as individual awards, and what have you.
I felt really confident in my stuff. Toward the end I made some bad pitches, but as far as the game and my strength I felt great there.
I made some good pitches, I made some bad pitches. As far as my strength, I felt good.
I've said early on, it comes down to consistency and being able to do it inning after inning, ... Things are coming together, and I hope to build off it.
I've played some baseball games just to see what I look like and it looked dead-on like me.
It would be a high honor, most definitely.
It was all positive. I'm just happy I'm employed again.
I understand where (the teams) are coming from; we're all investments whether we make $500,000 or $5 million. Injuries are unfortunate things that can happen any time during the year. ... You just have to suit up and represent your country.
Especially the last couple of days people were very excited, more excited than I was, ... I was eager to see how things were going to turn out, but I slept easy (Wednesday) night. ... I'm the second-best pitcher in the National League, which is not that dang bad.
Everything was good today -- getting my legs back into it. I was just trying to get into situations where I have to make a pitch. It was all fun getting back into it.
The resilience of the team showed tonight. We could have packed it in early, especially the way they were hitting the ball. We didn't. We kept the game close.