I’m not convinced he has a great future. His mechanics are so poor that he has difficulty correcting his problems. Just as you could see a Dave Stewart type rebirth, I could see a Zito like decline.

As an Oakland Native, I have rooted for Willis since he was drafted and have seen him win a WS and a Cy Young.

that’s really amazing, because NO ONE else besides you has seen willis win a cy young.

And nobody is suggesting he come back to Oakland.

And Willis getting demoted to A-Ball doesn’t really mean anything bad (relative to getting sent to another minor league level). In A-Ball, Willis is more likely to focus on his mechanics and finding whatever it is he lost, not the result. They aren’t punishing him, but trying to get him fixed.

He did well in the small market confines of Miami’s ORANGE BOWL

so… you’re choosing to completely ignore 2007, his most recent season pitching in small market / big ballpark miami?
10-15, 5.17 era, 29 hr, 3.81 bb/9, 6.40 k/9

(ie Dallas Braden is fine - $12m in cash, not so much) I’d love to take a chance on him. I don’t think it’s a bet that is likely to pay off - but it’s a bet I’d really love to root for.

If the Tigers are willing to give him up for next to nothing and pick up 15-20mil of his contract then I don’t have a problem with it simply because of his past performace and his relitively young age. I personally have a hard time envisioning that premise though because that would be the definition of selling low….

Willis was not sent down to the minors just so ship him down. He was sent down there because the Tigers fucked up his Rehab and brought him back too soon. So now to basically give him a real rehab, they sent him dowm to the Minors

Fine. Sign Sabathia in the offseason.

He could find the magic here in Oakland and if he did we would have a true Ace who could bring the fans out.

I would take him after he is DFA’d by the Tigers. Send him to Arizona to work on his mechanics. Build up some strength. Then, give him a shot at the 5th Starter slot during Spring Training 2009. Why not?

I would never trade for him, though.

his mechanics look really messed up. I wouldn’t be surprised if his confidence is shot to pieces as well. He was incapable of throwing strikes without throwing them in the middle of the plate. I suspect this problem has been building up over time. He may also be suffering from some strain that - in order to avoid discomfort - makes things worse.

I think the Tigers had to send him down. I hope they have someone who can patiently work with him; perhaps he needs to learn an entirely different motion. Or they might try to check him out physically with care.

IF Dontrelle fixes his mechanics there may be a lot of ANers that eat their words in a couple of months.

I believe that Dontrelle, Sabathia And J-Roll belong in Oaktown. Period.

Just like Byrnes belongs on the Giants…

I just cannot believe that you guys are hating on a 26 year old Oakland/Alameda Native who COULD come pretty cheap. Especially if you believe in the A’s system..Or rather, Ron Romanick’s system.

as far as i know that’s not part of Oakland.

But no love for the S-Train.

for such an obviously poor idea, it’s getting a lot of attention. I hope the A’s win tonight.