Willis HEALTH REPORTS

04/12/2008 2:10 PM ET
Willis says injury could've been worse
Tigers starter stumbles while delivering, hyperextends knee
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- The message from Tigers pitcher Dontrelle Willis after his injury Friday night was that it could've been worse. He wasn't just referring to the fact that his team won the game.

He's expected to have his hyperextended right knee checked out again by a doctor on Saturday before the team has any real idea how long he could be out. But as Willis talked following Friday's 5-2 win, he said his knee wasn't in pain.

"Just stiff," Willis said Friday night. "That's a plus. It'll probably be stiffer [Saturday], but they're going to do everything they can to get me back on the mound. It could've been a lot worse."

Willis has never been on the disabled list in his five seasons in the Major Leagues, but his two career starts on Chicago's South Side haven't been good for his health. His only other start at U.S. Cellular Field was last summer, and he left after one inning with a forearm strain. The injury bug struck him again in his return, but in a more freakish circumstance under less than ideal conditions, thanks to late afternoon and early evening rain to go with temperatures falling through the 40s.

Willis, who walked seven batters over five-plus innings against these same White Sox last Saturday in Detroit, again came out battling his command by walking Carlos Quentin to lead off the bottom of the first. He was in his delivery for his first pitch to Orlando Cabrera when his right leg slipped off the mound, lunging him forward in an awkward position as he grabbed the back of his right knee.

The game started on schedule in light showers after heavier rains passed through prior to the game. Grounds crew workers applied drying compound to the mound after taking off the tarp just before game time. Still, Willis dismissed the idea that a wet mound played any role.

"I don't think it was wet at all," Willis said. "I think I just missed [with a cleat]. It just got out from under me. It was just a freak thing that happened. There's nobody to blame."

Willis stayed in the game after some warmup pitches and some persistence with head athletic trainer Kevin Rand and manager Jim Leyland, but he proceeded to walk Cabrera. With two on and no outs, Willis fell behind Jim Thome, including a wild pitch in the dirt that advanced both runners and put Thome in a 2-1 count.

That's when Rand and Leyland came to the mound again. Although Willis appeared to be pleading his case, the left-hander was removed from the game in favor of Aquilino Lopez, who had not been warming up but followed with four innings of one-run ball.

"He said he's all right. He's tough. He wants to compete," Leyland said of Willis. "But Kevin didn't like the way he was moving his knee around and the way it was landing. He didn't like it at all. So I said that's enough. I'm not going to take a chance."

Any lengthy absence for Willis would be another blow to a starting rotation that has struggled in the season's first couple weeks. Jeremy Bonderman is the only Detroit starter to record an out in the seventh inning, and that was in his first start, against Kansas City on April 3. The Tigers went to an eight-man bullpen and 13-man pitching staff last weekend to help provide extra arms, and Leyland indicated they could call up another reliever temporarily if they had to put Willis on the disabled list. His spot in the rotation doesn't come up again until Wednesday.

Starting pitchers at Triple-A Toledo include Virgil Vasquez, who has scattered three runs and struck out 14 batters over 10 innings, and Armando Galarraga, who has won both of his starts with three runs allowed on seven hits over 12 innings with 11 strikeouts.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Detroit Tigers' LHP Dontrelle Willis to have MRI
4/12/2008, 12:58 p.m. EDT
The Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Detroit Tigers' left-hander Dontrelle Willis was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine the extent of an injury to his right knee.

Willis hyperextended the knee while delivering a pitch in the first inning Friday night against the Chicago White Sox and minutes later had to be taken out of the game.

Willis, who joined the Tigers along with Miguel Cabrera in a major trade from Florida, was making just his second start Friday night for the Tigers on Friday night. Results of the MRI were expected later Saturday.

As he was making his first pitch to the White Sox's No. 2 hitter Orlando Cabrera, Willis' right plant leg gave out and he slipped off the mound. He stayed in the game but after walking Cabrera and throwing a wild pitch with Jim Thome at bat, he was taken out after just 14 pitches. Following the game, Willis said he initially thought he'd blown his knee out, but after the game was able to put pressure on it.

The Tigers also said first baseman Carlos Guillen hurt his right hamstring running to first base Friday night and was out of the lineup Saturday with Miguel Cabrera moving from third to first.

"It's pretty tight and sore," Guillen said, adding he hopes to return in a few days.

Thank God for that!

04/12/2008 5:35 PM ET
Willis placed on DL for first time
MRI exam confirms Tigers lefty has hyperextended knee
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- As Dontrelle Willis said, his knee injury could've been worse. But the diagnosis wasn't good enough to keep him off the disabled list.

An MRI exam Saturday confirmed a hyperextended right knee, along with minor stretching in the back of the knee. With Willis certain to miss at least one start, and the Tigers unable to skip his turn in the rotation, they placed the left-hander on the 15-day disabled list.

Both are firsts for Willis in his five-year Major League career. He has not missed any of his 164 starting assignments since the Marlins called him up in 2003.

"You know he's going to miss a start, and we don't want to take any chances with it," team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "Really, at this point, we can't. It is a hyperextension, so hopefully in the 15 days, he'll be ready. But we'll see.

"He asked us to wait [to put him on the DL] and see what happens, but you could tell he's walking gingerly, and we just don't want to take a chance. You can't take a chance on that, because his arm is healthy. I've seen many guys in their time when their knee's bothering them a little bit, change their delivery a little bit and hurt their arm."

In the first inning on Friday night, Willis' right leg gave way on his first pitch to Orlando Cabrera, the second batter he faced. He continued for a few pitches, walking Cabrera and falling behind on Jim Thome, but head athletic trainer Kevin Rand noticed the knee clearly affecting his delivery. Detroit manager Jim Leyland then decided to pull Willis from the game.

Willis sounded an optimistic tone after the game, saying his knee was more stiff than painful. Even with his record of durability at the end, he admitted it could've been a lot worse.

"There's no tear, so that's good," Willis said.

Rand said the MRI also revealed stretching of the posterior knee capsule as well as the hamstring tendon where it attaches to the back of the knee. Because it's his landing leg, Rand added, the Tigers will be extra cautious in his recovery to avoid aggravating it.

Assuming no rainouts, Willis' spot in the rotation next comes up Wednesday in the opener of a two-game series at Cleveland. At that point, they'll recall right-hander Armando Galarraga from Triple-A Toledo to take his spot for what likely will be two starts. Detroit doesn't have an off-day scheduled until April 28, two weeks from Monday.

Galarraga, acquired from Texas in a Minor League deal in February, was the recommendation of club officials in Toledo after the right-hander won both of his first two starts in the Mud Hens rotation. The 26-year-old Venezuelan allowed three runs on seven hits over 12 innings with 11 strikeouts.
"He's thrown the ball very well for us down there," Dombrowski said. "After we sent him out in the spring, he continued to throw the ball very well down in Triple-A for us. [Virgil] Vasquez has pitched well, too, but we think Galarraga's the guy that deserves it at this point. He's the guy that they recommended."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

More good news!

Can we just call it a season?

Go Galarraga?

Hopefully Armando Galarraga does ok in the game he replaces Dontrelle. It sounds like he is good with strike outs.

Can he do worse than Willis?

At least we don't have to worry about the variations of funk in his pitching!

Darn!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

At least we don't have to worry about the variations of funk in his pitching!

Everything is pretty funkless right now :haha:

I'm really surprised that Vasquez isn't the one taking his spot.

Me, too

I'd like to see Dontrelle get on a SALAD kick and take off about 15 pounds and regain some of his lost flexibility.

04/17/2008 9:30 PM ET
Willis starts throwing program
Tigers left-hander not against Minor League rehab stint
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

CLEVELAND -- Left-hander Dontrelle Willis has started throwing again after a hyperextended right knee forced him onto the 15-day disabled list and knocked him out of the Tigers' rotation.

Willis played catch off of flat ground Wednesday, five days after injuring his knee tumbling off the mound Friday night at Chicago. It's a small step, and it couldn't give him much indication how his knee will feel when he lands on it pitching off of a mound, but he feels fine so far. The strength is back in the knee, he said, and the soreness has subsided.

"So far, so good," Willis said. "You don't want to start doing stuff where you might change something and put more strain on your arm. I think that's the one thing that everyone's concerned about. I've been trying to repeat the motion that I would do in a game. But I don't think anything can repeat what you would do in a game situation. I want to get as close to that as I can, so that when I go out there and compete, I'm not worried about it."

When Willis is ready, manager Jim Leyland would like him to take a rehab assignment for a Minor League start or two and polish off his game from the absence. It's not something the club can force Willis to do because of his contractual status, but Willis said he'd be open to it.

"Whatever they want me to do," Willis said. "I'm not a guy that tries to rock the boat. If everybody's happy, then I'm happy. Whatever they want me to do, I'm going to do."

A Minor League start could end up being good not only for his knees, but also have the side benefit of working out his mechanics before he resumes facing big league hitters. With nine walks through five-plus innings, his command issues have clearly continued since Spring Training. It has started with a wild fastball.

"I threw my breaking balls well, so I was almost to the point where I was just going to throw more breaking balls," Willis half-joked.

As far as the fastball command, he said he does not know the reason behind it.

"I have no idea, to be honest," he said.

At least he can relate to what his good friend is going through. Though Willis and C.C. Sabathia are admittedly competitors in this division, Willis can't help but feel bad for what Sabathia is going through with his start to the season.

"It was kind of tough hearing people boo him," Willis said. "When you hear that, regardless of whether it's in the heat of battle, it kind of hurt."

Willis has talked to Sabathia, and said his mood is fine. He has not, however, tried to give Sabathia any tips.

"There's nothing that anybody can say that he isn't saying to himself," Willis said. "He wants to go out there and do the best he can. He's not rattled by anyone. He's beating himself up because he wants to be successful. And he will be."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Source

• Where there's a Willis: A baseball man who is tight with members of the Tigers' brass said that, in a way, they were almost relieved when Dontrelle Willis headed for the disabled list last weekend. Dontrelle's wildness was getting so out of hand, he was bordering on being pronounced as having contracted The Thing.

"So now they can send him out on a rehab start and see where this thing is at," the same baseball man said. "Now they can let him figure out his control issues in the minor leagues instead of in the big leagues. And if he's still wild, they can attribute it to the knee. But this [lack of control] has been there for a while. I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but I think this is going to turn out to be a bad signing. And that's very unusual for that group."

tigersaint wrote:

I'd like to see Dontrelle get on a SALAD kick and take off about 15 pounds and regain some of his lost flexibility.

better for ya!

I like salad......on a Cheeseburger!!

tigersaint wrote:

I like salad......on a Cheeseburger!!

you are da beef man!

*BURP*

any time!

.....thanks.

04/25/2008 7:03 PM ET
Willis eyeing Minor League rehab stint
Simulated game Saturday could set up Triple-A start next week
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

DETROIT -- Tigers left-hander Dontrelle Willis is on track to go on a Minor League rehab stint next week as he works his way through a hyperextended right knee.

Willis threw what manager Jim Leyland called a solid side session Thursday morning in which the lefty felt some limited pain in the knee in early pitches, but was progressively better as the session continued. He'll throw a simulated session to hitters Saturday afternoon; if that goes well, he'll probably be reporting to Triple-A Toledo for a start later next week.

"I would assume Dontrelle Willis will be pitching in a [Minor League] game next week, maybe a week from today," manager Jim Leyland said.

Willis is in favor of a rehab stint. He was also very much in favor of a simulated outing beforehand.

"I think the telling thing is just for me being able to get to [pitch to] hitters," Willis said, "because the effort level's a little different as opposed to [bullpen sessions]. If I can get back out there and really get back out front, then I'll feel more confident. But I feel more confident now than before I got hurt, as far as my strength."

For someone who had never been on the disabled list in the Major Leagues until he hurt his knee slipping off the mound against the White Sox on April 11, Willis has shown some relative patience in the process. He has worked regularly with strength and conditioning coach Javair Gillett to strengthen the knee, and he has repeatedly said that he's willing to do a rehab stint before coming back, though he has the right to decline it if he wishes.

"Javair and [the athletic training staff] have done a great job of getting on me," Willis said. "This is my first time being hurt, so I'm kind of stubborn about getting back there, getting the proper treatment. But they've done a great job of staying on top of me."

Armando Galarraga will make his third start for the Tigers in Willis' place on Saturday. He has won both of his previous outings to take the team lead in victories, though reliever Clay Rapada tied him with a victory Wednesday.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

go ARMANDO and CLAY!!!!

YES!

04/26/2008 4:24 PM ET
Willis 'one step closer' to return
Lefty faces hitters Saturday, likely to start in Triple-A next week
By Scott McNeish / MLB.com

DETROIT -- Tigers lefty Dontrelle Willis threw well enough in a simulated game on Saturday afternoon to earn a Minor League rehab start in Triple-A Toledo sometime late next week.

"One step closer -- it felt good to get back on the mound," Willis said. "It was good to see hitters and see the ball off the bat, to get out there and compete."

Willis, on the 15-day disabled list with a hyperextended right knee, will travel with the Tigers to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday and throw a bullpen session. If all goes well, he could make a start at Toledo as early as Friday.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland added that he would like Willis to make at least two rehab starts before he returns to the rotation. The lefty will make a start in Toledo, return to Detroit for a bullpen session and analysis by pitching coach Chuck Hernandez, then make another start in Toledo and continue the pattern until the team feels he's ready.

"You don't know if he's ready to go until you get him in a real game situation," Leyland said. "You can know if he's healthy, but you don't know if he can be effective."

Three hours prior to Saturday's game, Willis tossed 50 pitches to Tigers hitters Marcus Thames, Ramon Santiago and Ryan Raburn. Thames hit a home run, but there were few other hard hits on the batters' 13 swings, a number that does not do Willis' control in the session justice. All three hitters said he tossed strikes and worked both sides of the plate well.
"He was really pumping them in there real good," an impressed Thames said. "He looked good."

Willis, acquired in the Tigers' blockbuster trade with the Marlins in December, has been working his way back from the first trip to the disabled list in his five-year career. He hurt his knee slipping on the mound in the first inning against the White Sox on April 11.

Before the injury, Willis went five innings, surrendering three earned runs on one hit and seven walks, in his Detroit debut on April 5 against Chicago.

Right-hander Armando Galarraga made this third start in Willis' place on Saturday. The Triple-A callup won his first two starts, tying him for the team lead with another callup, reliever Clay Rapada.

Scott McNeish is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

One step closer to throwing STRIKES??

If not, keep him Toledo!

04/30/2008 8:21 PM ET
Willis set for Triple-A rehab stint
Tigers make plans official for left-hander to pitch on Friday
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- It's official: Dontrelle Willis will make his first rehab start on Friday for Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers finalized their plans for Willis' Minor League rehab stint on Wednesday.

Manager Jim Leyland said the team wanted to check Wednesday afternoon and see how Willis felt after throwing a full side session in the visiting bullpen at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Willis said he felt fine, and the Tigers set his plans.

The Mud Hens are at home Friday to face Rochester, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. It'll mark the left-hander's first game action since April 11, when he hyperextended his right knee slipping off of the mound at Chicago.

Willis is likely to make at least two rehab starts to make sure he's comfortable on the mound and ready to face Major League hitters, but it should also give him a chance to work on his command, an issue that surfaced late in Spring Training and continued into the season. He walked seven batters over five-plus innings in his regular-season Tigers debut against the White Sox on April 5 at Comerica Park, then walked both batters he faced in the return engagement on the night he was injured. That totaled up to nine walks out of 80 batters faced.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

05/02/2008 9:35 PM ET
Willis shows command in rehab start
Southpaw tosses 51 strikes in 72-pitch outing for Toledo
By Scott McNeish / MLB.com

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Dontrelle Willis took another step forward in his journey back from the disabled list on Friday night.

The Tigers' left-hander made a rehab start for Triple-A Toledo against the Rochester Red Wings, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, at Fifth Third Field. He allowed two runs on four hits and did not walk a batter in 4 2/3 innings.

"I thought I was very productive out there today," Willis said. "I feel like I can throw the ball over the plate. I felt good out there. We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but it was a good day."

Willis, acquired last December in a blockbuster trade with Florida, saw his first game action in his return from a hyperextended right knee. He slipped on the mound in the first inning against the White Sox on April 11 and was placed on the DL for the first time in his five-year career.

He said he felt no pain or stiffness in the knee during Friday's 72-pitch outing. He added that he feels ready for the Majors whenever the Tigers decide to call him up.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said last week he would like Willis to make two rehab starts in Toledo. He said Willis will throw a bullpen session under the supervision of Tigers pitching coach Chuck Hernandez this week in Minnesota before making another start for Toledo, likely on Wednesday against Leigh Valley, the Phillies' Triple-A club.

"It's going to be two [rehab starts] for sure," Leyland said, "and maybe more, but maybe not."

If all goes well, he could rejoin the Tigers' rotation the following week.

"Whatever [the Tigers] tell me to do," Willis said. "Whenever they feel like I'm ready, I'll be ready. I feel like I can compete at any level."

The rehab starts present Willis an opportunity to work on his control, which was shaky during Spring Training and in his first regular-season start with Detroit.

But control was not an issue in Friday's appearance. While not walking a batter, he threw 51 of his 72 pitches for strikes. He hurled first-pitch strikes to 13 of 18 hitters and only went to three three-ball counts. This all while reaching 95 mph on the radar gun.

Willis tested his knee against the first hitter of the game when Rochester's Denard Span hit a soft chopper to the left of the mound. Willis pounced on it, but had no time to stop and set his feet, so he quickly turned toward first and fired a leaping, fade-away toss off his back foot, but not in time to get the runner.

He shook his right leg periodically, but said no discomfort resulted from the play.

"No pain, no problems," Willis said.

He didn't give up another hit until the third, when he surrendered two runs on three hits. Two bloop singles put runners on first and second with two outs in the inning. Rochester's Darnell MacDonald lined a first-pitch double off the top of the right-field wall to score the runs.

Willis had a 1-2-3 fourth inning and retired the first two batters in the fifth before exiting to a loud ovation.

Scott McNeish is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.