The end of the line for the D-Train

Dontrelle Willis has been DFA’d for the 2nd time this season now. Yahoo! Big League Stew wonders what is next for the big fella, who once mesmerized the nation with his funky delivery and domination of a league at age 23.

Given that Willis couldn’t stick with one of baseball’s worst pitching staffs, you have to wonder what comes next for the 28-year-old who has struggled with both on-field performance and an anxiety disorder the past few years.

Will another pro team prove so thirsty for left-handed pitching that they’ll convince themselves they’re the ones who will fix the D-Train’s funky delivery?

Will he seek answers in independent ball?

Will he move on with his life altogether and announce his retirement from the sport?


Whatever the case, it’ll be another chapter in one of the more recent and sad pitching flameout stories that probably isn’t lamented as often as it should be.

We’d expect that he kicks around the minor leagues a few more years, but we’ve seen the last of Willis at Major League stadiums.

His quick flame-out and descent doesn’t make a whole lot of sense unless you figure that it’s about 99.9% between the ears and it’s the type of confidence loss in which you never regain.