Willis and Zumaya on the DL
The Detroit Tigers answered two key questions this morning by placing Dontrelle Willis and Joel Zumaya on the 15-day disabled list. Zumaya isn't really a surprise, as he's been very slow to recover from a sore shoulder and only thrown one inning this spring. But Willis's status raises an eyebrow, as he wasn't placed on the DL with a physical injury, but rather "anxiety disorder."
According to Willis, the diagnosis was made after something came up in a blood test that raised concern among team doctors. Apparently, however, the condition (as nebulous as it might sound) is treatable.
"This is not depression," Willis said. "This is something totally different. This is something where they saw something in my blood that they didn't like. "I'm not crazy, though my teammates might think that I'm crazy."
I can't even pretend to speculate what sort of anxiety disorder would show up in a blood test, nor would I really care to. I'm sure this will only add to the belief among many that whatever is behind Willis's struggles since coming to Detroit is a mental issue. But without an exact explanation of the malady (one we may never get, by the way), who can say for certain? Regardless of the reason, the plight of the D-Train continues to become more curious and more troublesome.
From a baseball standpoint, this gives Detroit some more time to figure out what to do with a pitcher who looks more like a reclamation project than a major league starter. In 8.2 innings this spring, Willis allowed 15 runs, 17 hits, and seven walks. This might now be bigger than a baseball problem, however.
One more roster move the Tigers made today was to return left-handed reliever Kyle Bloom to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bloom was Detroit's Rule 5 draft pick last summer, and had to be on the Tigers' 25-man roster throughout the season to remain with the team.
Initially this spring, it appeared as if he might be able to win a job as the bullpen's second lefty, but couldn't maintain that performance (eventually giving up six runs in 5.1 innings) while other relievers began to assert themselves.
[Editor's Note: Bumped up to top of the page at 3:30 p.m. EST]
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Please Pick Someone Up or GIve 5th Spot......
……To Porcello!!!!……I cant bear to watch Nate, Lob It In There, Robertson pitch every 5th day!!!!!…….Someone will get relaesed…..Maybe a Aaron Harang…..If not Porcello better be the guy!!!
by BennieBladesFan on Mar 29, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Here's a link
Looks like there’s a blood test for anxiety (guess that’s obvious from the Dontrelle report).
by ThaWalrus9 on Mar 29, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Anxiety
Just got home from work to read this. What?? I take anxiety medication, but they sure never took a blood text for it. It just sounds like a very strange story as to why they even did blood work to begin with. I’m just gonna let it go. He’s probably toast. Let’s move on.
by densogirl on Mar 29, 2009 6:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Alhthough it's odd...
It’s not something that I haven’t heard of. The Royals’ Zack Greinke missed most of 2006 with this issue and seems to have rebounded from it.
I can’t help but think that there has to be more than just baseball going on in Dontrelle’s life to cause this sort of thing… familiy issues… something.
by Deaner on Mar 29, 2009 7:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He’s absolutely denying that he’s depressed citing how happy he is all the time. But, yes, I believe he has emotional problems. His own mother is a “case”. To Dontrelle I say “OK, Britney”. He probably needs to be put on medication and there’s nothing wrong with that. He insists it’s a blood disease. Whatever,….I just hope he can get his life turned around again. He’s probably miserable with all that’s going on. I really feel for him and wish him the best.
by densogirl on Mar 29, 2009 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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