Dontrelle Willis just can’t seem to get on an even keel.
It’s a problem that he’s had since he arrived in Detroit two years ago.
There have been times that he has looked like the D-Train of old, back in his Florida Marlin days, when he was a fan favorite.
And more times than not, he appears as the secondary piece of the Miguel Cabrera deal.
Just like he did in the Tigers 4-1 loss to defending National League West champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
Most Tiger fans have “at least we have Miggy” in their minds, and look at Willis like a gift that one pretends to like.
“Thanks for the pair of socks. Of course I like them as much as my new iPad.”
To pinpoint an exact moment when Willis began to unravel wouldn’t be a difficult task.
It was the fifth inning when he threw yet another wild pitch, and gave up two runs.
After he surrendered a single that subsequently put the Dodgers in scoring position, Manny Ramirez, who feasts with runners on, beamed a missile at Detroit third baseman Brandon Inge.
Inge couldn’t corral the liner, and another run crossed the plate.
Perhaps it’s Willis’ history with Dodger-blue that came into play.
It’s no enigma—he just can’t make it happen against Los Angeles’ second favorite team.
In seven career starts against Los Angeles, he has compiled a massive 6.93 ERA, and routinely gets beat like a pinata at a child’s birthday party.
Armando Galarraga (1-0, 1.59 ERA) is slated to take the hill at 4:10 p.m Saturday, and the inter-league series will come to a close Sunday.
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