Dontrelle Willis Retiring

(image via)

That’s the word from Roch Kubatko of MASN. Willis, with his crazy high leg kick, went from one of the most exciting and successful pitchers in the early 2000’s to one that was just as exciting, but for all the wrong reasons.

Battling an anxiety disorder, Willis posted a truly frightening 8.7 BB/9 ratio between 2008-2010, looking like he had nothing further to offer any professional baseball organization. I’m not even sure those are the kind of numbers an amateur baseball organization would be able to stomach.

There was a brief glimmer of hope last season when Willis cut his walks to the merely untrustworthy level of 4.4 per 9 in 75 innings for the Reds, but this year, after fighting off injuries and Dan Duquette, Willis decided that he’d rather not do it anymore. May he find some other industry of work where high leg kicks are required like ballet or the professional judo circuit.