Philadelphia Phillies add left-hander Dontrelle Willis to their bullpen – MLB News
The Philadelphia Phillies have finally announced the signing of left-handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis on Thursday. The Phillies agreed to pay him $850,000 for one year as they looking to rebuild their team after a poor 2011 campaign where they pulled off
early in the post-season.
After coming into the Phillies organisation, Willis was quite happy and stated in the media that he is very excited and looking forward for a great relationship ahead with the Phillies where he always wanted to play and now expecting a good relationship
with them.
Willis said, “I’m excited, wherever they need me, whatever role, I heard someone talking about pinch-hitting, so whatever role. I’m not sure I’ll get the chance to do that. But I just want to get into the best shape I can be and I feel great. I’m not going
to rock the boat.”
Earlier, the Phillies’ general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. explained in the media and told minor details about the Phillies current affiliation with a former Cincinnati Reds’ reliever. He spoke objectively and told the reports that he is the real man that we
were looking as soon as the off-season has approached.
Amaro Jr. said, “Dontrelle, I believe, is at a point in his career where he is ready to make the transition to being an effective reliever, Because of his experience, past success and overall positive energy, especially with the success he has had against
left-handed hitters.”
Willis, who has previously played for the Florida Marlins along with the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds, is coming in the Phillies with huge expectations and who knows his one year stay will further enhance his game in the future.
The Phillies, management, who carefully watched his whole season with Reds before making a decision to sign him, also knows the extraordinary talent Willis possesses.
They closely observed Willis’ latest stint with the Reds where Willis went with 5.00 ERA along with 1-6 (win-loss) record, 57 strike-outs and 1.52 WHIP while his career stats of 4.17 along with 72-69 (win-loss) record, 896 strike-outs and 1.43 WHIP also
provoked the Phillies’ management to include him in the roster for 2012 Major League Baseball season.
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