(This post was written by occasional contributor Jeremy Powers.)
Dontrelle Willis will take the mound in the series opener in Pittsburgh and he will finally (after an All-Star break layover) be able to build off the success he had during his season debut in Milwaukee.
While watching the series against the Cardinals this past weekend I noticed that Willis was upbeat in the dug out. Whether he was congratulating Homer Bailey as he came off of the mound or joking around with his teammates with his immense smile, Willis’ energetic attitude will only benefit the Reds clubhouse during the season’s final 65 games.
Neither Edinson Volquez nor Travis Wood has the key attribute that Willis possesses right now: confidence. Having Cy Young-caliber success early in his career, the 29-year-old left-hander knows what it takes to be successful and bounce back from rough starts.
Hopefully Willis can bring the stability the Reds need in order to bolster a pitching staff that has been inconsistent over the first half of the season. If not his arm, then his personality is here to stay.
Also, Mark Schmetzer of Cincinnati.com had Willis fill in the blanks of a few statements ranging from his thoughts on Jack McKeon’s return to his major if he had attended college. I really enjoyed reading Willis’ answers and I hope you will too.
Jeremy Powers is a Journalism student at the University of Cincinnati.