Dontrelle Willis, who became an instant sensation after debuting with the Florida Marlins in 2003, has reportedly decided to retire for the second time at the age of 33.
According Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, Willis gave word to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday that he was done:
Willis spent 2014 splitting time with the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A team in Fresno and the Independent League Bridgeport Bluefish. He signed a minor league deal with the Brewers in January, with manager Bob Melvin telling Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel it was a low-risk bet on a player.
“You never know,” said Melvin, who has been looking for left-handed relief help. “You give guys another chance and sometimes they come through for you. He has kept himself in shape and continues to work at it.”
Unfortunately, things never came together for Willis after his career fell on hard times in 2007. He previously retired in 2012 after a short stint in the minors with the Baltimore Orioles.
He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2003 and finished second in NL Cy Young voting in 2005, but from 2008 to 2011, he was unable to appear in more than 15 games due to anxiety problems.
While it’s a sad way for such a young and entertaining athlete to retire, Willis certainly provided his share of memories in a brief time. His unique wind-up and enthusiasm for the game, especially in the early days, made him one of the sport’s biggest stars.
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