I have a feeling the former MLB rookie of the year who is trying to reconstruct his career, is gonna break some Giants backers hearts tonight. D-Trains career was derailed (pun intended) by a rare blood disorder that creates an anxiety condition for him rendering him all but useless. With the right treatment regimen the condition can be somewhat controlled but it like many illnesses is a day to day struggle.
The man has the ability. Aside from winning rookie of the year Willis was twice an all star. In 2005 he was the first black pitcher since Dave Stewart to win 20 games and only the 12th black pitcher in MLB history to win 20 games. That same season Willis was second to Carpenter in the Cy Young voting and won the Warren Spahn award for the best left handed pitcher in baseball.
When Willis comes to the plate tonight unlike Vogelsong it will not be the proverbial empty spot in the batting order because the cat can hit the ball. In 2005 Willis became only the third man in MLB history to have 20 wins and 20 hits in the same season. On July 7, 2006 Willis hit a grand slam and at the beginning of the next season on September 20, 2006 Willis hit two homers in the same game off of two different pitchers. For a few games in 2005 Willis batted 7th in the Marlins lineup and was the first pitcher to do so since Steve Renko did it on August 26, 1973 for the Montreal Expos. Just last Sunday Willis pitched decent enough against the Braves as he gave up 6 hits and 3 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. Willis also went 1 for 3 at the plate Sunday night and has a hit in all three of his games for the Reds this season, one of them a double. During this small sample size of three games with the Reds this is the first time since his glory years with the Marlins (the last one 2007) that Willis has more strikeouts than walks.
The Giants just finished winning an emotional series against their former and again probable NLCS foes the Phillies while the Reds just finished getting swept at home by the New York Mets for the first time in the teams history and were rightfully booed right off the field.
On July 15, 2010 Willis was signed to a minor league contract by the San Francisco Giants who then granted him free agency on November 10, 2010 quietly saying they did not think he mentally had what it took to make it in the big leagues anymore. I would say it is safe to say Willis has a bone to pick tonight.
I am very aware I am backing the lesser of the two teams and lesser of the two pitchers here tonight but something in my gut tells me this old cat with the anxiety issues and his Reds mates come to play some ball tonight. Vegas made he and his mates a fave over a young stud, recently hot pitcher and his world champion team tonight so maybe they sense something too.
On a last note the last four times Vegas has said Vogelsong will lose by putting a plus symbol beside his price tag he has lost going 0-4 in those outings.
I think I will know pretty early wether or not Willis and the Reds have "IT" tonight as they try to slay the mighty world champion Giants.
Sign me up as a sucker and give me old D-Train Willis and the Reds tonight for a couple of units. It is what is and I'm taking a shot.
Reds 2 units but still waiting for the barrage of Giants wagering to continue to move the line right into plus money for me, seeing -101 now but will wait closer to game time to hit it at what I expect to be a even better number. Also liking the Chicago White Sox side to outslug the Red Sox tonight along with the over in that game.
BOL to everyone with their wagers tonight....
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