Good article, it is true he really did deserve it but Dusty said some will not play

 

BERARDINO: Willis deserved to pitch

Published July 16, 2003

 

CHICAGO ? Here's Problem No. 467 with attaching artificial significance to an exhibition game.

 

Dontrelle Willis doesn't get to play.

 

Oh, Willis swore he wasn't disappointed after spending nine innings cooped up in the National League bullpen Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

The Marlins phenom said he had an "awesome time." Said he had no regrets about failing to get on the field in the first All-Star Game of his budding career.

 

"I was just glad to be a part of it," Willis said after a 7-6 loss for his National League team. "A couple of guys didn't play in the game. I wasn't the only one."

 

Maybe so, but the 21-year-old lefty was the only omission who really mattered.

 

So Armando Benitez didn't get in the game? So Mike Williams and his 6.44 ERA didn't get onto the national stage? So John Smoltz was left to warm up alongside Willis as the game ended on Rafael Furcal's fly to the warning track?

 

So what?

 

It was Willis who should have gotten the ball at some point. He almost certainly would have, too, had baseball not overreacted to last year's All-Star tie in Milwaukee and awarded home-field advantage for the World Series to Tuesday's winner.

 

Hank Blalock's game-winning homer in the eighth won't mean a thing to his Texas Rangers. They're in last place.

 

But it could mean the world to the New York Yankees or Seattle Mariners come October.

 

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

But enough about Bud Selig. We're here to talk about Willis, Mr. Everything to the Marlins these days, and why he had to spend much of his night flipping a baseball absentmindedly from his bullpen perch.

 

"I wanted him to pitch one inning at least," said Marlins second baseman Luis Castillo, who got to play the final four innings. "I know the fans wanted to see Dontrelle."

 

Added Marlins third baseman Mike Lowell, who lofted a ground-rule double off Mark Mulder in the sixth: "I think everybody wanted to see Dontrelle pitch. But with so much emphasis being placed on the managers to win and the thought of extra innings, I think they were determined not to run out of pitchers."

 

Willis knows no strangers, as he showed again Tuesday night. When he wasn't slumped on the bullpen bench, chatting with Benitez and Smoltz, Willis spent portions of the early innings signing caps and balls for fans hanging over the bleacher railings.

 

Considering this was the South Side, the land of drunken-fan participation, perhaps this wasn't the wisest course of action. But as Marlins manager Jack McKeon says about his pitcher's penchant for sliding headfirst, there's no sense trying to bottle up Willis' enthusiasm.

 

Do that, and the magic might run out as well.

 

Willis isn't used to spending much time in the bullpen, having made his last 57 professional appearances as a starter. He probably didn't know what to do with himself out there.

 

Make no mistake, Willis wanted to get into this game. Badly.

 

Even though he threw 104 pitches on Sunday, even though his heart had to be pounding, the sport's most marketable rookie wanted a chance to shine at the midsummer classic.

 

He lobbied NL manager Dusty Baker, trying to assuage his fears of burning out one of the sport's bright young arms. Matt Sosnick, one of the pitcher's agents, predicted an appearance in the sixth or seventh inning.

 

Never happened.

 

Instead, Willis sat back and watched as NL starter Jason Schmidt went two innings, followed by Randy Wolf, Kerry Wood, Russ Ortiz, Woody Williams, Billy Wagner and Eric Gagne.

 

Nice job by Gagne, huh? Blows a 6-4 lead in the eighth, including the homer by Blalock.

 

Geez, Willis could have done that. Check that. He probably would have made Blalock, a left-handed hitter, look silly.

 

With the Nationals leading 5-1 in the fifth, it looked like Willis might get a shot. Alas, the AL roared back, thus removing all opportunity for ceremonial appearances under these ridiculous new ground rules.

 

In the bottom of the sixth, our hero got up and did some light stretching on the other side of the Plexiglass wall in right. Had he received the all-important call?

 

Nope. He sat back down, swapping the wooden bench for a plastic folding chair.

 

Finally, in the top of the ninth, Willis joined Smoltz in a side-by-side warmup. The kid threw maybe a half-dozen tosses before the game ended.

 

As Magglio Ordonez squeezed the final out a few yards from the NL bullpen, Willis whirled toward the open door and flipped a ball into the stands. A 30-something man in a Red Sox jersey grabbed it out of the air.

 

Asked why he tossed away such a precious souvenir, a dejected Willis shrugged.

 

"Give someone a ball," he said. "Make someone's day."

 

Yeah, but that ball will probably wind up on e-bay by lunchtime today, if not sooner. The superfluous phenom gave a tired sigh.

 

"What can you do?" he said.

 

Tuesday, the young man everyone came to see pitch couldn't do much at all.

 

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If Dontrelle were pitching instead of Gagne, that homer would be a strike-out. But Dusty didn't like the idea of playing a rookie starter as an All-Star closer. Hopefully he'll pitch a lot in next year's All-Star game (yes, i'm that confident that he'll make it next year ).

He should of put DW against Giambi since he is a lefty but no one expected Gange to blow the game....

He should of put DW against Giambi since he is a lefty but no one expected Gange to blow the game....

Umm, Wagner pitched against Giambi. Wagner IS a Lefty.

Was Baker playing to win?

 

 

Why not go with a lefty against Blalock to counter?

 

 

 

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I think Dontrelle would have done awesome in the all star game, no one in the AL has seen him except the DRays (only had a pitcher) and the A's (who he ate alive). The AL wouldn't have been able to focus with his windup.

Was Baker playing to win?

 

 

Why not go with a lefty against Blalock to counter?

 

 

 

question

its Eric Gagne.... no need to bring in relief....

Was Baker playing to win?

 

 

Why not go with a lefty against Blalock to counter?

 

 

 

question

its Eric Gagne.... no need to bring in relief.... Tell that to Garret Anderson.....And when you have Smoltz in the pen they should have at least warmed him up.

Gagne was struggling. That was evident.

 

 

He had already give up one run.

 

 

To not have the bullpen even up and warming is riduclious.

you guys are second guessing which is great and all but going into last night, not one of you would say to take out Gagne if he lets a man on base

 

DW was warming up in the 9th though

 

leaving in Gagne to face Blalock was the right thing to do, but i guess someone should have been warming up in the pen

you guys are second guessing which is great and all but going into last night, not one of you would say to take out Gagne if he lets a man on base

 

DW was warming up in the 9th though

You ask me Monday Night and I would have told you if Gagne is in warm Smoltz up, if Smoltz comes in first warm Gagne up. You have the two most dominant men in the game, take advantage of them. If one stumbles, you bring in the other right away to shut the door.

And its not like Smoltz can't go more than an inning. You do remember he used to start right? I remember him being pretty good at it too.

Um...

 

 

Gagne had already allowed two doubles.

 

 

It wasnt like he has just allowed a basehit and all.

 

 

He was struggling...Mike played to win, Dusty did I have no idea what.

ah whatever who cares

 

why Dusty PH for Lowell with Boone is beyond me

 

Boone should have ph for Luis Castillo in the 9th

Frankly I dont care.

 

 

Mike got the best of Dusty again, just like in the World Series last year.

I would have taken Gange out since he had gotten two outs and was still ahead. then brought in Smoltz to close the door.