A `certain teammate' is Marlins' heart and soul

Published July 24, 2006

 

MIAMI GARDENS ? Ricky Nolasco walked off the Shea Stadium mound a couple of weeks ago feeling lower than low.

 

He had just allowed nine earned runs in less than two innings. That made two straight miserable starts for the rookie pitcher. Doubts were starting to creep in.

 

That's when a certain teammate walked over, sat next to him in the dugout and went to work on his reeling psyche.

 

"He let me know I belong here," Nolasco says. "I've never seen so much positive energy from one player. He just gives off great, great presence."

 

Confidence restored, Nolasco soon began stringing the zeros together again.

 

Reggie Abercrombie's head is still spinning from all that goes with being a rookie center fielder. The country kid from Georgia has homered off Roger Clemens and dropped easy fly balls. He has won a starting job and found himself back on the bench.

 

Through it all, a certain teammate has remained in his corner. Sharing stories. Pushing him through the embarrassments. Even letting him pick through the boxes of free gear that are stacked in his locker.

 

"He gives me money, too," Abercrombie says. "I don't really need it, but he gives me money. He's got a great heart. He's like a big brother to me. He's the one that keeps me afloat."

 

Rick Kranitz, the Marlins' pitching coach, can't help smiling whenever people mention this certain player's name. Kranitz has been around pro ball for nearly three decades, but he has never seen anyone quite like this.

 

"He's always on the bench talking, keeping the guys loose," Kranitz says. "This is a tough game. There's a lot of pressure. You have to keep it light. He keeps it in perspective. And he really is funny."

 

When the stripped-down Marlins stumbled to an 11-31 start, many were ready to leave them for dead. But a certain teammate wouldn't let the rookies sulk.

 

He had seen how it can be in a big-league clubhouse, how much fun it can be, how close those disparate personalities could grow, and he wanted it to be that way again.

 

So one Friday back in May, this certain teammate pushed a shopping cart through the clubhouse, yelping and laughing with every step. The cart was filled with classic sports jerseys of every sport and hue. Jerseys he had laid out several grand of his own money to purchase.

 

Throwback Friday was reinstated. The Marlins haven't lost a Friday home game since.

 

"Man, it was wild, but that's just the person he is," Abercrombie says. "He just set a trend for everybody. He wants to see other people do good. Anytime you see a person like that, you just know it's genuine."

 

Walk through the Marlins' clubhouse, and you will hear stories like this at almost every locker. All about someone who in a mere four seasons and at age 24 has become far more than the face of this odd franchise.

 

Dontrelle Willis is its very soul.

 

One week to the trading deadline, and Willis rumors are at low ebb. That's how it should be, considering the Marlins have pulled within six games of the wild card after Sunday's 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.

 

But just in case the ever-creative front office gets tempted to deal its star pitcher for a boatload of talent, those deep thinkers might want to consider what this "certain teammate" means to the rest of the Marlins.

 

He could have moaned his way off a sinking ship. Could have complained after the Marlins traded off his best friend, Juan Pierre, and nearly everybody else from last year's team. Could have wondered what he was still doing here when he's making more than a quarter of the entire payroll.

 

Instead, Willis has shown what leadership skills truly mean in a baseball setting.

 

Sunday, he was one of the first to reach Alfredo Amezaga after he scored the winning run. And yes, that was the big left-hander throwing a bear hug on Dan Uggla after the winning hit.

 

"Anytime you can look in the face of a 20-game major league winner, that's just automatic respect," Nolasco says. "It's like, wow, that's the goal we want to eventually get at. Dontrelle is such a great story. To see the way he carries himself and the way he acts, it's something special."

 

It certainly is.

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-mik...ports-headlines

Great read

And that is why you don't trade Dontrelle unless it is money for a stadium and three or four top level prospects/players. You just don't. Dontrelle means a whole lot more to the Marlins politically and baseball wise than just fixing up holes in the lineup.

I was just going to post that article too. You read an article the other day about what Shea Hillenbrand is doing (and granted, that's not the norm) and here's Dontrelle just being Dontrelle.

 

I'll preface this by saying that obviously if Willis isn't an All-Star pitcher than all the cheerleader/go-get-em/headfirst slide stuff probably doesn't mean as much.

 

But that being said, this article is why you don't trade a Dontrelle Willis. You argue that the "intangibles don't mean anything" and I tend to agree most of the time, but in this case.... man there just ain't any other way to put it.

 

Guys talk about how much they love to play defense behind him, read how he keeps Ricky Nolasco's spirits up after some terrible outings.

 

Forget the crap south florida sports fans, I realize very well that trading Willis doesn't mean a hill of beans to your fanbase when you're only drawing 10 thousand.

 

Forget all that. Dontrelle Willis is UNIQUE in the game right now. UNIQUE. A pitcher diving off the mound to make a throw to first? Sliding headfirst to beat out singles? Blasting grand slam home runs? He's fantastic with the media, he's probably the most marketable player in the entire game right now... heck even when he has a down game he remains tremendously upbeat. Did you hear even a pip out of him after all the trades were made?

In order for me to trade Dontrelle I would have to be given Liriano and Verlander. Considering that both of those guys have much more dominating stuff thean the D-Train, that says alot about What I think of him.

 

And I know thats trade isn't possible, just making a point.

Very good read. Thanks for posting.

I was just going to post that article too. You read an article the other day about what Shea Hillenbrand is doing (and granted, that's not the norm) and here's Dontrelle just being Dontrelle.

 

I'll preface this by saying that obviously if Willis isn't an All-Star pitcher than all the cheerleader/go-get-em/headfirst slide stuff probably doesn't mean as much.

 

But that being said, this article is why you don't trade a Dontrelle Willis. You argue that the "intangibles don't mean anything" and I tend to agree most of the time, but in this case.... man there just ain't any other way to put it.

 

Guys talk about how much they love to play defense behind him, read how he keeps Ricky Nolasco's spirits up after some terrible outings.

 

Forget the crap south florida sports fans, I realize very well that trading Willis doesn't mean a hill of beans to your fanbase when you're only drawing 10 thousand.

 

Forget all that. Dontrelle Willis is UNIQUE in the game right now. UNIQUE. A pitcher diving off the mound to make a throw to first? Sliding headfirst to beat out singles? Blasting grand slam home runs? He's fantastic with the media, he's probably the most marketable player in the entire game right now... heck even when he has a down game he remains tremendously upbeat. Did you hear even a pip out of him after all the trades were made?

 

Good points. Dontrelle is/could be our Ernie Banks.

In the long run this team is probably better if they trade Dontrelle. (Assuming he brings in the package that he was rumored to in May). But daaaamn. How can you possibly trade this guy? He's a hell of a pitcher. He's a hell of a teamate. He's a pretty decent htiter. He's incredibly marketable. He's a team leader at 24. Just incredible. Like HC said this is very different from Paul Lo Duca's infamous 'intangibles'. This team is a decent center fielder away from probably being a +.500 team. Use the massive amount of depth in the minor leagues to get the CF. Keep Dontrelle. For some god unknown reason he loves this franchise. Really is amazing when you think of all the sh*t that has happened over the past year. Sign him long term now.

In the long run this team is probably better if they trade Dontrelle. (Assuming he brings in the package that he was rumored to in May). But daaaamn. How can you possibly trade this guy? He's a hell of a pitcher. He's a hell of a teamate. He's a pretty decent htiter. He's incredibly marketable. He's a team leader at 24. Just incredible. Like HC said this is very different from Paul Lo Duca's infamous 'intangibles'. This team is a decent center fielder away from probably being a +.500 team. Use the massive amount of depth in the minor leagues to get the CF. Keep Dontrelle. For some god unknown reason he loves this franchise. Really is amazing when you think of all the sh*t that has happened over the past year. Sign him long term now.

 

 

 

I'm not even that sure the team would be better off trading him. This team has gotten a lot better than people thought very quickly. And an established ace can definitely carry this team. Can you imagine next year a rotation headed by d-train with more polished johnson, olsen, sanchez, and nolasco in it. (if not one of the other guys). Thats a scary pitching rotation for any team that has to face us. We dont even need a great CF'er to be a .500 team, all we need is the young guys in the bullpen to perform. Messenger, tank, kensing, and resop. If those guys can perform better, this team can be a contender next year without changing any of the pieces.

I was all for trading him for the right package, but this article kind of makes me doubt it. Really just a great article.

In the long run this team is probably better if they trade Dontrelle. (Assuming he brings in the package that he was rumored to in May). But daaaamn. How can you possibly trade this guy? He's a hell of a pitcher. He's a hell of a teamate. He's a pretty decent htiter. He's incredibly marketable. He's a team leader at 24. Just incredible. Like HC said this is very different from Paul Lo Duca's infamous 'intangibles'. This team is a decent center fielder away from probably being a +.500 team. Use the massive amount of depth in the minor leagues to get the CF. Keep Dontrelle. For some god unknown reason he loves this franchise. Really is amazing when you think of all the sh*t that has happened over the past year. Sign him long term now.

 

 

 

I'm not even that sure the team would be better off trading him. This team has gotten a lot better than people thought very quickly. And an established ace can definitely carry this team. Can you imagine next year a rotation headed by d-train with more polished johnson, olsen, sanchez, and nolasco in it. (if not one of the other guys). Thats a scary pitching rotation for any team that has to face us. We dont even need a great CF'er to be a .500 team, all we need is the young guys in the bullpen to perform. Messenger, tank, kensing, and resop. If those guys can perform better, this team can be a contender next year without changing any of the pieces.

Amen! The team just needs to go through it's gorwing pains and it can be a dangeroud contenton team

I dont care i will still say say that you would have to be retarded to want to trade Dontrelle away from the marlins

 

and I still think he should change the name on the back of his jersey from Willis to Dontrelle

 

plain gangsta

I

 

But that being said, this article is why you don't trade a Dontrelle Willis. You argue that the "intangibles don't mean anything" and I tend to agree most of the time, but in this case.... man there just ain't any other way to put it.

 

Guys talk about how much they love to play defense behind him, read how he keeps Ricky Nolasco's spirits up after some terrible outings.

 

 

I agree 100%.

 

I'm normally the first to say that intangibles are overrated, but in DW's case I really think they are vital to this team. He is such a unique person and he seems to have an energy that others feed off of. Our players play better simply because they are around Willis. I think you could make a case that this team may have never recovered from that attrocious start without Willis......ditto for the '03 team. His energy is contagious; as long as he's in the clubhouse, you know the guys are loose and ready to play.

great article....agree 100%

Awesome Article

 

 

It just further solidifies the fact that Dontrelle is not only a quality top of the rotation pitcher but also an intangible asset for all the guys in the clubhouse.

 

 

To trade him, even if it was for a package of high-tier prospects, would take away an enormous amount of clubhouse chemistry, not to mention what he aready does for us on the field.

dead serious, i got chills while reading it and at one point a little teary eyed. That is amazing, i knew he was a great guy when i met him at at heat game n we talked most of the game taht he wasnt a hot headed superstar but a regular guy who happens to be a superstar.

A great article written about a player that we all should be thankful is on our team. It appears that it's put to rest the thread about trading Dontrelle. Krantz says he's never seen anything like Dontrelle's "intangibles" in his 30+ years. That's the inside view. From the outside I've never seen any total player like Dontrelle in 40 years of watching baseball, and from reading about the history of baseball, these kind of players are few and far between. From what I've read Willie Mays was similar to Dontrelle in many ways. But Dontrelle is even more for this team, as Mays was an extraordinary exuberant fun member of a team filled with veterans. He was the youngster. Here Dontrelle is the mentor. He'll make all the other Marlins better players and better people by being their teammate. You just can't say enough. As Rferry said, don't trade Dontrelle unless some crazy offer comes around. And let's hope that nobody offers that crazy offer.

In order for me to trade Dontrelle I would have to be given Liriano and Verlander. Considering that both of those guys have much more dominating stuff thean the D-Train, that says alot about What I think of him.

 

And I know thats trade isn't possible, just making a point.

 

 

They may have more dominating stuff but they will probably never motivate a team to win like Dontrelle can. They can't pitch every day but he cheers every day for his team. I like him each year more and more. He is one pitcher that I look forward to watch hit. He seems to usually do something good.

dead serious, i got chills while reading it and at one point a little teary eyed. That is amazing, i knew he was a great guy when i met him at at heat game n we talked most of the game taht he wasnt a hot headed superstar but a regular guy who happens to be a superstar.

 

 

Now read it...while playing the theme from The Natural in your head...it really will bring you chills.

I was just going to post that article too. You read an article the other day about what Shea Hillenbrand is doing (and granted, that's not the norm) and here's Dontrelle just being Dontrelle.

 

I'll preface this by saying that obviously if Willis isn't an All-Star pitcher than all the cheerleader/go-get-em/headfirst slide stuff probably doesn't mean as much.

 

But that being said, this article is why you don't trade a Dontrelle Willis. You argue that the "intangibles don't mean anything" and I tend to agree most of the time, but in this case.... man there just ain't any other way to put it.

 

Guys talk about how much they love to play defense behind him, read how he keeps Ricky Nolasco's spirits up after some terrible outings.

 

Forget the crap south florida sports fans, I realize very well that trading Willis doesn't mean a hill of beans to your fanbase when you're only drawing 10 thousand.

 

Forget all that. Dontrelle Willis is UNIQUE in the game right now. UNIQUE. A pitcher diving off the mound to make a throw to first? Sliding headfirst to beat out singles? Blasting grand slam home runs? He's fantastic with the media, he's probably the most marketable player in the entire game right now... heck even when he has a down game he remains tremendously upbeat. Did you hear even a pip out of him after all the trades were made?

 

:thumbup

The beauty of Dontrelle is that it's all sincere. He is unique and from the very start when he first came up you could see something in him that was very uncommon in someone so young and particularly a young player just called up to the bigs. He was always so very comfortable just being himself. Very few people are so 100% sure of who they are and so comfortable with it at such a young age.

Like Ive said before.....

 

Trading Dontrelle would be the worst move this organization has ever made.

 

And they've made a few beauties.