Oh boy.
The last post opined about the Cubs still needing to find more pitching for the 2013 campaign, including looking toward bottom of the barrel, secondary free agents.
One suggestion was problem child, Carlos Zambrano.
It was not meant to be an affirmative direction, just a commentary on how the Cubs have been operating the last two seasons during the slow rebuild.
But today, reports announce that the Cubs did sign an out-of-favor problem child, but not Z.
MLBTR reports that the Cubs signed Dontrelle Willis, citing Heyman/CBSSports. As stated, Willis officially gets an invitation to minor league Spring
Training, but could get a look in big league camp if he's throwing well.
The 2003 NL Rookie of the Year with the quirky wind-up wound up retiring from baseball when his total command abandoned him.
Willis, 31, retired last mid-season after he allowed eight runs in 6 1/3 innings with the Orioles'
Triple-A affiliate. Willis
last appeared in the big leagues with the Reds in 2011, when he pitched
to a 1-6 record, 5.00 ERA, 1.520 WHIP, with 6.8 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 75 2/3 innings across 13
starts.
Willis returns to the start of his professional career (2000 draft choice), to a bad, pitching starved Cubs team. This is another example of the Cubs trying to find warm arms to eat up spring training innings with the long shot prayer that one of these injured or head cases can make a miracle comeback and contribute to the big club for at least part of the season.
He was last a full time starter in 2007 for Florida. He started 35 games, going 10-15, 5.17 ERA in 205.1 IP. His last winning season was in 2005, going 22-10 with 2.63 ERA.
Willis' return to the Cubs can only be considered a winter diversion than a possible solution.
