'Canes pound Willis, top Marlins
By Tom D'Angelo
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
JUPITER — If Tuesday was any gauge of the early results for Marlins pitchers tinkering with their deliveries, expect A.J. Burnett to have a rough outing today in Vero Beach.
Dontrelle Willis, working on a more consistent delivery, was hammered by the University of Miami. Willis allowed six runs (all earned) on six hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings in the Hurricanes' 9-7 victory against the Marlins in the exhibition opener at Roger Dean Stadium.Taylor Jones/Staff Photographer
Dontrelle Willis gave up six earned runs on six hits to Miami. 'They're a good team, this is no junior college,' Willis said of UM.
"They're a good team, this is no junior college,'' said Willis, who threw 53 pitches. "You're talking about the notorious University of Miami.''
Pitching coach Mark Wiley noticed Willis changed his approach last season, sometimes from pitch to pitch, and has worked with the left-hander to be more constant with his delivery.
"I want to just make sure that things don't change in different situations in games, in counts,'' Wiley said. "I don't want that delivery to change.
"If he throws the ball and he misses, he makes an adjustment the next pitch. And that's half the battle. To do that throughout the entire game.... You can't change your approach, energy level, size of delivery.''
Burnett, who will start today against the Dodgers, has worked on a delivery with less turn in his body. Wiley said the old delivery made it more difficult for Burnett to pitch to the opposite side of the plate.
"He'd turn so much he'd lose sight of (the plate) and his body wasn't squared soon enough to where he could get downhill, he'd come around,'' Wiley said. "If you come around, the hitter sees the ball longer and (can) lay off it. They see it's starting to spin, they say, 'it's a breaking ball, it's not going to be a strike.' "
Burnett made the change after talking to the coaches and fellow pitchers.
"I'm a lot more under control,'' Burnett said. "It allows me to have good direction toward home plate, stay on balance and drive toward home plate with a nice smooth effort.''
Willis became a fascination two seasons ago because of his high leg kick and unorthodox delivery. Wiley doesn't mind the high kick, but he wants to see the same motion each time.
"It was almost undetectable, but if you looked at it enough, you'd see he didn't create the same slot,'' Wiley said. "He's a high-energy guy but there is a limit to everybody in how much energy. His rhythm, which is associated to the energy level, can't get out of control, can't vary greatly.''
Wiley is impressed with Willis' ability to throw strikes. He said he would watch Willis closely the next few games and continue to work on the side on his body movement and pre-pitch routine.
"Everything is a rhythm and if you are able to keep a consistent rhythm, then you'll be in a zone consistently,'' Willis said. "If you are consistently having the same repetition, that cuts down on everything. That cuts down on the wild pitches, that cuts down on the erratic balls.''
Although Willis was hit hard Tuesday, he was not helped by his defense. Center fielder Juan Pierre and right fielder Juan Encarnacion both lost Brendan Katin's routine pop fly in the second inning, which turned into an inside-the-park home run.
Catching up: Catcher Paul Lo Duca was given Tuesday off so he can face his old team today when the Marlins play the Dodgers in Vero Beach.
"I love Dodgertown,'' he said. "The people were awesome to me and my family. It's a place where you see the same people every year. I miss it.''
Noteworthy: Miami's victory was its first against a major-league team since beating the Orioles 7-6 on March 10, 1982. The Hurricanes are 1-5-1 all-time against the Marlins. They are 10-3 and ranked ninth by Baseball America and 11th by Collegiate Baseball.
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