Dontrelle Willis told Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press that he has suffered from a "serious lack of confidence."
Willis disagrees with the Tigers' medical assessment of an anxiety disorder, but conceded that it got so bad that there were occasions last year when he was afraid of taking the mound, unsure of his ability to locate the strike zone. "I lost confidence in myself," Willis said. "I can admit that to myself now." After spending time at the Athletes' Performance Institute in Arizona this off-season, he's convinced that he'll approach the 2010 season with a better mental approach. He'll at least get a look for the fifth spot in the rotation during Spring Training, but there's little hope left for the 28-year-old to recapture his past magic. |