Dontrelle's Not-Crazy Train

Former Marlin diagnosed with anxiety disorder

Former Marlins Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis was placed on the Tigers' DL with an anxiety disorder yesterday, but assured fans and teammates that he's "not crazy."

Willis, who spoke to reporters from a spring training facility in Lakeland yesterday, said he found out about the disorder through blood tests, and though the condition is psychiatric, he assured everyone that he's quite sane.

"This is not something where I'm too amped up, I don't know where I'm at, and I'm running sprints up and down the parking lot. They (the doctors) see something in my blood that they don't like. I'm not crazy. My teammates might think I'm crazy. But this is not something like that."

Though he was placed on the 15-day disabled list, it's unsure whether Willis would return to the team this season. Tigers' President and GM Dave Dombrowski said he is "fairly optimistic" Willis would be back in the majors this year, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The pitcher known as "D-Train" told reporters he just wants to "live and play baseball."

"I'm never depressed at all -- I've always been an amped-up guy," he said. "This is not something where I'm uncontrollable...Everybody will tell you in the locker room that I've always been upbeat, regardless of what's going on."

Willis became a star with the Marlins, going 14-6 with 142 strike outs in his Rookie of the Year season with the Fish. He won 22 games in Florida in 2005, finishing second in Cy Young voting.

Willis was arrested outside a Miami Beach club in December 2006 for DUI after police saw him stumbling and urinating on the street.

Willis was traded after the 2007 season to Detroit with Miguel Cabrera in an eight-player trade. He had a nightmare season in 2008, being demoted to single-A after going 0-2 in eight starts with a 9.38 ERA.

Willis will undergo unspecified treatment as he recovers from his condition.

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