Customer Reviews

MLB Series 9 Figure: Dontrelle Willis with Black Florida Marlins Jersey

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The MLB Series 9 action figures from McFarlane Toys has several players who have had to wait years to get their first shot at this elite series of baseball figures, such as Mariano Rivera and Todd Helton (Normar Garciaparra gets his second figure, third if you count the Big League Challenge one). But since Dontrelle Willis helps the Florida Marlins to the World Championship last year in his rookie season, he gets a figure for his sophomore season.

Willis started the 2003 season in Double-A ball where he had a 4-0 record was called up in May after the Marlins made fired their manager. The "D-Train" went 1-1 in his first three starts and then won eight decisions in a row, including seven consecutive starts, good enough to get named o the National League All-Star team. For the season Willis went 14-6 with a 3.30 E.R.A. and 142 strikeouts in 160.7 innings. With his big leg kick, reminiscent of Luis Tiant, Willis was a big draw for the Marlins and was named National League Rookie of the Year. However, Willis' success did not translate to the post season where he was pulled from the Florida starting rotation but included three World Series appearances in which he did not give me a run for a 8.53 E.R.A. in the post season.

This 6" figure shows Willis the left-hander at the top of his windup, where he looks skyward before peering at his catcher and then delivers the ball amidst flailing arms and legs. The option on those pitches are a mid-90s fastball, a slider, and change up. There is usually some great detail on these McFarlane figures and with Willis it is how he is holding the ball inside his glove. Willis was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 8th round of the 2000 draft (for a moment think of him pitching behind Wood and Pryor) before being traded to the Marlins in the spring of 2002 and ended up compiling a 27-5 record in a minor league career of only two years and four games. Now the question is whether he can have a good enough major league career to justify getting a second McFarlane figure.