Willis on Olsen

by craig on Jul 18, 2007 8:14 AM EDT in News and Rumors

Dontrelle gives his opinion about Olsen.

Although Dontrelle Willis still supports fellow left-hander Scott Olsen, Willis says the suspended pitcher has one chore when he arrives today.

"I feel he has to apologize to us," Willis said. "Be sorry for your actions."

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Willis has attempted to mentor Olsen.

"I'm very upset with the situation because I've been talking to him," Willis said. "He's going to learn. Hopefully this is something that hits home."

Willis believes Olsen has been misunderstood because of the incidents.

"He's a good kid," Willis said. "I know everybody makes him out to be some kind of bad guy and it hurts me. Things I have heard about him hurt me more than things I have heard about myself. He'll come back and I think he'll be better. The thing you can't do is lose the respect of your teammates."

Has he lost that respect?

"No. No. No. And I'll try my best not to let that happen," Willis said.

I really don't have any problem believing that Olsen is a good kid who lets the emotion of the moment get the best of him. But still, getting his yearly butt kicking by a fellow member of the pitching staff can't be good for his career. You would think he would've learned the first time around. Who knows, maybe this time it will sink in. Hopefully, he will finally listen to and adsorb what Willis is trying to get across to him.

There is one positive aspect to this for the team. The last time Olsen got into an altercation with a fellow member of the staff, the Marlins put together the best winning percentage of any team in the NL from that point on.

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