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DONTRELLE WILLIS WAS UNDENIably the rookie sensation of 2003, capturing the fancy of fans and media across the nation. The refreshingly talkative and charismatic youngster who just turned 21 sparked the previously unheralded Florida Marlins to an unexpected appearance in postseason competition.
Few rookie pitchers since the sadly brief glory days of eccentric Mark Fidrych of the Detroit Tigers a quarter of a century ago have made opening splashes matching that of left-hander Willis in winning 14 of his 20 decisions for the Marlins. Willis's startling emergence paralleled those of two other relatively recent pitching phenoms, Dwight Gooden in 1984 and Fernando ...