Dodgers welcome surprise former Rookie of the Year as assistant

The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be getting an early start at currying favor with FOX Sports’ pre- and postgame playoff panel.

Hey, it never hurts to get a little extra favorable coverage along the way of your October run, does it?

Many fans have been a bit disappointed by this year’s new, restricted version of spring training, though they completely understand why things are the way they are.

With limited capacity and media access becoming the new norm, perhaps the thing we miss the most about the way things used to be is the absence of Dodgers legends dropping by for instructional sessions and verbal sparring.

For the health and safety of everyone involved, Los Angeles likely won’t be able to bring back favorites like Maury Wills and Steve Garvey to instruct the current Dodgers about the finer points of the game.

But don’t worry! LA’s booked someone a little younger to come by and drop some knowledge, and it’s someone we definitely weren’t expecting to see.

Welcome to Arizona … former Marlins lefty and current television personality Dontrelle Willis?!

Welcome to Dodgers Camp, Dontrelle Willis! Alrighty then!

Certainly, we didn’t expect to see the famously herky-jerky Marlin outfitted in Dodger Blue, but we’re intrigued by his role.

Say, what … what exactly is his role?

Don’t ask Willis himself. He’s not entirely sure.

Willis ended up in Los Angeles one way or another, and we’ll defer to beat writer Jorge Castillo to shine the smallest amount of light on his role, which will be centered around player development.

Which is interesting, because almost no one in MLB history has ever replicated Willis’ exact stylistic approach to the game.

Ever affable, the lefty went 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA in 2005, finishing the season second in the NL Cy Young race two years after earning a Rookie of the Year nod and winning the 2003 World Series. Unfortunately, that ’05 season was Willis’ big-league peak, as he lost his footing in the aftermath of the accolades, falling off and bouncing around after being sent to Detroit in the Miguel Cabrera deal.

Willis has been picture-perfect for television in the years since his playing days ended, and we hope he brings the same attitude to the Dodgers locker room this spring. Maybe he’ll even shed a bit of light on the responsibility of being a Black Ace, with David Price by his side in helping to mentor the team’s youth movement.

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