There are positive signs for the first time in two years.  Dontrelle Willis, is said by everyone around the team that he is finally comfortable in the clubhouse and his own skin. He must be feeling a bit better on the mound, too, as he has a 0.82 ERA this spring.  Another plus was Willis hitting 93 mph on the gun on Monday, the latest small sign he may be regaining some semblance of what was once a tremendous career. “Every time I see him pitch, he looks like the pitcher he was in Florida with us,” says Miguel Cabrera, his teammate there and here.

Willis, a former National League Rookie of the Year who won a league-best 22 games for Florida in 2005, seemed to lose his ability almost as soon as he arrived, and when he was bad, he was almost off-the-charts bad. As he candidly put it during an interview recently, “I was terrible.”

In what has to be considered two of the most disappointing seasons in baseball history, Willis went 0-2 with a 9.38 ERA his first year as a Tiger, and 1-4 with a 7.49 ERA last year. His WHIP with Detroit is over 2. His confidence had fallen to zero.

If Willis continues his strong spring, look for him to be in the Tigers rotation come opening day.  Though its no guarantee as he is in a three way battle which includes Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson.  Manager Jim Leyland also on Tuesday seemed to show a lack of confidence in the three as he also put Armando Galarraga and Eddie Bonine into the mix. The mystery question is if Willis does land in the starting rotation is will his spring success carry over to the regular season.

Information from Jon Heyman of SI.com was used in this article.