Tigers put Zumaya, Willis on disabled list

DETROIT, March 29 (UPI) -- Detroit Tigers said Sunday pitchers Dontrelle Willis and Joel Zumaya will start the 2009 season on the team's disabled list.

On their Web site, the Tigers said Willis, a former 22-game winner, was placed on the DL with an anxiety disorder and the hard-throwing Zumaya has a sore right shoulder.

Willis said his diagnosis came after followup blood tests.

Doctors told him the condition is treatable and that they'll start him on a regimen.

"This is not depression," he said. "This is something where they saw something in my blood that they didn't like. I'm not crazy, though my teammates might think that I'm crazy."

Media reports last week said the 27-year-old southpaw continues to have problems throwing strikes, making it hard for Detroit to avoid having to eat the last two years of his contract, which will pay him $22 million.

The oft-injured Zumaya was limited to 21 appearances last season because of two stints on the DL with shoulder ailments.