What to make of Wood, Felix, Kazmir, Willis

Some big name pitchers are falling to pieces. Another one is putting them back together.

Here's a quick 2-minute drill on some pitchers who may be weighing your staff down:

Kerry Wood: Cubs fans have been here before. Talk about summer rerun season...

Wood entered with a 5-2 lead in the 9th, after Cliff Lee pitched a masterful game (some think he should've been allowed to come back in the 9th after 101 pitches, but that's another blog for another day).

Mike Jacobs and Mark Teahen launch back-to-back homers before a walk, triple and sac fly completed a 6-5 Royals comeback.

“Since I’ve been here, I haven’t seen a comeback like this in our home ball park,” said Royals manager Trey Hillman. “As soon as the ball left the bat with Teahen, I think the whole dugout felt like we’re going to do this.”

Confidence is a tricky thing and K-Wood might be a little shy these days. It's only his second blown save, but his ERA ballooned to 8.31, his WHIP is up to 1.77 and probably most worrisome for Wood owners (and Tribe fans) is he's surrendered 9 earned runs in the past 6 2/3 IP.

Not much you can do if you're an owner but sit and hope Wood corrects himself. And remember, he went through a couple of these stretches with the Cubs last year (and don't be surprised if he ends up on the DL soon). You should have been prepared for at least one DL stint, but as soon as he looks right again, try to unload.

You're on borrowed time here.

Felix Hernandez: He flirts with you, throwing impressive outing after impressive out, making big league hitters look silly with that nasty hook.

Then, he'll blow you off, not return your calls and texts....as he did Wednesday night: 6 ER, 11 hits, 3 BB and only 3 Ks.

Felix may never fully figure it out. His ERA/WHIP are up to 4.13 and 1.34 with 56 Ks in 56 2/3.

When the dust clears in Seattle, this is what you're left with. An exciting guy to watch with average ERA/WHIP numbers and above average Ks. But he's not elite and in his 5th season (including an abbreviated first year), you'd think Felix would learn how to minimize damage with such good stuff and more than one out pitch.

Maybe one day, we'll all sit around the fantasy campfire and laugh at the times when nobody could own Felix for a full season as the heartburn was too painful and how now he's the right-handed Johan Santana.

But don't go buying the smores any time soon.

Scott Kazmir: His second consecutive seven-run massacre tonight tells me one thing: The Kaz will be on the shelf soon.

I don't have any inside info, but a pitcher with Kazmir's stuff just doesn't go south without something being physically wrong. And you know the Rays are just dying for an excuse to finally promote David Price now that 1). It's past mid-May and 2). He pitched five no-hit innings his last Durham outing.

This makes his fourth outing in six where he's given up 6 or more ER. Not to mention, he's walked 25 guys in 41 1/3 IP and has a 6.97 ERA ... it's really time to pull the cord.

And stash Price while you're at it (if he's available).

Dontrelle Willis: I asked a trusted colleague what he thought of Willis' outing and his first words: "Don't you dare go after him."

Needless to say, he wasn't buying the comeback gem Willis whirled Wednesday night. I'm not exactly buying it yet either, but I am picking it up off the shelf and checking the nutritional contents on the back label.

Here's the deal with Willis. It was just 2005 when Willis went 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Those ERA numbers seem very other-world-like (aka Peavish), but there is some inner talent somewhere, if Willis can just figure out how to master his anxiety issues.

But the psychologically-challenged lefty could very well catch a fresh batch of confidence and parlay it into a comeback season of the ages, if he can just figure out his loose wires.

If there's a spot on your bench, Willis is worth a speculative add. Maybe this turns out to be just a false alarm, but the next couple outings will tell us a lot about Willis' recovery.

Yes, you'll take some flack in your league for making the move.

But you may be laughing last.

Just don't tell them I told you to do it. I've got a reputation to uphold.