Notes: Struggling Willis can't slow Beckett's jam

MIAMI -- Dontrelle Willis’ wild ride has certainly taken its share of unexpected turns this season. Problem is, the turns lately haven’t been so good.

Instead of starring in the rotation as he did from May through September, Willis has been employed by manager Jack McKeon as a reliever.

And called upon in the eighth inning Tuesday to face lefty Jason Giambi with one out, one on, the game tied and the Marlins trying keep control of this World Series, Willis lost his. He walked Giambi. Then, two batters later, another lefty, Hideki Matsui, got to him for an RBI single. Willis then walked Jorge Posada before departing for the night.

The Florida Marlins would go on to lose 6-1 and fall behind two games to one in this series.

It was 1-1 and still anybody’s ballgame when Willis took the ball from starter Josh Beckett.

“They were close pitches (to Giambi),” Willis said. “It was one of those things where if you get the call, it’s a totally different game.”

The Marlins had a few of those on this night, but it didn’t matter. It still goes down as an “L.”

Beckett was the first to meet the rookie in the dugout when McKeon called for Chad Fox to replace Willis with the team trailing 2-1.

“What did Beckett tell him?

“Hey, we’re going to need you tomorrow,” Beckett said. “It’s not that big a deal.”

Did Willis think plate umpire Gary Darling had a tight strike zone?

“It’s one of those things where if it goes your way, it’s good,” he said. “If it doesn’t, it’s unfortunate.”

Right-hander Carl Pavano will start Game 4 for Florida opposite the Yankees’ Roger Clemens, and Willis said he’s good to go in relief again if needed.

There is a lot of baseball left, Willis said, and the Marlins have confidence in each of their starters.

And as for himself, after going 14-6 with a 3.30 ERA during the regular season, he says he’s happy to work out of the pen if that’s what the team wants.

“I just want to pitch,” he said. “That’s the situation I want to be in. “Today, I didn’t get it done.”

Roid Rage

Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi being subpoenaed during a government investigation into a San Francisco-area company that produces steroids isn't exactly what baseball needs in the middle of the World Series.

Nor do the big home-run hitters, whose exploits already are subject to skepticism by a doubting public. The Players' Union, though, doesn't see it that way.

At least that's what Gene Orza, assistant to union chief Don Fehr, says.

"I really don't know much about it," Orza said. "The players aren't targets. My sense is it's a criminal investigation by the treasury department. My understanding is somebody made something (the steroids) that somebody later said should be regulated."

Orza said he doesn't know much about the subject, anyway.

"I don't follow it," he said. "Food supplements to me is baked ziti."

Ticket supplies

If you're a pal of Mike Lowell's, you're set. The Florida third baseman purchased 180 tickets -- 60 each for Games 3, 4 and 5 -- for the games in Florida.

With tickets priced at more than $100, there's one Marlin you can be sure is looking forward to his playoff-share check.

"Mark Redman told me I might be the first guy ever to owe money after getting my playoff share," Lowell said.

Fish and curses

Lowell spoke with former teammate Kevin Millar the other day but said they really didn't get into Boston's Game 7 collapse against the Yankees. It was more of a supplemental strategy session in preparation for the Yankees.

"He told me about the guys who were hot," Lowell said. There was no offer of extra cowboy hats, since they don't have much use for them in Boston these days.

"I think that might be a sore subject," Lowell said.

As for those still lamenting the failure of a Red Sox-Cubs World Series to take shape, Lowell chuckled.

"I lamented to my fireplace," he said. "If we didn't make the playoffs, I'd be rooting for the Cubs and Red Sox, too. But we're in the playoffs. I don't care how long they're waiting. Hell, I've been waiting my whole life, too."

World Series Grapevine

• Al Avila, general manager Dave Dombrowski’s right-hand man in Detroit, interviewed for the vacant GM’s job in Seattle.
• Lowell said the thing that surprised him the most about Yankee Stadium was how wet the infield dirt was. “It was like playing in mud,” he said. But it didn’t slow down the speedy Marlins. Lowell said the traction was still pretty good.
• Sign of the times over the Yankees’ dugout: “Hey George, Look What Money Did Not Buy. Go Marlins!”
• From Siberia to the Bahamas: Game-time temperature in Florida for Game 3 of the World Series was 78, up from 48 degrees in New York for Game 2. The 30 degrees’ difference between games was not a World Series record. That came in 1997, when a 46-degree game-time temperature in Cleveland for Game 5 gave way to 80 for Game 6 in Florida, a 34-degree swing.