Boo Boo McGoo

Well I just cant argue with someone who thinks wins is the best way to describe a pitcher...Im way past that archaic tool. shhh, you dont want to upset the gimp...er.... chimp...er... chump :batman

OWNED

:batman

Dontrelle Willis has spent most of this offseason with his nose to the grindstone and his butt parked on a workout bench at Pro Player Stadium. He left his family, friends and the comfort of his native California and moved to South Florida for the privilege of working up a sweat with his buddy Juan Pierre. That's dedication. But stardom is about more than just cardio work and abdominal crunches. Stardom brings certain perks and obligations, commercial and otherwise. Marlins manager Jack McKeon -- everyone's favorite septuagenarian -- capitalized on his fame by appearing in Cigar Aficionado magazine and inspiring senior citizens. Willis, who appeals to a much younger demographic, engaged in several hipper activities. Dontrelle's excellent post-World Series adventure has included a tour of the Negro League Museum in Kansas City, with Buck O'Neil as his guide, and a December visit to New York, where he rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ and mingled at Jay-Z's exclusive nightspot. Willis has made television appearances on Carson Daly's late-night show and the "Best Damn Sports Show Period." Dontrelle Willis Dontrelle Willis hasn't let his sudden stardom or Dontrelle-mania affect his approach. He almost shook hands with President Bush, too. But while his Florida teammates were visiting the White House last week, Willis was in New York accepting the National League Rookie of the Year Award at a writers' dinner. So has all this gallivanting and elbow-rubbing swelled Willis's head to the extent that his cap will be even more askew in 2004? Don't count on it. Consider this: Willis was lifting weights in November when he received a call from Marlins PR man Steve Copses telling him he had just been named the NL's top rookie. He participated in a conference call, then checked his cell phone and found 20 messages waiting for him. Before accessing any of them, he dutifully concluded his workout. "I was just happy I was nominated," says Willis, sounding like an Oscar candidate. While going 14-6 with a 3.30 ERA for Florida last season, Willis elicited comparisons with Mark Fidrych and Vida Blue. He gave the Marlins' clubhouse a jolt of enthusiasm, established himself as a gate attraction and resonated with scores of inner-city black kids who had LeBron James on the brain. Now it's prove-it-again time. Willis made only six starts above Class A ball before graduating to the big leagues in May, so he faces inevitable skepticism over whether he can match his 2003 performance. The scouts apparently aren't the only ones who need convincing. After finishing third behind Willis and Milwaukee's Scott Podsednik in the Rookie of the Year voting, Arizona starter Brandon Webb said he was surprised Willis won the award. "He didn't do anything in the second half," Webb told reporters on a conference call. Willis, who received a congratulatory call from Podsednik, seems more amused than angered by Webb's comments. "When I heard about it, I just laughed," Willis said. "It sounded like he was real bitter. I was like, 'Dude, get over it. I didn't vote on it.' " Willis went 5-5 with a 4.60 ERA after the All-Star break, leading to speculation that he was tired. He threw a total of 197 innings last year between Double-A Carolina and Florida, or 40 more than his professional high. Given his funky motion, it also stands to reason that the more hitters saw of him, the less of a mystery he became. But it's wrong to suggest Willis fell off a cliff. He pitched at least five innings in 12 of his 14 starts after the All-Star break and went 3-1 with a 2.89 ERA in September, when Florida was fighting for a wild-card spot. While he was shaky in two playoffs starts against San Francisco and the Cubs, he pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in the World Series. Willis recently appeared at an autograph show in Houston and received $40-60 per signature, compensation in line with what Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry and other Hall of Famers received. Sutton praised Willis for his "effervescence," and Whitey Ford, who also attended the show, said he gets a charge out of watching the kid pitch. "I like him," Ford said. "He's tough, and he's got good stuff. I just don't know how long a career he's going to have with that goofy windup. It's a little rough on his arm. But he's the real thing." Willis' energy and head-first-slide mentality have endeared him to his teammates. After Willis allowed a run-scoring single to Hideki Matsui in Game 3 of the World Series, Florida starter Josh Beckett was the first player to greet him at the dugout. When Willis was chased early in an 8-3 playoff loss to the Cubs, the cameras caught him mouthing the words "My fault" several times. At 22, he's not too young to accept responsibility for his stinkers. "I went 5-5 in the second half last year, and you hear people talk and they swear I went 0-9 or something," Willis said. "But I wouldn't change a thing. I'm not embarrassed when I play bad. That's just the way it is. There's both sides of the spectrum." For all Willis's new-found acclaim, he still walks around in baggy jeans and throwback jerseys. And for every promotional appearance or TV gig he accepted, he turned down two or three to concentrate on his training. "Dontrelle would rather hang out with a couple of his best friends from home and have a Madden Football 2004 tournament than be around a thousand people at a huge party," said Matt Sosnick, Willis's agent. "In his heart of hearts, he's a quiet, humble guy. That's the thing people like about him. It's not an act." Willis won't have the option of flying under the radar in 2004. The Marlins traded 14-game winner Mark Redman to Oakland in December as part of their effort to keep the payroll in line. They'll head to spring training with Beckett, Brad Penny, Carl Pavano and Willis as their top four starters, and use Darren Oliver in the No. 5 spot until A.J. Burnett is fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. Florida GM Admin Beinfest hasn't even ruled out keeping Oliver in the rotation and using Willis or Pavano out of the bullpen when Burnett returns. Willis and Miguel Cabrera, who's so mature he hit cleanup in the World Series at age 20, will play a big part in determining how far the Marlins go this season. "I told Dontrelle the record books are full of one-year phenoms," McKeon said. "The way you become a good major-league All-Star is to be consistent. I'm not worried about those two kids ringing the bell or driving a fire truck or whatever they do." Uhh ... it's the NASDAQ, Jack. For Willis, it's been a blast meeting Frank Robinson, Joe Torre, Carmelo Anthony and Spike Lee over the past year. Now it's time to forget the adulation and put the lessons he learned in 2003 to good use. The only difference is, everybody's watching.