MIAMI - New York's Mike Mussina fancies himself as cerebral. Florida's Josh Beckett comes off as cocky. Tonight they'll come together on the mound for Game 3 of the World Series.
Mussina is 0-3 with a 4.03 ERA in four postseason appearances and has allowed five home runs, but the Yankees say he hasn't pitched that badly. Beckett is 1-1 with a 2.73 ERA, and the Marlins say he hasn't pitched better.
Mussina said his strong relief outing in Game 7 of the ALCS helped balance the disappointment of his three unsuccessful starts.
"I was in two out of three Game 1s of the series and we haven't played well in a Game 1 in three series now. So it just so happens that that's the day I was pitching," Mussina said. "But to come in in Game 7, you know, we were down 4-0 with Pedro (Martinez) on the mound on the other side, and contribute to a victory like that. ... I'm just happy that I was able to come in in a spot that I don't usually come in and do something I don't usually do and contribute and help the team get to the World Series."
Beckett, who also made a strong relief outing in Game 7 of the NLCS, said he won't treat the Series start any differently, even if he is 23 and four years out of high school.
"I've got to execute pitches, that's the bottom line," he said. "It doesn't matter if it's the World Series, the game before the World Series, opening day, game after the All-Star Game, doesn't matter. You have to execute pitches."
THE RULES ARE DIFFERENT HERE: With no DH for the next three games, the Yankees plan to use Jason Giambi at first base instead of Nick Johnson. And you can be sure the Marlins will test his sore left knee by bunting and being active on the bases.
Yankees pitchers also will have to hit, which Mussina admitted is not necessarily the most appealing thought.
"I think we look forward to it a little bit, I think we dread it a little bit," he said. "I think we've been doing it now long enough with the interleague that we've all had a pretty good taste of it."
The Marlins are expected to go back to the lineup they used in the NLCS, with Miguel Cabrera in rightfield, Mike Lowell at third base and Juan Encarnacion on the bench.
SINGLES CLUB: In the first two games, the Marlins have 13 hits, all singles. The last team to get through the first two games without an extra-base hit was the 1986 Mets.
GIAMBI ISSUES: Giambi didn't sound too concerned about being subpoenaed by a federal grand jury investigating a San Francisco company that prescribes nutritional supplements.
"I really don't know what it's about," Giambi told the Associated Press on Monday. "I'm not worried about it. I didn't do anything wrong. As much as has been printed, I don't even know if that's accurate."
Giambi told the San Francisco Chronicle he visited the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, orBALCO, last fall before a tour of Japan with other major-leaguers.
MISCELLANY: Carl Pavano is scheduled to start Game 4 against New York's Roger Clemens, who will be making his final start before retiring. Rookie Dontrelle Willis is a possibility for Game 6. ... Of the 50 Series tied at 1, the team that has won Game 3 has won the championship 33 times. ... The Marlins won 27 of their last 34 regular-season games at Pro Player Stadium and three of five home playoff games. They had the third-best home ERA in the majors. ... Sellout crowds of about 65,000 are expected.
