Dontrelle Willis is still in the running for a starting spot in the Detroit rotation, as he threw three more scoreless innings Thursday in a 5-4 victory over the Astros. Willis has allowed just one run this spring in 10 innings. "He's throwing it over the plate, they're putting it in play, which gives you a chance," manager Jim Leyland said. Willis has been effective by changing speeds and throwing more strikes than he's thrown in the past for the Tigers. He's not blown hitters away as much as he's kept them guessing. "I'm not as young as I used to be," he said. "But I'm having fun. They like the way I'm mixing speeds. I feel I have good command of a lot of things going on right now." When asked if he's reinvented himself as a pitcher, Willis said, "I don't know if I want to give my secrets out because the other guys read newspapers. "I just want to change speeds and throw strikes. Early contact is in my favor. Even when I won a lot of games, I'd sometimes throw an 84-mile-an-hour fastball to get a hitter out in front and hit a ground ball. I'm smarter than I look. "I'm not trying to strike everybody out. I'm just trying to get quality outs. I'm all for guys lining out 27 times."