RISP Blues, Blues, Blu......

 

       For us dinosaurs old enough to remember the days of the record album -- those round vinyl discs that sat on a platter and spun at a speed of 33 1/3 rpm -- we dedicate this special late-night edition of Fish Bytes. (Personal interjection: I'm convinced that Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," when spun in reverse, contains a Satanic message. One night in college, we gave it a few backwards whirls to see for ourselves whether the rumor was true, and sure enough. Or maybe it was the punch.)

       But we're veering away from the subject, which is Marlins baseball. Like the proverbial "broken record," they skipped again Tuesday, going 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position while losing 5-3 to the Redlegs. For the Marlins, RISP has become a form of acne that won't disappear. They're hitting .245 with runners in SP (compared to .271 the rest of the time). Only a few teams are worse.

      The Marlins are masters of the home run. But a simple single when the sweat is bubbling on the skin? Well, that's their personal demon.

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      Tribute was paid during a pre-game ceremony Tuesday to a couple of Cincinnati area firefighters -- Robin Broxterman and Brian Schira -- who lost their lives recently in the line of duty. The memorial included bagpipers, a scoreboard video montage, and various introductions. All throughout, Marlins pitcher Mark Hendrickson stood solemnly in right field, delaying his pre-game warm-up ritual out of respect.

       "I was a little bit emotional myself for having a father who was in that line of work and losing his life," Hendrickson said after the game. "It touched me a little bit. It touched me in a way because I had been there and done that before, and know what it means to go through a loss like that."

      Hendrickson was five months old in 1974 when his father, a Washington State Patrol trooper, was killed in the line of duty when struck by a car while making a traffic stop.

      "I know what those families are going through," he said. "It's not easy. Who am I to complain about a pre-game warmup when there are more important things in life?"

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    Not many people can claim they witnessed an unassisted triple play and a perfect game, two of baseball's rarest feats. But Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez is one who can. Gonzalez was a Braves coach when Atlanta shortstop Rafael Furcal recorded three outs by his lonesome in 2003 and Arizona's Randy Johnson threw a perfecto against the Braves in '04.

   Cleveland second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera recorded only the 14th unassisted triple play in major league history on Monday. There have been 17 perfect games.

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   That didn't take long. Hanley Ramirez, who is about to become the $70 million man for the Marlins, wasted no time in splurging on a new set of wheels. Actually, make that two sets. Just one minor detail, though. The two vehicles -- one a $400 sports car and the other a $500 monster truck -- are remote-controlled.

    Pitcher Ricky Nolasco was a buying partner, opting for the truck only.

   "I'm a big little kid," said Nolasco, who plans to test-drive his truck on the beach after the team returns to Florida. "I just want something to play with at home."

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