Fish Bytes

Heath Bell says he's patiently waiting to get his job back

HOUSTON -- Since blowing his fourth save of the season last Friday in San Diego, former closer Heath Bell has been relatively quiet in the Marlins clubhouse. 

"I've been watching a great team play baseball and go out and kick some butt," Bell said before Wednesday's game in Houston.

With starting pitchers going deep into games there hasn't been much opportunity for the bullpen to see action. Guillen said he's wanted to use Bell in the sixth or seventh inning -- or even in the ninth if the Marlins have a cushion -- before getting Bell back into the closer's role. 

So far, though, Bell has just been a spectator.

"I'm going to pitch when Ozzie tells me to pitch. Plain and simple. He's the manager. He's going to put me in when he thinks its time for me to come in. And I'm okay with that," Bell sid. "But I want my job back.

"... If he pitches me the first inning, second inning, ninth inning, it doesn't matter. When Ozzie puts me out there to pitch I'm going to go out there and shove it up whoever I'm facing. That's pretty much it."

Pitching coach Randy St. Claire said Bell, like struggling starter Josh Johnson, is simply pressing.

"I don't think it's so much of a confidence thing," St. Claire said Wednesday. "I don't think Albert Pujols lost his confidence. I don't think Jose Reyes has lost his confidence. I just think [Johnson and Bell] want to do well so bad -- because they're so used to doing well -- that the pressure of wanting to do well is getting to them and they're not letting it happen.

"When you do things and try to create things that's when issues start happening. I think they'll be fine."

Bonifacio out of the top of the lineup -- for now according to Guillen

HOUSTON -- Through the Marlins' first 30 games Emilio Bonifacio has hit in either the first or second spot in the lineup. Game 31 on Wednesday will be different.

Bonifacio, who leads the National League with 15 stolen bases, has been dropped to 7th in the order -- a move manager Ozzie Guillen said he's making to try to take a little pressure of the struggling center fielder.

"We just want him to relax a little bit... try to get him out of a tough spot -- the pressure to be on base and do stuff for the team," Guillen said. "Hopefully we can put him down a couple days and get him back to where he belongs."

"Boni, when he gets hot, he's very hot. When he's cold 'Wow.' I don't know why. This guy's game is running, speeding. He's struggled on this road trip. Hopefully we move him down for a couple days and then back up. I think we have a better team with Boni in the top of the lineup."

Since starting the season hitting .348 through the first dozen games, Bonifacio gone just 11 for his last 70 at the plate (.157) with nine walks and 18 strikeouts.

"It's no big deal," Bonifacio said. "I have no problem with that... I think right now I've been swinging at pitches outside of the zone. This doesn't change anything. I just have to get on base, get base hits and swing at good pitches."

Donnie Murphy, starting in place of Omar Infante at second base, will hit second behind Jose Reyes. Giancarlo Stanton, who had his 10-game hitting streak snapped Tuesday, has moved up a spot to fifth. He's hitting .308 with six home runs and 12 RBI over his last 11 games.

Asked if Infante (.309, 6 HRs, 13 RBI) might be his option to hit second if Bonifacio continues to struggle, Guillen was non-commital.

"He can be a good one," Guillen said. "But at the same time I don't want to leave the back of the lineup dry. I want to have somebody batting 5th, 6th helping too. I want to keep Boni in the top and not try to change the lineup too much."

> Guillen said he wanted to try and give Hanley Ramirez his first day off this season while getting Murphy at-bats. But Ramirez insisted on staying in the lineup. Guillen said he then decided to give Infante the day off to rest his legs. Infante has been battling hamstring issues all season.

LINEUP

> Marlins (15-15): 1. Jose Reyes SS, 2. Donnie Murphy 2B, 3. Hanley Ramirez 3B, 4. Logan Morrison LF, 5. Giancarlo Stanton, 6. Greg Dobbs 1B, 7. Emilio Bonifacio CF, 8. John Buck C, 9. Josh Johnson P.

> Astros (14-16): 1. Jordan Schafer CF, 2. Jose Altuve, 3. Jed Lowrie SS, 4. Carlos Lee 1B, 5. Travis Buck LF, 6. Chris Johnson 3B, 7. Brian Bogusevic RF, 8. Chris Snyer C, 9. Lucas Harrell P.

With win Wednesday Marlins can close out winningest road trip ever

HOUSTON -- The Marlins can no longer close out their nine-game road trip with a perfect record, but they can still make history with a win Wednesday at Minute Maid Park over the Astros.

Until now, the most victories the Marlins have picked up on a road trip is seven. They did it twice -- going 7-5 from June 13-26, 2005 (Cubs, Dodgers, Braves, Rays) and 7-4 from May 28-June 6, 2007 (Cubs, Brewers, Braves).

But with a win Wednesday the Fish will have finished this road trip through San Francisco, San Diego and Houston with an 8-1 record. 

Technically, their best road trip was when they went a perfect 5-0 from May 13-18th, 1997 (with two wins in Atlanta and three in Pittsburgh). But most wins on a road trip certainly sounds better doesn't it?

The key of course on this road trip has been dominant starting pitching. Even though the team's seven-game winning streak was snapped Tuesday night, Anibal Sanchez delivered another quality start, giving up two unearned runs over seven innings.

Marlins starters have combined to post an eye-opening ERA of 1.77 on the trip -- and that's including the six earned runs Josh Johnson gave up in just 2 2/3 innings in San Diego last Friday.

Take away JJ's horrific outing and the other four guys -- Sanchez, Carlos Zambrano, Mark Buehrle and Ricky Nolasco -- have combined for a 0.84 ERA in six starts. That's five earned runs in 53 1/3 innings of work on the road.

Zambrano has been the best of them all, leading the way with 16 scoreless innings and allowing just eight hits while striking out 14. He tossed his first complete game shutout in three years Monday against the Astros.

Sanchez, meanwhile, struck out 13 in 14 innings of work and allowed just one earned run, lowering his ERA to 2.04 on the year. He went into Wednesday's game as the National League leader in strikeouts.

Buehrle tossed a complete game at San Diego, giving up one run, a day after the bullpen was exhausted in a 12-inning victory.

Nolasco won both of his starts and gave up just three runs in 14 1/3 innings. In the process, Nolasco tied Dontrelle Willis’ club record with 68 wins.

> Check back later for tonight's lineup against the Astros.