Quite a few odds and ends to catch you up on here before Josh Johnson goes against Tim Lincecum in a marquee pitching encounter, at least one based on reputation.
-- It's almost unfathomable to think that for all his big-bat wallop, Giancarlo Stanton has never hit a home run from the cleanup spot. And it's not like he hasn't been given a chance to do some damage from a lineup position that would seem like a natural for him. Yet, in 140 career plate appearances from the No. 4 hole, Stanton has a goose egg showing under the home run column. Manager Ozzie Guillen is returning him to the cleanup spot tonight for the first time since April 20 because 1) Stanton is rocking at the plate at the moment and 2) Injuries, slumps and demotions have depleted the lineup.
-- Logan Morrison is slumping big-time this month. After hitting .310 in April, Morrison is hitting just .154 this month with no home runs and only three RBI, hardly the numbers that Guillen expected from him. "It's very surprising and confusing to see this guy struggle the way he is right now," Guillen said. "I think he's a way better hitter than what he's showed. And I think his ability as a hitter is better than what we see. I think he (worries too much) over 0-fers. As soon as he's out in the first inning, you can of see him go, 'Here we go again.' You've got to take one at bat at a time. It looks like he's always guessing at the wrong pitch. That's what we see from the dugout."
-- Emilio Bonifacio underwent surgery on Friday to repair a torn thumb ligament. Guillen said he expects him to be ready in four weeks.
-- With Bonifacio and Austin Kearns on the DL and Morrison playing first, the Marlins are so desperate for outfielders that Guillen said he intends to start infielder Donovan Solano in left on Saturday when the Marlins face Giants southpaw Madison Bumgarner, purely because he wants Solano's right-handed bat in the lineup. Solano made only one outfield appearance -- and only then in an emergency situation -- during his eight years in the minors. "He's a good athlete. And I have confidence he can handle himself there," Guillen said. "I'm looking for his bat. I'm not looking for his defense."
-- And it was exactly one year ago today that Scott Cousins and Giants catcher Buster Posey were involved in a home plate collision in San Francisco. Both players are tired of discussing it. Cousins, who is presently at Triple A New Orleans, grew irritated with questions about the play during spring training. And Posey sounded as if he has had enough, too. Cousins and Posey still have not spoken with one another about the collision. "There's no extra anything to it, promise," Posey said.
-- As expected, the Marlins recalled left-handed reliever Dan Jennings from Triple A New Orleans. He takes Mike Dunn's spot in the bullpen. Dunn was optioned to Triple A following Thursday's outing in which he gave up four runs.
TONIGHT'S LINEUPS:
MARLINS: 1. Reyes, ss; 2. Infante, 2b; 3. Ramirez, 3b; 4. Stanton, rf; 5. Morrison, 1b; 6. Petersen, cf; 7. Buck, c; 8. Coghlan, lf; 9. Johnson, p.
GIANTS: 1. Blanco, rf; 2. Crawford, ss; 3. Cabrera, lf; 4. Posey, c; 5. Pagan, cf; 6. Huff, 1b; 7. Arias, 3b; 8. Theriot, 2b; 9. Lincecum, p.
UMPIRES: HP -- Mike Winters; 1B -- Mark Wegner; 2B -- Mike Muchlinski; 3B -- Wally Bell
