ST. PETERSBURG -- Hanley Ramirez was a lineup scratch after taking a batted ball off the nose during a session inside the indoor batting cages here at Tropicana Field. Manager Ozzie Guillen said Ramirez was feeling a bit woozy and would be examined by a physician as a precaution.
"He should be ready tomorrow," Guillen said.
Guillen had originally penciled Ramirez into the No. 2 spot in the lineup, with Giancarlo Stanton batting third, just ahead of Logan Morrison at cleanup.
"In the past, Hanley was a great leadoff hitter," explained Guillen. "I wanted to get Stanton batting with people on base and hitting in the first inning. Hopefully that will work, at least for a little while. My job is to try to put them in the best spot to have success."
Tonight, at least, Donovan Solano will bat second and play third in Ramirez's spot.
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As expected, the Marlins recalled Scott Cousins from Triple A New Orleans on Friday. Guillen indicated Cousins will see some starting time (though not tonight with lefty Matt Moore on the mound for the Rays). If that happens, Cousins would become the 10th different player to start in the outfield for the Marlins this season.
"I hope I can find one and stick with him," Guillen said. "It would make it easy for us. We wouldn't have to juggle with the lineup everyday."
Cousins struggled mightily when he was with the Marlins last season, hitting just .135 in what was primarily a pinch-hitting role before going on the disabled list in June with a lower back strain that he has said was unrelated to his collision with Giants catcher Buster Posey.
"As backs go, it was something I was dealing with for a long time," Cousins said. "It's a lot stronger. It's holding up a lot better on a day-to-day basis. I'm not going to say it doesn't get sore. It's a herniated disc. I had one doctor recommend I get surgery, but I didn't want to do that. I didn't want anyone cutting into my back."
Cousins was hitting .292 for the Zephyrs with seven homers and 32 RBI.
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While the Marlins have been trotting out one new outfielder after another, especially in the absence of injured center fielder Emilio Bonifacio, they and the Cincinnati Reds are the only two teams in the majors that haven't had to use more than five starters.
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LINEUPS:
Marlins: 1. Reyes, ss; 2. Solano, 3b; 3. Stanton, rf; 4. Morrison, lf; 5. Infante, 2b; 6. Ruggiano, cf; 7. Kearns, dh; 8. Sanchez, 1b; 9. Buck, c.
Rays: 1. Jennings, lf; 2. Joyce, rf; 3. Upton, cf; 4. Matsui dh; 5. Zobrist, 2b; 6. Pena, 1b; 7. Lobaton, c; 8. Rhymes, 3b; 9. Johnson, ss.
Umpires: HP - Gibson; 1B -- Davis; 2B -- Cuzzi; 3B -- Gonzalez.
