Fish Bytes

Mujica has x-rays on right foot, leaves with boot

Reliever Edward Mujica, struck by a line drive in his one inning of relief Friday, had x-rays performed on his right foot after the game according to manager Ozzie Guillen and the team should know Saturday if the right-hander is going to miss any time.

"Mujica got a little boot on his leg," Guillen said. "They're going to take x-rays just in case, make sure nothing is bad. We're waiting to see how it feels tomorrow."

> With their 6-2 win over the Phillies, the Marlins (36-40) won back-to-back games for the first time since June 3rd. But for Guillen it felt like it had been longer. "[First back-to-back wins] since spring training, right?" Guillen joked.

"It seems like we're coming around little by little. A couple days ago we started to swing the bat better. Today it seemed like everybody put a little bit together. Everybody contributed, had good at-bats, good pitching."

> Josh Johnson was once again phenomenal for the Marlins. And this time he got early help. After getting six combined runs in his previous four June starts, Johnson was given a 6-1 lead when he took the mound for the final time in the sixth. 

Guillen didn't downplay the importance of scoring early.

"When you jump out 1-0 and JJ is on the mound, it's a different ballgame," Guillen said. "If we leave that guy on third base it's 'There we go again. How are we going to play today?' You hit first and score first, it's a different attitude, a different thing in [our] dugout."

Since giving up a season-high six earned runs at San Diego on May 4th to bump his ERA to 6.61, Johnson has gone 5-2 with a 2.47 ERA over his last 10 starts. His ERA in June (1.87) has been even better.

"He's our ace for a reason," Guillen said. "This kid little by little come along very nice, throw the ball well. Maybe he's the only good thing we had this month, the most consistent thing we had this month."

Said Johnson: "Took a little time, but I just want to go out there and get in deep in the game for these guys. That's the key. This month was the best pitching wise [as a staff], but somebody had to step up and try to help the bullpen a little bit."

> Johnson said using a curveball -- a pitch he was experimenting with last season -- has made him a different pitcher. He used it to strikeout Chase Utley in the first and "quite a few times" on Friday.

"It's been a huge pitch for me," Johnson said. "It takes away guys just sitting on hard-hard. I can throw something in there 80 miles an hour that kind of throws off their timing a little bit."

> What else can you say about Justin Ruggiano? He has been huge for the Marlins. His average is now up to .388 after collecting three hits on Friday including a big two-run double in the fifth.

"He rakes," Johnson said of Ruggiano. "We were talking about it when we came in here. He just never stops hitting. Plays great defense. Speed. He's got it all. He's huge for us."

Will the Marlins reward Josh Johnson with some run support? And is Buck finally out of his funk?

It's been a rough month for a lot of Marlins.

But not Josh Johnson.

The team's Opening Day starter, who went 3-0 with a 4.41 ERA in May and helped led the Marlins to wins in all six of his starts last month, has a 1.95 ERA in June, which ranks ninth in the National League. In all four of his June starts, he hasn't allowed more than two earned runs.

The trouble? The Marlins are 1-3 over that stretch as they've provided Johnson with just six runs of support -- including just one run over his last two starts.

Johnson, who is 4-5 with a 3.96 ERA overall, will try to keep his strong month going when he takes the mound against the last-place Phillies on Friday night at Marlins Park. Johnson is 5-4 with a 3.68 ERA in 13 career starts against the Phillies.

"He's been a lot more consistent," catcher John Buck said. "His ball is heavier. He's repeating his delivery so he knows where the ball is going. He's got that hard slider back to where I can even use it sometimes to lefties to get in on them, not just a swing and miss pitch. It's that old stuff I saw at the beginning of last year. It's welcomed to me."

When it comes to run support among National League starting pitchers, the Marlins don't have anyone among the top 25. In fact, here is where they rank in terms of run support among the 60 qualified starters according to ESPN.com.

26. Mark Buehrle, 6.09 average run support (per inning pitched).
31. Ricky Nolasco, 5.98
44. Josh Johnson, 5.44
50. Carlos Zambrano, 5.22
58. Anibal Sanchez, 4.59 

IS BUCK FINALLY OUT OF HIS FUNK?

Although he was an All-Star in Toronto in 2010, Buck has never been confused for a great hitter. His career average in nine seasons is .237.

But even Buck admits it's been tough to look up at times this season and see on the scoreboard exactly how low his batting average has gone this season. 

"I'm not going to say I'm not human and I didn't look up and it didn't bother me," said Buck, who went into Friday's series opener against the Phillies hitting .181 with seven homers and 20 RBI in 55 games this season.

"I think it literally has gotten to the point that it's so low that even if I get four hits a game, it's still going to be low."

The good news for Buck? The worst may finally be over. The 31-year old veteran has started to pick up the pace over the last two weeks and went into Friday's series opener against the Phillies hitting .313 with two homers and six RBI in five games over the homestand including hitting the game-tying home run in Wednesday's win over the Cardinals.

Buck was hitting a season-worst .160 back on June 15. 

Buck said if you watch the video of his at-bats from before this home stand to now you wouldn't be able to tell the difference in his swing because his "hands are only a fraction of a bit higher" when he puts the barrel on the ball.

"A lot of the pitches I'm hitting now I was fouling straight back before," Buck said. "... It was staying the course and continuing to believe in my approach, that I was going to get back to being me."

Buck said what has helped him through his offensive struggles this season is the notion he can help the team in other ways -- by calling a good game behind the plate and by having quality at-bats and drawing walks. He's drawn 33 walks this season. He had 16 total back in 2010. 

Manager Ozzie Guillen said it's been nice getting some production out of the bottom of the Marlins order. 

"One thing about John is he never takes his offense to his defense. A lot of players do," Guillen said. "Buck just goes out there and separates one thing from another. He knows his main job for us is our pitching staff. So far he's been great. I know it's been a tough month. But if you look at it overall, in general, he's been very good."

> Buck said he can already tell how much fresher his body feels playing inside Marlins Park versus being exposed to the heat and humidity at Sun Life Stadium last season.

"I can definitely tell with the last at-bat or two because I don't feel like I'm just standing in the box. I feel like I'm more with it," Buck said. "The daily grind of every game and having to revive my body for the next day was tough. There were times last year when I would start to cramp or lose 10 pounds a game just from sweating. I was going home crushing Pedialyte, Gatorade to come out and do it again. [My body] feels a lot better."

> Guillen said the two defensive mishaps the Marlins have had in back-to-back games with pitchers throwing wide of second base on balls hit back to the mound are a result of shortstop Jose Reyes taking too long to get to the bag and Carlos Zambrano and Heath Bell trying to turn two too quickly.

"Make it easier. Just get one out," Guillen said. "I think the last play [Bell in Wednesday's win], whoever was covering second base [Reyes] was a little late. With Carlos, Carlos made a bad throw."

"You have to be aware. Playing that position all my life [shortstop] you cheat to that position a little bit and be aware if the ball is hit to the pitcher what are you going to do. Most of the time when you don't make that play it's because pitchers try to turn double plays by themselves. You get one out and let the fielder make the play."

> Guillen said the combination he's using in center field between Justin Ruggiano and Scott Cousins provides the Marlins with the best defense they've had all year long. "Sometimes you wonder why those guys play in Triple A," Guillen said.

> Sunday, the All-Star teams will be announced. Asked what his favorite memory of his three All-Star appearances were, Guillen said his first experience in Cincinnati back in 1988.

"All of a sudden you dress up with Dave Winfield, [Don] Mattingly, Willie Randolph, Ricky Henderson, George Brett, Alan Trammel," Guillen said. "There's nothing greater in baseball -- other than the World Series -- being in the All-Star Game. Especially your first year, being around those guys. You know some of those guys are going to be in the Hall of Fame. It's a great experience. It's fun."

FRIDAY'S LINEUPS

> Phillies (36-42): 1. Jimmy Rollins SS, 2. Juan Pierre LF, 3. Chase Utley 2B, 4. Carlos Ruiz C, 5. Hunter Pence RF, 6. Shane Victorino CF, 7. Placido Polanco 3B, 8. John Mayberry 1B, 9. Cliff Lee LHP.

> Marlins (35-40): 1. Jose Reyes SS, 2. Hanley Ramirez 3B, 3. Giancarlo Stanton RF, 4. Logan Morrison LF, 5. Justin Ruggiano CF, 6. Omar Infante 2B, 7. Gaby Sanchez 1B, 8. John Buck C, 9. Josh Johnson RHP.