CHICAGO -- It was a mob scene inside the Marlins dugout a moment ago at Wrigley Field, where Ozzie Guillen, Carlos Zambrano and Mark Buehrle each conducted separate press conferences on their first visit to the Windy City since leaving for South Florida.
"I don't need a standing ovation," Guillen said. "But I don't expect anything bad."
Zambrano said it felt "weird" returning to Wrigley, where he spent his first 11 big-league seasons as a Chicago Cub.
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Guillen received a bat signed by Bryce Harper following Sunday's game in Miami. Turns out it was a prank orchestrated by either players or coaches on the Nationals stemming from Friday's pine tar incident.
"It was funny," Guillen said. "I've got a few friends on (the Nationals). All those guys are trying to make fun of me."
Guillen said he found out later that someone on the Nationals asked Harper to sign a bat, which he did. Later, the perpetrator wrote an inscription that read: "To my hero, Ozzie. I love you." For added effect, a generous amount of pine tar was applied to the bat barrel before it was sent over to the Marlins clubhouse.
"I don't have anything against the kid," Guillen said. "I think this kid is going to be good for the game. We need players like him that play the game right. I think what he did was maybe because he was a kid. I hope he learned from that. His manager (Davey Johnson) said I was trying to intimidate him. I wasn't. That was the last thing that went through my mind."
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Larry Beinfest, the Marlins' president of baseball operations, is not optimistic that Juan Carlos Oviedo will pitch this season.
Oviedo's comeback plans have been put on hold due to an elbow injury that could result in Tommy John surgery.
"This is not looking good like he'll pitch for us this season," Beinfest said. "We have to move ahead with the thought that he's not going to (pitch)."
Oviedo might not pitch for the Marlins again. Beinfest said the pitcher will become eligible for free agency following the season, whether or not he pitches.
"I feel terrible for him," Beinfest said. "I think he handled his mistake (over the false identity issue) well. I feel bad for us in that we're not -- at least in the short term, and maybe not at all -- receiving any production from him. It's a sad situation all the way around."
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Guillen said that he is not platooning outfielders Justin Ruggiano and Greg Dobbs, and has no problem with starting Ruggiano against right-handed pitching.
"I don't platoon anyone," Guillen said.
Ruggiano did not start the final two games of the Nationals series against right-handers Stephen Strasburg and Edwin Jackson even though Ruggiano is hitting .346 against righties this season and .385 overall.
"You hit .390, you're not a platoon player," Guillen said. "I just benched him those two days because I don't want to screw up his head. Facing Strasburg and then Jackson, I didn't want him to come out of his swing."
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LINEUPS:
Marlins: 1. Jose Reyes, ss; 2. Emilio Bonifacio, cf; 3. Carlos Lee, 1b; 4. Justin Ruggiano, rf; 5. Hanley Ramirez, 3b; 6. Austin Kearns, lf; 7. Omar Infante, 2b; 8. John Buck, c; 9. Anibal Sanchez, p
Cubs: 1. David DeJesus, cf; 2. Starlin Castro, ss; 3. Anthony Rizzo, 1b; 4. Alfonso Soriano, lf; 5. Bryan LaHair, rf; 6. Geovany Soto, c; 7. Darwin Barney, 2b; 8. Luis Valbuena, 3b; 9. Travis Wood, p.
