Fish Bytes

Tit for tat: Hanley Ramirez pokes back at David Samson

      In a Q&A interview with MLB.com, Marlins president David Samson said one of the reasons that infielder Hanley Ramirez was traded in July was because the team wasn't winning with him. Actually, Samson's comments were mild compared to the explanation that was given to me by another front office exec just after the deal was made. He said the team's higher-ups had decided that Ramirez was "a loser," implying that NO team could win as long as he was on it.

      Well, Samson's comments reached Ramirez, who fired off a barb of his own: "Now are they winning without me?"

      Ramirez might have added for extra measure that, without him, the Marlins now have a third base problem, one they will try to to address during the offseason. But he didn't. As Bill Shaikin points out in this Los Angeles Times notebook. the Dodgers' winning percentage has declined since Ramirez's arrival -- "from winning percentages of .541 before and .467 after" -- even though his raw offensive numbers have improved a shade.

Jose Fernandez (1st team), Christian Yelich (2nd) named to Baseball America All-Star Team

      While the Marlins are one loss away from securing their third consecutive sub-.500 season, there was a bit of bright news for the organization on Friday when Baseball America unveiled its 2012 Minor League All-Star team.

        Right-hander Jose Fernandez (1st team) and outfielder Christian Yelich (2nd team) made the list.

       Fernandez, the 14th overall pick in the 2011 draft, went 14-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 25 starts split between the Marlins' two Single A affiliates, Greensboro and Jupiter. As Baseball America noted, Fernandez led all minor-league pitchers with a 0.93 WHIP, striking out 158 against 35 walks in 134 total innings.

       Yelich, the 23rd overall pick in the 2010 draft, hit .330 with 12 homers and 20 stolen bases in 106 games for Jupiter this season.

        Alas, Fernandez and Yelich were unable to lead the Hammerheads to a Florida State League title when Lakeland won the deciding fifth game of the series on Wednesday. Greensboro trails Asheville (N.C.) in its best-of-five series for the South Atlantic League title, two games to one.