Fish Bytes

Stanton belts first home run and unleashes a monster -- 472-foot shot 3rd longest of his career

It took him longer than he wanted, but when Giancarlo Stanton finally belted his first home run of the season Saturday night he really got into it.

The first inning blast off Cubs left-hander Travis Wood soared over the left field video scoreboard and only stayed inside Marlins Park because it bounced off the sliding glass doors behind it. The ball traveled an eye-opening and estimated 472-feet -- third longest of his career.

“It hit the windows," Stanton said afterward. "Window damage.’’

According to ESPN's hittrackeronline.com, which keeps record of home run distances, Stanton's blast fell three feet shy of the longest in baseball this season. That record still belongs to the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo, who belted one 475-feet last week against the Rangers at Wrigley Field.

The homer was also the longest home run at Marlins Park. The previous mark was a 462-foot shot by Stanton last May 21.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum was impressed by the shot.

"“I guess if you are going to give one up, you don’t want to give up any cheapies,” Sveum said. “That’s as far as I’ve seen a ball hit. As strong as he is and getting a 3-1 fastball …”

When told that the shot was measured at 472 feet, Sveum said: “I think that’s a little bit short.”

According to hittrackeronline, Stanton's two longest career blasts have come at Coors Field. His longest home run -- and longest by anyone during the 2012 season -- was a 494-foot blast off Rockies pitcher Josh Roenicke It was 29-feet longer than anyone else in the game last season. Stanton's second longest blast traveled 474 feet at Coors back in 2011.

Could Stanton remember hitting a ball better than he did Saturday?

"That one was pretty good," he said. "Here I’ve hit a few of those foul. So it was nice to finally get it on the right side of the pole."

By hitting Saturday's home run, Stanton ended a run of 72 consecutive at-bats dating back to Oct. 1 of last season without a long ball. It was the third-longest stretch of his career without a long ball. Last season, he opened the year without hitting a home run until his 69th at-bat.

His longest career streak without a home run is a run of 97 at-bats from the end of the 2011 season (29 at-bats) to his first home run in 2012 (68-at-bats). His second-longest career streak without a home run was a span of 83 at-bats from June 11, 2011 to July 6, 2011.

Are the Marlins close to seeing Mike Redmond's Matt Foley impression? Maybe

With his team owning the worst record in the majors at 5-18, the worst team batting average in the game (.222) and the fewest homers (7) in the game, Marlins manager Mike Redmond was asked by a reporter before Saturday's game against the Cubs if any motivational speakers have been brought in to help shake things up.

"I consider myself a motivational speaker because I’ve watched Saturday Night Live a couple of times," Redmond said straight-faced. "I was actually going to talk to the guys tonight. I was writing some stuff down."

Redmond was of course joking. But he says deep down inside he really isn't laughing about the team's struggles. Saturday he put out his 22nd different lineup hoping to find a spark on offense.

"We've been mixing and matching all year, trying to find a lineup that produces more than two runs. I'm laughing, but I'm crying inside," Redmond said. "We've talked about it. It seems like whatever combination we use it seems to be producing the same thing. It's kind of where we're at. [Austin] Kearns has had some great at-bats. He's had some walks and some big hits. Maybe he's the spark that gets us going. Like I've been saying the whole year We're looking for a spark. It doesn't have to be a hit. Maybe it's a walk. It could be a jam shot with a couple guys on. I'll take anything right now."

Maybe the ghost of Chris Farley could help the Marlins snap out of their funk. After all, he did a pretty good job as the character Matt Foley cracking people up.

MORE NOTES

> Shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria continues to show signs of progress in his return from a bruised right elbow and will play in rehab games in Single A Jupiter Monday and Tuesday before hitting the road with the Marlins as long as he doesn't have any setbacks, Redmond said. Hechavarria is scheduled to come off the disabled list Thursday when the Marlins open up a four-game series in Philadelphia.

> Right-hander Henderson Alvarez (shoulder) threw 45 pitches in a simulated game Saturday and will throw 60 pitches in his first rehab game Thursday in Jupiter, Redmond said.

SATURDAY'S LINEUP

> Marlins (5-18): 1. Donovan Solano 2B, 2. Placido Polanco 3B, 3. Giancarlo Stanton RF, 4. Austin Kearns LF, 5. Justin Ruggiano CF, 6. Joe Mahoney 1B, 7. Miguel Olivo C, 8. Chris Valaika SS, 9. Alex Sanabia RHP.

> Cubs (8-14): 1. David DeJesus CF, 2. Starlin Castro SS, 3. Anthony Rizzo 1B, 4. Alfonso Soriano LF, 5. Nate Schierholtz RF, 6. Wellington Castillo C, 7. Luis Valbuena 3B, 8. Darwin Barney 2B, 9. LHP Travis Wood.

Slowey remains upbeat even as a W continues to elude him

As heartbreaking as Thursday's 4-3 loss was for Marlins starter Kevin Slowey because he let a 3-1 lead get away from him and failed to pick up his first win since Sept. 18, 2010, there was a positive.

He threw a season-high 112 pitches over six innings of three-run, five-hit ball and felt good afterward.

"For a pitcher like me who has come back from some injuries to know my manager and my pitching coach have faith in me that my pitches 105 to 112 are still going to be competitive it's a great thing," said Slowey, who didn't pitch all of 2012 because of a fractured rib and missed the rest of the 2011 season with an abdominal strain.

"I felt like I was still commanding the ball where I wanted to. The [game-tying home run] pitch to [Nate] Schierholtz just didn't execute it in where I wanted it. But those next couple batters I was able to continue to let it go. I didn't feel winded or exhausted."

Marlins manager Mike Redmond said he felt "totally confident" having Slowey continue to work in the sixth even though his pitch count was high. Slowey hadn't thrown more than 93 pitches in a game this season before Thursday.

"We need to get this guy a win," Redmond said. "He's pitched his butt off. He deserves it."

BIG HEAT FAN

Turns out the Heat jersey with the No. 1 hanging in the Marlins' clubhouse doesn't belong to Chris Bosh. It belongs to veteran left-fielder and longtime Heat fan Juan Pierre, who said he received it as a gift from the Heat during his bachelor party three years ago at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Pierre said he's had the jersey hung close to his baseball locker since he got it and brings it out during the playoffs. But he won't wear it.

"I wouldn't wear it with shorts and kick it," Pierre said. "Once you get past 30 you cant' wear jerseys. That's just the rule. You pass 30 years old you can't wear it. When I became a man I had to put those away."

FRIDAY'S LINEUPS

> Marlins (5-17): 1. Juan Pierre LF, 2. Placido Polanco 3B, 3. Giancarlo Stanton RF, 4. Joe Mahoney 1B, 5. Donovan Solano 2B, 6. Rob Brantly C, 7. Chris Coghlan CF, 8. Chris Valaika SS, 9. Wade LeBlanc LHP.

> Cubs (7-14): 1. Dave Sappelt CF, 2. Starlin Castro SS, 3. Anthony Rizzo 1B, 4. Alfonso Soriano LF, 5. Wellington Castillo C, 6. Scott Hairston RF, 7. Cody Ransom 3B, 8. Darwin Barney 2B, 9. Scott Feldman RHP.

Loria denies report he meddled in pitcher flip-flop; Redmond said it was organizational decision

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria denied a Yahoo! report Friday he personally mandated the lineup card change that flip-flopped starting pitchers Jose Fernandez and Ricky Nolasco before a doubleheader Tuesday in chilly Minnesota and did not sit well with the clubhouse.

“I had nothing to do with the decision,” Loria told FOXSports.com on Friday. “I was informed of the decision by the baseball department. I told them it was their call.

“I don’t make decisions on who to pitch and when, how to go about it — that’s not my role. Sometimes they call me and tell me what they’re doing. But I don’t call them up and say, ‘This is what is going to happen.’ That’s not true.”

Loria told FoxSports he was discussing his primary business -- art -- at the time he received a call about the pitching changes from general manager Michael Hill. “I was engaged in discussions in the world about pictures, as in paintings, not pitchers, guys who can or can’t paint the strike zone,” he said.

Citing three unnamed sources, Yahoo! reported Loria insisted Fernandez, the team's prized 20-year-old rookie, pitch in the first half of the doubleheader at frigid Target Field instead of the scheduled Nolasco because the day game was expected to be warmer. The temperature at Fernandez's first pitch (38 degrees) was actually colder than at the beginning of Nolasco's start (42 degrees).

For doubleheaders, it is normal protocol to allow the pitcher with the most seniority to have his choice of games. Nolasco is the team's all-time wins leader and its opening day starter. Fernandez had made only three big-league starts going in to Tuesday.

Nolasco's agent Matt Sosnick told The Miami Herald Thursday: “I know it wasn’t the manager’s decision, and [front-office executives] Larry Beinfest and Mike Hill have too much integrity to make that type of call. Whoever made the choice would have to have so little social and emotional awareness that would totally have a lack of understanding of how it would affect Ricky and the manager.”

Marlins manager Mike Redmond, who was reportedly embarrassed by the decision made above his head, was asked about the new reports on Friday.

"We were all on the call," Redmond said. "It was an organizational decision. I'll leave it at that."

Worst Marlins team ever? They've got a chance to be at least in April

At 5-17 they've got the worst record in baseball.

With 57 runs scored they're the worst offensive team in baseball by at least 12 runs. Homers? RBI? Batting average? Also dead last in the game.

Their team ERA of 4.48? Not the worst in baseball. But it still ranks 27th out of 30 teams.

We know these Marlins aren't very good. But are they going to be the worst Marlins team ever?

With five games left in the month of April they've got a shot of at least getting off to the worst start ever.

Until now, the worst Marlins start in club history was 5-20 back in 1995. Those Marlins only played four games in April because the season started late following the strike. But they still didn't win their sixth game until Game 26. If these Marlins get swept by the visiting Cubs this weekend they'll match that feat. Lose to the Mets on Monday too and the worst start in franchise history is theirs.

So what's the worst April in Marlins history? That distinction belongs to the 1999 Marlins who went 6-17. The 2006 Marlins weren't far behind at 6-16.

What about the worst month ever? That should be fresh in your minds. The 2011 Marlins went 5-23 in the month of June. These Marlins can't eclipse that because there are only five games left. The worst they could finish is 5-22. But they can finish second all-time.

So who deserves the blame for this team's struggles? It can obviously go a lot of places, but you've got to point to the offense first. The team's 57 runs are on pace to finish as the fewest ever in a month. The previous record for fewest runs in a month with at least 20 games? Last year's Marlins in April. They scored just 73 runs.

If these Marlins don't combine to score at least 16 runs over the next five days, they'll own that dubious record too.

Redmond provides injury updates; Hechavarria expected to be ready when DL stint is up

Manager Mike Redmond showed up for his daily press conference with reporters in the Marlins dugout Thursday with a list of health updates on injured players.

The best news: shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, out since April 17th with a right elbow contusion, is expected to be ready to go when his stint on the disabled list is up May 2nd. Hechavarria said he played catch from about 70 feet Wednesday and felt good. He took grounders with the team Thursday.

Redmond said the team would like to get Hechavarria in some games in Single A Jupiter next week before he returns to the lineup.

> Right-hander Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder inflammation) is throwing a 45-pitch simulated game on Saturday and the plan is to start him with a 60-pitch game next Thursday in Jupiter.

> Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, on the 60-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, is progressing with his long toss Redmond said. 

> First baseman Casey Kotchman told Redmond his hamstring is feeling better, but he's still is a couple weeks away.

> Catcher Jeff Mathis -- out since early in spring training with a fractured right clavicle -- is shooting to participate in his first rehab assignment next Wednesday, Redmond said.

> First baseman Logan Morrison (knee) still isn't running the bases, but the team is shooting for a rehab game on May 10th.

> The Marlins picked up some left-handed pitching experience Thursday when they claimed 27-year old Duane Below off waivers from the Tigers and optioned him to Triple-A New Orleans.

Below threw 46 1/3 innings in 27 games with one start for the Tigers last year. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder was 1-2 with a 2.10 ERA in four starts at Triple-A this season. In 25 2/3 innings, he has 15 strikeouts and four walks.

THURSDAY'S LINEUPS

> Marlins (5-16): 1. Juan Pierre LF, 2. Placido Polanco 3B, 3. Giancarlo Stanton RF, 4. Joe Mahoney 1B, 5. Justin Ruggiano CF, 6. Rob Brantly C, 7. Chris Valaika SS, 8. Donovan Solano 2B, 9. Kevin Slowey RHP.

> Cubs (6-14): 1. David DeJesus CF, 2. Starlin Casro SS, 3. Anthony Rizzo 1B, 4. Alfonso Soriano LF, 5. Nate Schierholtz RF, 6. Wellington Castillo C, 7. Luis Valbuena 3B, 8. Darwin Barney 2B, 9. Edwin Jackson RHP.

Frozen Fish: Marlins set for wintry doubleheader with Twins

    [UPDATE: The Marlins just announced they're flip-flopping today's starters, with Jose Fernandez in the first game and Ricky Nolasco starting the second. Also, the Game 1 lineup is posted: 1. Pierre, lf; 2. Polanco, 3b; 3. Stanton, rf; 4. Dobbs DH; 5. Ruggiano, cf; 6. Mahoney, 1b; 7. Olivo, c; 8. Green, ss; 9. Solano, 2b -- Fernandez - P]

    MINNEAPOLIS -- Workers are busy clearing Target Field of snow and ice left from the storm that blew through Minnesota and forced the postponement of last night's Marlins/Twins game. But it doesn't look like there will be any delays, and the first game should start on time at 2:10 p.m. (EST). The second game is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. (EST) but, unlike the first game, will not be televised.

     The field is relatively clear, save for patches of snow in right field that should be gone by game time.

     Still waiting for lineups but, just to give you some idea of how things look, here are a couple of photos I took on the way in:

     The top photo shows a worker clearning snow from the seats in right while the bottom photo is the icy backstop screen.

     

Marlins postponed; DH Tuesday

     MINNEAPOLIS -- An approaching winter storm that could dump as much as eight inches of snow has led to the postponement of tonight's game between the Marlins and Twins at Target Field.

     The two teams will now meet Tuesday in a split, day-night doubleheader, with the first game scheduled for 1:10 p.m. (2:10 EST) and 7:10 p.m. (8:10 p.m.).

     Ricky Nolasco and Jose Fernandez are expected to start for the Marlins, but the order remains unclear for now. 

Giancarlo Stanton on 1st RBI: "Hallelujah" (w/photo)

    CINCINNATI -- It took him 13 games and 48 at bats, but Giancarlo Stanton on Sunday finally drove in his first run of the season with an otherwise meaningless single in the ninth inning of a 10-6 win by the Reds. The slugger's response, which dripped with sarcasm: "Oh my gosh. Hallelujah."

    It's been a horrific April for Stanton. Not only is he hitting just .188 with no home runs, but was charged with three fielding errors in the Cincinnati series, including one on Sunday.

    "I probably could have batted left-handed and done the equivalent of what I've done so far this year until my last at-bat," Stanton said. "I could not play worse if I tried."

    ___________________

    His ego bruised after being lifted for a pinch-runner on Saturday, Miguel Olivo challenged Rob Brantly to a foot race before Sunday's game -- and won. Brantly was sent in to run for Olivo the day before.

    "It surprised me a little bit," Olivo said of being replaced by Brantly after he singled in Saturday's 10th inning.

    On Sunday, Olivo challenged Brantly to a race on the field at Great American Ball Park.

    "I told him if he beat me, I'd give him $1,000," Olivo said. "But I beat you, you take care of all the luggage for everybody in the hotel. And he will. He will carry the luggage for the whole team."

    Olivo didn't just beat Brantly once in a race that was about 90 feet in distance. He beat him once more for good measure. The result: Brantly will have to carry each player's suitcase to his room when the team gets to Minneapolis later tonight.

    [UPDATED: Brantly paid up on the wager. And here's the photo to prove it]

Juan Pierre: "Ugliest day of the season"

     CINCINNATI -- Juan Pierre was blunt about his performance Saturday.

     

     "The ugliest day of the season," Pierre said after going 0 for 6, striking out three time for the second straight day, missing a fly ball in left, and failing to drop down a critical bunt in the fourth.

 

     Manager Mike Redmond said he would sit the slumping veteran on Sunday.

     "I'm not sure what's going on," Redmond said of his slumping leadoff hitter. "He's just in one of those funks."

     Pierre went down looking in all three of his whiffs Saturday. It marked only the third time in his career that he struck out at least twice in consecutive games. Perhaps even more troubling to the Marlins: Pierre's .225 on-base percentage is the worst in the majors among leadoff men with at least 50 plate appearances.

     "It's been ugly," Pierre said. "It's been ugly throughout the whole season, and this capped it off right there. It's one you've got to have amnesia on, for sure."

     On the season, Pierre has struck out 10 times but drawn only one walk.