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57 posts from July 2008

July 27, 2008

Marlins need a catcher

Everything points to the Marlins intensifying their search to add a catcher for the stretch run, because Matt Treanor, who has been on the disabled list since July 8 with a left hip strain is still not ready to return. Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said before Sunday’s game in Chicago that Treanor is scheduled to see a specialist Monday in Philadelphia.

That news combined with the fact the non-waiver trading deadline is rapidly approaching means the Marlins will try to pull off a trade this week. Sunday was the 105th game for the Marlins, who return home Monday to face the Mets in a big three-game series, and with 57 games left the Marlins want to make sure they have more behind the plate than John Baker and Paul Hoover. Both were called up from Triple A Albuquerque after it was apparent Mike Rabelo was not ready to platoon with Treanor, which was the plan when the Marlins sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for a five-player package that included Rabelo.

The Marlins have talked to teams about catchers, and some of the names that have been mentioned in rumors are Cincinnati’s David Ross and Colorado’s Yorvit Torrealba, whom the Marlins negotiated with during the off season when Torrealba was a free agent. Another catcher to consider is former Marlin Mike Redmond, who is Minnesota’s backup catcher.

The Marlins are also looking for left-handed relief help in the bullpen, and it’s more and more apparent they believe this team can reach the postseason, especially now that the rotation has been revamped with the additions of Josh Johnson and Chris Volstad. The Marlins are 5-1 when those two have started.

Hammer moves to cleanup spot

Josh Willingham came to Chicago mired in a 1 for 15 slum, and was dropped down in the lineup. But Willingham was hitting in the cleanup spot Sunday after getting hits in the first three games of the series, going 4 for 11. Mike Jacobs moved down to the sixth spot.

Here are today’s lineups.

MARLINS

RAMIREZ SS

HERMIDA RF

CANTU 3B

WILLINGHAM LF

UGGLA 2B

JACOBS 1B

ROSS CF

BAKER C

VANDENHURK P

CUBS

SORIANO LF

THERIOT SS

LEE 1B

RAMIREZ 3B

EDMONDS CF

DeROSA 2B

FUKUDOME CF

BLANCO C

MARQUIS P

July 26, 2008

Uggla's problems? It's the SI Jinx

CHICAGO – Blame Sports Illustrated.

            The SI jinx is alive and it’s getting the best of Dan Uggla, who hasn’t been the same since SI showed up in Oakland on June 22 to take a picture of Uggla for a piece in the magazine.

            Since that dreadful day, Uggla hasn’t been the same. Since June 22, Uggla has been on the disabled list, turned in the worst performance in All-Star Game history (three errors, three strikeouts and hitting into a double play) and he is the worst hitter in all of baseball.

            When Uggla doubled in the fourth inning Saturday he broke an 0 for 19 drought, but even with that double Uggla was hitting just .138 since June 22 – the worst in the big leagues over that stretch.

A long day for the umpires

The Marlins and Cubs had to finish Saturday’s game with only three umpires, because home plate umpire Gerry Davis had to leave the game after being hit with a pitch that got away from Marlins catcher John Baker in the bottom of the second inning.

The field was cleared with one out and Cubs at second and third. The game was held up for about 14 minutes, and then resumed with second base ump Bruce Dreckman moving behind the plate.

The umpires became part of the story in the ninth when first base umpire Rob Drake ejected Cubs first base coach Lester Strode and Cubs manager Lou Piniella, and both are going to face some stiff fines for bumping into Drake.

The Cubs were furious over a one-out call at first. Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez made a brilliant play, going deep in the hole and making the long throw to get Mark Derosa, who slid head-first. When the dust cleared Drake called DeRosa out, and Strode ripped into the ump. It didn't take Piniella long to storm out of the dugout and lash into all three umpires who stood lined up at first base as Piniella tore into them to the delight of Cubs fans, who roared their approval.

Fans in the bleachers threw trash on the field, and the game was held up as a cleaning crew of more than a dozen raced onto the field to pick up the debris.

After the long delay, Renyel Pinto shut the Cubs fans up by striking out Geovany Soto to send the game into extra innings.

Saturday's lineups

Jeremy Hermida was back in right field and back in his No. 2 spot in the lineup Saturday, and – after two days of tinkering with the lineup -- the Marlins looked like themselves. The only change from the every day eight-man lineup was Alfredo Amezaga in center field in place of Cody Ross. .

The Cubs dropped the slumping Koske Fukudome to the eighth spot in the lineup.

Here are today’s lineups.

MARLINS

RAMIREZ SS

HERMIDA RF

CANTU 3B

JACOBS 1B

UGGLA 2B

WILLINGHAM  LF

BAKER C

AMEZAGA CF

VOLSTAD P

CUBS

SORIANO LF

THERIOT SS

LEE 1B

RAMIREZ 3B

FONTENOT 2B

DeROSA RF

SOTO C

FUKUDOME CF

HARDEN P

July 25, 2008

Trade Rumors (with Poll)

            ESPN's Jayson Stark is reporting the Marlins have Colorado's Brian Fuentes and Baltimore's George Sherrill -- a pair of experienced lefty relievers -- at the top of their trade wish list, no surprise since the Marlins have been vigorously shopping for a late-inning southpaw for their bullpen. According to Stark, rival clubs say the Marlins are dangling lefty reliever Taylor Tankersley, who failed to keep his relief job with the Marlins and was demoted to Triple A Albuquerque. The report said Colorado has interest in young right-hander Ryan Tucker, who the Marlins just returned to Double A. If that's the case, the Rockies have apparently lowered their demands for Fuentes, who is receiving strong interest from a handful of teams, not just the Marlins. The Rockies had indicated they were looking for a "premier" pitching prospect. It is believed they asked the Yankees for Ian Kennedy and the Red Sox for Clay Buchholz.

Along with Fuentes and Sherrill, the Marlins could also be looking at a cast of lefties that includes Seattle's Arthur Rhodes, Pittsburgh's Damaso Marte, Cincinnati's Jeremy Affeldt and Minnesota's Dennys Reyes, among others.

My question is this: as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline nears, should the Marlins be positioning their sights on a lefty reliever to strengthen the bullpen? Or, seeing how little production they are receiving from their catchers, should they be trying to get better behind the plate, as difficult as help is to find at the position?

            

It has been a while for Hermida

Jeremy Hermida's pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning Friday was just the second pinch-hit dinger of his career. The first one came in Hermida's first at-bat, back on Aug. 31, 2005 -- a memorable grand slam.

Lefty wanted

It makes sense for the Marlins to shop for a left-handed reliever. They have just one left-handed short man in the bullpen, and the problem is Renyel Pinto gets hit by lefties. They are batting .230 against him while right-handers are hitting  just .185, and left-handers have hit four of the five home runs Pinto has allowed.

Mark Hendrickson is the only other lefty in the pen, but he works in longer relief roles, and what the Marlins need is an eighth-inning situational lefty or setup type lefty.

Cantu ends RISP drought

When Jorge Cantu doubled home Hanley Ramirez in the seventh inning Friday, it was the first time the Marlins delivered with a runner in scoring position since Wednesday -- an 0 for 16 drought.

They haven't hit much of anything of late, and entered the game with the worst batting average in the majors since the All-Star break, hitting just .210 in their previous seven games since returning from the break.

Gonzo hits second

Fredi Gonzalez continued to tinker with his lineup Friday,  putting Luis Gonzalez, who started in right field in place of Jeremy Hermida, in Hermida’s No. 2 spot in the lineup. Josh Willingham, who was dropped to seventh Thursday, moved up to the No. 6 spot and Dan Uggla returned to second base after a night off and batted in the fifth spot.

Luis Gonzalez entered the game hitting .556 (10 for 18) over his career against Cubs starter Ryan Dempster, and two of his 10 hits were home runs.

The idea worked. Gonzalez ripped a double in the first inning, and Dempster pitched around him the rest of the day, walking Gonzo twice. The double in the first inning was Gonzo's 587th. He is 15th on the all-time list and is now just 14 away from Barry Bonds.

Catcher Paul Hoover the start as John Baker took a day off after the night game.

Here are today’s lineups.

MARLINS

RAMIREZ SS

GONZALEZ RF

CANTU 3B

JACOBS 1B

UGGLA 2B

WILLINNGHAM LF

ROSS CF

HOOVER C

JOHNSON P

CUBS

SORIANO LF

THERIOT SS

LEE 1B

RAMIREZ 3B

FUKUDOME RF

SOTO C

FONTENOT 2B

JOHNSON CF

DEMPSTER P