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59 posts from August 2008

August 26, 2008

Maybin biten by a spider

Spiderman.

Center fielder Cameron Maybin, the prize prospect in the multi-player deal that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit last winter, has been out for five days at Double A Carolina after being bitten on the face by a spider.

Well, in the Spiderman comic books, Peter Parker is bitten by a spider and then he takes on super powers. Who knows, Maybin my get some new powers of his own and might even start hitting curveballs.

Lineups in Atlanta

Fredi has been tinkering with the No. 2 spot in the lineup lately. He started Luis Gonzalez there Tuesday and gave Jeremy Hermida the night off. Hermida will probably get at least two nights off in Atlanta, because Gonzalez will get a start Wednesday against lefty Mike Hampton. Gonzo is 14 for 39 (.359) with five homers and 13 RBI against Hampton.

Paul Lo Duca didn’t start Tuesday but he will be the starting catcher Wednesday, because he also has good numbers against Hampton. Lo Duca is a career .370 hitter (10 for 27) hitter against Hampton.

            It’s not exactly Hot-lanta today. There were storms passing through this morning, and more on the way, but team officials said they felt they could get the game in tonight. Neither team took batting practice on the field.

            Here are the lineups for the first of three for the Marlins and the team formerly known as the Braves.

MARLINS 67-64

RAMIREZ  SS

GONZALEZ RF

CANTU 3B

WILLINGHAM LF

UGGLA 2B

JACOBS 1B

ROSS CF

BAKER C

OLSEN P

BRAVES 57-74

ESCOBAR SS

KOTSAY CF

CHIPPER JONES 3B

INFANTE LF

PRADO 1B

FRANCOEUR RF

JOHNSON 2B

SAMMONS C

JURRJENS P

August 24, 2008

Getaway Day Lineup Wrinkles -- Marlins/D-Backs (UPDATED)

             The lineup card tacked on the clubhouse bulletin board has a few twists, but one thing that comes as no surprise is Dan Uggla's missing name. Alfredo Amezaga is starting at second for Uggla, who struck out in his three at bats last night, made two errors, and botched a potential inning-ending double play in the sixth that cost the Marlins two runs.

            Fredi Gonzalez has Amezaga batting second and is going with Matt Treanor behind the plate. Luis Gonzalez also remains in the lineup and, more significantly, in right field. Jeremy Hermida rides the bench for a second straight day.

           But what's really strange is that Mike Jacobs isn't playing. Yes, yes. He is in some horrible slump. But he is also 6 for 8 lifetime, with two home runs, against D-Backs starter Doug Davis. Cantu, who has never faced Davis, is at first. Wes Helms (0 for 3 against Davis) is at third. Don't really have an explanation for this, and Gonzalez blew off the usual pre-game ritual with reporters. So that's that.

           Let's see if the Marlins can do better than three hits, which was all they could produce last night against the ghost of Jorge Julio (Diamondbacks starter Yusmeiro Petit) and the Arizona bullpen. Then again, the Marlins are sending out Ricky Nolasco, who gave the bullpen the night off in San Francisco to start the road trip on Tuesday.

           Marlins: SS Hanley Ramirez, 2B Alfredo Amezaga, 1B Jorge Cantu, LF Josh Willingham, CF Cody Ross, 3B Wes Helms, RF Luis Gonzalez, C Matt Treanor, P Ricky Nolasco.

           Diamondbacks: SS Stephen Drew, CF Chris Young, LF Conor Jackson, RF Adam Dunn, 1B Tony Clark, 3B Mark Reynolds, C Chris Snyder, 2B Augie Ojeda, P Doug Davis.

Umps: HP Paul Nauert, 1B Mike Winters, 2B James Hoye, 3B Brian O'Nora

August 23, 2008

Hanley is back

Hanley Ramirez was back in the lineup Saturday. After missing two games with a bruised right thumb, Hanley was back leading off and playing shortstop as the Marlins attempt to do something they haven’t done all month – win two in a row.

Fredi is going with Luis Gonzalez in the No. 2 spot, and Baker is back behind the plate.

Here’s the lineup:

RAMIREZ SS

GONZALEZ  RF

CANTU 3B

JACOBS 1B

WILLINGHAM LF

UGGLA 2B

ROSS CF

BAKER C

VOLSTAD P

August 22, 2008

Lineups -- Fish/Snakes (Friday)

              Just got done talking to Hanley Ramirez, who said his injured right hand was feeling "a little better" but couldn't say when he could get back in the lineup. He took some practice cuts in the cages inside but said the hand remained sore. He is also scheduled to take infield practice during B.P. to see how the hand feels while making throws.

             Marlins -- SS Alfredo Amezaga, C Paul Lo Duca, 1B Jorge Cantu, LF Josh Willingham, 2B Dan Uggla, 3B Wes Helms, CF Cody Ross, RF Jeremy Hermida, P Anibal Sanchez.

             Diamondbacks -- SS Stephen Drew, CF Chris Young, LF Conor Jackson, RF Adam Dunn, 1B Chad Tracy, 3B Mark Reynolds, C Miguel Montero, 2B Augie Ojeda, P Randy Johnson.

Hanley is still out

Hanley Ramirez’s thumb is still bothering him and Fredi Gonzalez sent out a lineup against Randy Johnson without Ramirez, who bruised his right thumb when the ball hit his thumb Wednesday as he slid into second base against the Giants.

           Ramirez did take some swings in the indoor batting cage Friday in Arizona, but apparently didn’t feel good enough to play. Gonzalez can still use him as a pinch-runner.

Of course, tonight is a matchup of the last two pitchers in the NL to throw no-hitters, and Anibal Sanchez’ no-hitter was against Arizona.

Fredi is starting Jorge Cantu at first base and giving lefty Mike Jacobs the night off against Johnson. That means Wes Helms gets the start at third base. Helms has struck out 13 times in 20 at-bats against the Big Unit. Helms does have four hits in those 20 at-bats (.200).

Lo Duca, who is the Marlins’ only prototypical No. 2 hitter, is in the No. 2 spot behind Alfredo Amezaga, who starts in Hanley’s shortstop spot and takes over the leadoff spot in the lineup.

Lo Duca is a career .317 hitter (19 for 60) against Johnson with two homers and 13 RBI.

Here’s the lineup:

AMEZAGA SS

LO DUCA C

CANTU 1B

WILLINGHAM LF

UGGLA 2B

HELMS 3B

ROSS CF

HERMIDA  RF

SANCHEZ P

August 21, 2008

Hanley is hurting, sits out with bruised thumb

Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez is out of the lineup today, and he is not sure when he will play again, because of a thumb injury he suffered in Wednesday night’s game in San Francisco.

I           Ramirez injured his thumb when the ball hit his thumb as he was sliding into second. He has a bruised right thumb.

“It hurts a lot,’’ Ramirez said. “I couldn’t sleep last night thinking, because I want to play. I knew right away I couldn’t play today. We’re fighting for a playoff spot. It’s kind of tough.’’

Backup catcher Paul Lo Duca, who would not have been in today’s lineup, also is hurt. Lo Duca has a bruised finger on his left hand. He was hit in the back of the catcher’s mitt on a pitchout to Ivan Ochoa in Wednesday night’s game.

Fredi Gonzalez had to use a slide rule, and some Tarot cards to put together today’s lineup, but at least he has Josh Johnson on the mound. He is trying to solve the Marlins’ problems in the No. 2 spot by putting John Baker there. Baker, a native of the Bay area, hit a pinch-hit three-run homer Wednesday that tied things at 5, before the Marlins lost 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth.

Here’s the lineup:

AMEZAGA SS

BAKER C

CANTU 3B

JACOBS 1B

UGGLA 2B

WILLINGHAM LF

ROSS CF

HERMIDA RF

JOHNSON P

August 20, 2008

Hanley Ramirez, Out with a Bruised Right Thumb

            Hanley Ramirez left the game in the fifth after bruising his right thumb while sliding into second on his stolen base in the third. Ramirez remained in the game through the fourth, but was lifted in the fifth and replaced at shortstop by Alfredo Amezaga.

            No word on how long the Marlins think he might be out.

Lo Duca in 2 Hole; Hermida to 8th -- Lineups

           Paul Lo Duca goes behind the plate and, with 4 for 12 career numbers against Giants starter Matt Cain, receives his first start with Marlins and bats second. Jeremy Hermida drops to 8th. Gonzalez says catcher John Baker is back in the starting lineup on Thursday when the Marlins wrap up the series.

          Matt Treanor, the Marlins' other catcher, will have his best man seated in the second row behind the dugout tonight, using flash cards to provide Olympic scoring updates from wife Misty May-Treanor's gold medal match in beach volleyball.

         Marlins: SS Hanley Ramirez, C Paul Lo Duca, 3B Jorge Cantu, 1B Mike Jacobs, 2B Dan Uggla, LF Josh Willingham, CF Cody Ross, RF Jeremy Hermida, P Scott Olsen.

         Giants: RF Randy Winn, SS Ivan Ochoa, CF Aaron Rowand, C Bengie Molina, 3B Rich Aurilia, LF Fred Lewis, 1B Pablo Sandoval, 2B Emmanuel Burriss, P Matt Cain.

August 19, 2008

Lineups by the Bay -- Marlins/Giants (Tuesday)

              The fog has lifted, the air is 60ish cool, and it looks to be a perfect night for baseball at AT & T Park, home of the Giants.

              Marlins: SS Hanley Ramirez, RF Jeremy Hermida, 3B Jorge Cantu, 1B Mike Jacobs, 2B Dan Uggla, LF Josh Willingham, CF Cody Ross, C John Baker, P Ricky Nolasco.

              Giants: LF Dave Roberts, SS Ivan Ochoa, RF Randy Winn, C Bengie Molina, CF Aaron Rowand, 1B Travis Ishikawa, 2B Emmanuel Burriss, 3B Ryan Rohlinger, P Kevin Correia.