March 2010
J.J. ready for Opening Day
It wasn’t classic J.J., but it wasn’t any reason to be alarmed about either.
Josh Johnson’s final tuneup before Opening Day was basically a chance to stretch out to close to 100 pitches.
The Marlins ace gave up three solo home runs in 4 2/3 innings on Wednesday against the Mets. He struck out five. About the best news is his pitch count reached 92. Although he had a few full-count situations, he didn’t walk a batter.
“I finally got some consistency,” Johnson said. “I threw some good pitches. But not great results at times.”
It was one of those awkward outings. Johnson was taking the mound against the team he will see in New York Monday on Opening Day at Citi Field.
Typically, teams try to avoid matching pitchers late in Spring Training against teams they will see the first week of the season.
It was unavoidable with Johnson.
Johnson had the task of balancing getting his work in while trying not to reveal too much of what he will throw in five days.
“Of course, I’ve still got to work on some stuff,” Johnson said. “I was trying to not show everything. Show them some stuff, but not everything.”
The Mets, for instance, didn’t match Johan Santana, their Opening Day starter, against the Marlins.
Johnson says there are benefits to avoiding seeing the same hitters.
“Not facing me for six months,” he said. “Maybe there is an element of surprise. They see how my fastball is right now. I don’t think it was great today. It was a little inconsistent.”
A positive from Wednesday is the fact Johnson was back in a competitive environment. A stomach virus caused him to miss his last start. The illness also disrupted his preparation over the past week. He hasn’t been able to run the way he normally does or lift weights.
“It was tough. I haven’t run in five days, which is a little tough,” Johnson said. “Other than that, I was a little behind.”
– Joe Frisaro
Marlins-Mets lineups
The Marlins and Mets are squaring off in Port St. Lucie on Wednesday.
Josh Johnson, Florida’s Opening Day starter, will be making his final Grapefruit League appearance. Johnson will be on about an 80-pitch limit. The right-hander was scratched from his last start with a stomach virus, and he is still in the process of regaining all his strength.
Johnson will face New York on Monday at Citi Field.
MARLINS
1) Chris Coghlan, LF
2) Cameron Maybin, CF
3) Hanley Ramirez, SS
4) Mike Lamb, 3B
5) John Baker, C
6) Donnie Murphy, 2B
7) Gaby Sanchez, 1B
8) Bryan Petersen, RF
9) Josh Johnson, P
METS
1) Angel Pagan, CF
2) Luis Castillo, 2B
3) David Wright, 3B
4) Mike Jacobs, 1B
5) Jason Bay, LF
6) Jeff Francoeur, RF
7) Russ Adams, SS
8) Omir Santoss, C
9) Nelson Figueroa, P
– Joe Frisaro
VandenHurk, Wood optioned
Shortly after the Marlins beat the Nationals, 9-5, on Tuesday, the Marlins made a roster move that completes how the pitching staff will shake down.
Rick VandenHurk and Tim Wood were each optioned to Triple-A New Orleans. VandenHurk will be in the New Orleans rotation, while Wood will pitch in relief.
The transactions came a few hours after Florida obtained lefty Nate Robertson from the Tigers in exchange for lefty prospect Jay Voss.
The starting rotation will be — Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad and Robertson.
Clay Hensley is making the team as a long reliever, instead of the fifth starter.
Barring any other moves, the bullpen will feature: Leo Nunez, Brian Sanches, Jose Veras, Renyel Pinto, Dan Meyer, Burke Badenhop and Hensley.
– Joe Frisaro
Marlins acquire Robertson from Tigers
It appears a left-hander will be in the Marlins rotation after all.
On Tuesday the Marlins finalized a trade with the Tigers that returns left-hander Nate Robertson to Florida for lefty prospect Jay Voss.
Robertson, 32, went 2-3 with a 5.44 ERA with the Tigers in 2009, appearing in 28 games with six starts.
This will be Robertson’s second stint with the Marlins. Drafted in the fourth round by Florida in 1999, he made his MLB debut with the club in 2002, appearing in six games.
The Marlins traded Robertson to the Tigers in 2003 as part of the Mark Redman trade. The deal helped Florida win the 2003 World Series, because Redman was a big part of the rotation.
Redman went 14-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 29 starts for the Marlins in their title season.
Before being finalized on Tuesday, the Robertson deal first had to receive the approval of the commissioner’s office, because more than $1 million was being exchanged.
Robertson is signed for $10 million this season.
The left-hander has appeared in six Grapefruit League games for the Tigers, with three starts. He’s 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA, with 19 strikeouts and seven walks in 19 2/3 innings. He had been in competition for a
rotation spot with Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman.
In 202 MLB games, Robertson has made 169 starts over eight seasons.
Robertson would be the lone left-hander in Florida’s rotation.
The rotation had been shaping up to feature Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad and Clay Hensley.
– Joe Frisaro
Marlins-Nationals lineups
The Marlins and Nationals will square off on Tuesday afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium. Chris Volstad and Garrett Mock will be the starting pitchers for the 1:05 p.m. ET contest.

1) Nyjer Morgan, CF
2) Cristian Guzman, SS
3) Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
4) Adam Dunn, 1B
5) Mike Morse, LF
6) Adam Kennedy, 2B
7) Ivan Rodriguez, C
8) Willy Taveras, CF
9) Garrett Mock, P

1) Chris Coghlan, LF
2) Cameron Maybin, CF
3) Dan Uggla, 2B
4) Mike Lamb, 3B
5) Ronny Paulino, C
6) Gaby Sanchez, 1B
7) Bryan Petersen, RF
8) Brian Barden, SS
9) Chris Volstad, P
– Joe Frisaro
Maybin robs Wright
In his mind, Cameron Maybin has made the play “a hundred times.” On Monday, the Marlins 22-year-old center fielder actually did it in a game.
In the first inning, Maybin went back to the wall in center field, and made a leaping grab to rob David Wright of a home run at Digital Domain Park in Port St. Lucie.
“How about that, it’s kind of cool,” Maybin said after the Marlins lost 7-6 to the Mets. “It hit my glove, and I couldn’t tell if I caught it or not. I felt it hit my glove. I pulled my arm back over [the wall], and it was in my glove. It was kind of cool.
“I’ve never, ever robbed a home run in all the years I’ve been playing.”
Maybin’s standout play came with two outs in the first inning. Anibal Sanchez had struck out the first two batters he faced on six pitches. Wright got a hold of a pitch, and on a windy afternoon, the ball kept drifting. Maybin at first didn’t think the ball was travel that far, but he heard right fielder Bryan Petersen yell, “Wall!”
“I think the wind definitely took it,” Maybin said. “I heard Petey say, ‘Wall!” at the last minute. I actually just reached my arm out, and it was over the wall. I just stayed with it. It was easier than I expected. I thought it was supposed to be harder than that.”
Ironically, the Mets were starting center fielder Gary Matthews Jr., who has made some of the most famous catches to rob home runs in history.
“He made the tough one, though,” Maybin said of Matthews Jr. “He made one of the toughest ones you’ll ever see.”
Asked if he thought about robbing homers.
“A hundred times, but it didn’t quite go like that in my head,” Maybin said. “It was more like Gary Matthews, running up the wall, and making a spectacular one like that. It saved a run. I’ll take it. Anibal was pretty pumped after that too.”
Coming off the field, no one knew if Maybin really had the ball, because he didn’t show it. As he was approaching the dugout the first base umpire asked for the ball.
“He asked me just to make sure I had the ball,” Maybin said.
About a week ago in a B Game in Jupiter against the Mets, there was an incident where an outfielder robbed a homer. Or did he? As he ran off the field, he never showed the ball, and some wonder if a catch was really made.
Maybin exited the game in the fourth inning for a pinch-runner when he was on third base. The reason he was taken out was precautionary. He has been dealing with a strained left groin, and he felt a little tightness on a wet field.
Maybin says he is fine and should play on Tuesday at home against the Nationals.
– Joe Frisaro
Penn claimed off waivers by Pirates
Hayden Penn, who was out of options, has been claimed off waivers by the Pirates.
Penn had been in the mix for a rotation spot.
In five Grapefruit League starts, Penn made two starts. He was 1-0 with an 8.31 ERA, he walked four and struck out four.
The Marlins entered Spring Training with Penn as part of the mix for a rotation spot. But Clay Hensley has locked up the fifth rotation spot.
– Joe Frisaro
Marlins-Mets lineups for Monday
On a wet afternoon, the Marlins and Mets are taking the field at Digital Domain Park in Port St. Lucie.
Anibal Sanchez and Jon Niese are the starting pitchers.

1) Bryan Petersen, RF
2) Cameron Maybin, CF
3) Hanley Ramirez, SS
4) Jorge Cantu, 1B
5) Dan Uggla, 2B
6) John Baker, C
7) Hector Luna, 3B
8) Brian Barden, LF
9) Anibal Sanchez, P

1) Angel Pagan, LF
2) Alex Cora, 2B
3) David Wright, 3B
4) Daniel Murphy, 1B
5) Jeff Francoeur, RF
6) Gary Matthews Jr., CF
7) Henry Blanco, C
8) Ruben Tejada, SS
9) Jon Niese, P
– Joe Frisaro

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