May 2010

Hanley benched for lack of effort

Hanley Ramirez fouled a ball off his lower left leg in the first inning on Monday night, and an inning later, he was out of the game.

The reason he was removed, manager Fredi Gonzalez said, was a lack of effort after he was shaken up.

“We expect an effort from 25 guys on this team, when that doesn’t happen, we’ve got to do something,” Gonzalez said after the Marlins lost 5-1 to the Diamondbacks.

On the foul ball, the Marlins All-Star shortstop was hobbled, and although he continued to play, he wasn’t right.

Gonzalez didn’t rule out Ramirez not playing on Tuesday.

Ramirez fouled a 93 mph fastball from Arizona’s Edwin Jackson. Initially he was trying to walk it off, until he stopped and hunched over. Gonzalez and assistant trainer Mike Kozak tended to Ramirez, who resumed his at-bat.

He collected himself on the next pitch, he bounced into a 6-4-3 double play.

In the second inning, Ramirez was involved in a play where he was clearly slowed. The Diamondbacks put runners on first and second with no outs. Tony Abreu lifted a soft popup that dropped in short left field.

With left fielder Chris Coghlan charging in, Ramirez was sprinting out for the ball. As the shortstop reached for the ball, he inadvertently booted it into the left field corner.

Not at full speed, Ramirez slowly chase on the ball, as two runners scored and Abreu ended up at third base. He was charged with an error, and the Diamondbacks scored three runs in the inning, with two earned.

When the Diamondbacks half of the second inning ended, Ramirez and Gonzalez had a few words before the shortstop headed to the clubhouse.

Brian Barden replaced Ramirez at the top of the third inning.

Ramirez is batting .293 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs on the season.

– Joe Frisaro

 

Monday lineup vs. D-Backs

After pulling off a four-game sweep of the Mets, the Marlins open a two-game set with the Diamondbacks on Monday night at Sun Life Stadium. Chris Volstad gets the start for Florida, with Arizona going with Edwin Jackson.

 

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1) Chris Coghlan, LF

2) Gaby Sanchez, 1B

3) Hanley Ramirez, SS

4) Jorge Cantu, 3B

5) Dan Uggla, 2B

6) Cody Ross, RF

7) Ronny Paulino, C

8) Cameron Maybin, CF

9) Chris Volstad, P

– Joe Frisaro

 

Even a bit off, Nolasco wins

Call it a sign of maturity, or perhaps Ricky Nolasco is just that good.

Maybe it’s a bit of both.

Encouraging for Nolasco and the Marlins on Sunday was the right-hander was able to piece together a quality start when he didn’t have his quality stuff.

ricky-nolasco.jpgThe box score from the Marlins’ 10-8 victory over the Mets will read that Nolasco gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings. He allowed six hits, struck out three and walked two.

Overall, not bad numbers. They were good enough for Nolasco to improve to 4-2 while lowering his ERA to 3.59.

What the linescore didn’t reveal was his fastball velocity was down a little bit. He was at 88-89 mph for most of the game, occasionally reaching 91. Once he topped at 92 mph.

“I felt terrible,” Nolasco said.

Over the course of 30-plus starts in a season, pitchers will have good and bad days. Nolasco’s velocity, on a good day, is between 92-94 mph. There is nothing physically wrong with Nolasco. It was his eighth start, in a day game, and he wasn’t at his sharpest. That was clear by the fact he threw 95 pitches with 54 for strikes.

In his previous start — at Chicago on May 11 — he threw 95 pitches with 69 strikes in seven innings.

“This is one of those games where I pretty much had to go out there and battle,” Nolasco said. “What I’m proud of myself is I battled. The offense did a great job.

“I’m not very happy with how I threw the ball. That’s going to happen. I move on to my next start.”

Another positive from Sunday’s win is it was another outing where the Marlins starting pitcher worked deep into the game. In the month of May, only once has a Florida starter given up more than four runs in an outing.

The rotation’s record in May is 9-3 with a 2.97 ERA.

MARLINS ALL-TIME WINS LEADERS:

Dontrelle Willis 68

A.J. Burnett, 49

Brad Penny 48

Ricky Nolasco 44

Ryan Dempster 42

Josh Beckett 41

Josh Johnson 37

Pat Rapp 37

– Joe Frisaro

Marlins-Mets Sunday lineups

For the first time all season the Marlins have won three straight. They go for four in a row against the Mets on Sunday afternoon at Sun Life Stadium.

Ricky Nolasco makes the start for Florida, with Jon Niese going for New York.

 

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1) Jose Reyes, SS

2) Alex Cora, 2B

3) Jason Bay, LF

4) Chris Carter, RF

5) David Wright, 3B

6) Ike Davis, 1B

7) Angel Pagan, CF

8) Henry Blanco, C

9) Jon Niese, P

 

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1) Cameron Maybin, CF

2) Gaby Sanchez, 1B

3) Hanley Ramirez, SS

4) Jorge Cantu, 3B

5) Dan Uggla, 2B

6) Ronny Paulino, C

7) Cody Ross, LF

8) Brett Carroll, RF

9) Ricky Nolasco, P

 

– Joe Frisaro

 

Marlins-Mets Saturday lineups

The Marlins go for their first three-game winning streak of the season on Saturday night at Sun Life Stadium. Nate Robertson goes for his fourth win, while the Mets counter with John Maine.

 

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1) Jose Reyes, SS

2) Luis Castillo, 2B

3) Angel Pagan, CF

4) Jason Bay, LF

5) David Wright, 3B

6) Ike Davis, 1B

7) Jeff Francoeur, RF

8) Rod Barajas, C

9) John Maine, P

 

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1) Chris Coghlan, LF

2) Gaby Sanchez, 1B

3) Hanley Ramirez, SS

4) Jorge Cantu, 3B

5) Dan Uggla, 2B

6) Cody Ross, RF

7) Cameron Maybin, CF

8) Brett Hayes, C

9) Nate Robertson, P

 

– Joe Frisaro

 

Baker on DL, Petersen recalled

The Marlins on Saturday placed catcher John Baker on the 15-day disabled list, retro to May 13, with a right flexor muscle strain.

Outfielder Bryan Petersen was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans.

The Marlins added catching depth on Thursday when Brett Hayes was recalled from Triple-A.

In Spring Training, Baker was bothered by a right forearm muscle strain, and he missed considerable time.

Ronny Paulino has been playing mroe of late behind the plate. Paulino initially was platooning with Baker.

Outfielder John Raynor, who was returned to the Marlins after being a Rule 5 claim with the Pirates, is now playing for Triple-A New Orleans. Raynor had been seeing some action in extended spring in Jupiter.

– Joe Frisaro

 

Uggla ties D-Lee

With two swings of the bat on Friday night, Dan Uggla gained a piece of Marlins history.

Batting cleanup with Jorge Cantu getting the night off, Uggla connected on two home runs off Mets lefty Oliver Perez.

uggla1b.jpgNow with 129 for his career, Uggla tied Derrek Lee for third place all-time in Marlins history.

The Marlins went on to win, 7-2, and Uggla finished with four RBIs.

Prior to Friday, Uggla had never homered from the cleanup spot. Not that he had a lot of opportunity there. He entered the game with 11 at-bats while hitting fourth. Now, he has two homers in the prime power spot. The two-time All-Star second baseman has hit primarily fifth all season.

Uggla has 61 career homers while batting No. 2, where he hit first few seasons. In his first two years, Uggla primary batted between Hanley Ramirez, who led off back then, and Miguel Cabrera.

The past few years he has batted mostly in the fifth spot, where he has 42 career homers.

Friday marked the 10th time in his career that Uggla has hit two homers in the game. He last did it on June 20, 2008 at Oakland.

Marlins All-Time HR leaders:

Mike Lowell 143

Miguel Cabrera 138

Dan Uggla 129

Derrek Lee 129

Jeff Conine 120

– Joe Frisaro

(Photo courtesy of Kelly Gavin/Florida Marlins) 

 

 

Marlins Friday lineup

Jorge Cantu is getting a breather on Friday night in Game 2 of a four-game set with the Mets.

The Marlins won 2-1 on Thursday night, and with a victory on Friday, they would even their record for the season.

 

 

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1) Angel Pagan, CF

2) Luis Castillo, 2B

3) Jose Reyes, SS

4) Jason Bay, LF

5) David Wright, 3B

6) Ike Davis, 1B

7) Jeff Francouer, RF

8) Rod Barajas, C

9) Oliver Perez, P

 

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1) Chris Coghlan, LF

2) Gaby Sanchez, 1B

3) Hanley Ramirez, SS

4) Dan Uggla, 2B

5) Cody Ross, RF

6) Wes Helms, 3B

7) Ronny Paulino, C

8) Cameron Maybin, CF

9) Anibal Sanchez, P

 

– Joe Frisaro

 

Marlins shuffle lineup

The Marlins will have a revamped lineup on Thursday night when they face the Mets at Sun Life Stadium.

The pitching matchup features Josh Johnson against Johan Santana.

Brian Barden is getting his first start of the season at second base on Thursday, with Dan Uggla getting the night off.

Earlier on Thursday, the Marlins optioned outfielder Bryan Petersen to Triple-A New Orleans, and recalled catcher Brett Hayes.

MARLINS:

1) Chris Coghlan, LF

2) Brian Barden, 2B

3) Hanley Ramirez, SS

4) Jorge Cantu, 3B

5) Cody Ross, CF

6) Ronny Paulino, C

7) Gaby Sanchez, 1B

8) Brett Carroll, RF

9) Josh Johnson, P

– Joe Frisaro

 

 

 

 

Marlins lineup for Wednesday

The Marlins haven’t swept a three game series all season. For that matter, they haven’t won three in a row, either.

They get a chance to do both on a chilly Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Chris Volstad will start for Florida with the Cubs going with Carlos Silva.

 

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1) Chis Coghlan, LF

2) Gaby Sanchez, 1B

3) Hanley Ramirez, SS

4) Jorge Cantu, 3B

5) Dan Uggla, 2B

6) Ronny Paulino, C

7) Cody Ross, CF

8) Brett Carroll, RF

9) Chris Volstad, P

 

 

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1) Kosuke Fukudome, RF

2) Starlin Castro, SS

3) Marlon Byrd, CF

4) Derrek Lee, 1B

5) Geovany Soto, C

6) Alfronso Soriano, LF

7) Mike Fontenot, 2B

8) Jeff Baker, 3B

9) Carlos Silva, P

 

– Joe Frisaro

 

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