Results tagged ‘ Andrew Miller ’
Miller welcomes fresh start with Boston
They joined the Marlins together, and by chance they exited one day apart from each other.
In separate moves last weekend, the Marlins traded Andrew Miller to the Red Sox, and followed that up by dealing Cameron Maybin to the Padres on Saturday.
The two deals brought three big league-ready relievers to the Marlins.
But the trade also meant the Marlins are moving past their blockbuster 2007 trade when they sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit. Miller and Maybin were the two centerpiece players Florida received in return.
Miller and Maybin are both out of options, so the Marlins would have had to keep them on their 25-man roster or else risk losing them. That fact also is a big reason why both were dealt.
“I kind of knew something would happen with me,” Miller said in a phone interview. “I kind of knew.”
Despite things not working out in Florida, Miller (24) and Maybin (23) are still young enough to develop into solid big leaguers. It’s just a matter of time, Miller believes.
“I think it’s unfortunate,” Miller said of the deal not working out for Florida. “I still believe that one day Cam is going to be an unbelievable player. I believe for us, the time hasn’t come yet, and it’s going to click one of these days for us. We’ve seen flashes from Cameron and I believe I’ve shown them before.
“For both of us, when we find that consistency and put it together, it came happen for us. There is no doubt in my mind that it will. Unfortunately, that time didn’t come with the Marlins. But they certainly gave us some opportunities. I can say nothing bad about them.”
While Miller has been primarily a starter, the 6-foot-7 lefty expects to be competing for a bullpen job with Boston.
“I know what the situation is. I’m out of options,” he said. “Going to a club like that, I’m assuming I’m going to have to battle and to put myself on that team with just Spring Training. That’s basically what I have to look forward to. I think it’s a good opportunity whenever somebody makes a trade for you.
“My assumption is what they’re going to ask of me is relieving. If that is something to find my way onto a Major League team, then that’s certainly what I’m going to go after. Nothing is ever set in stone. If I’m relieving and doing well, and something pops up and I’m starting, then I’d think there is an advantage that I’ve started in the past. That’s really not my concern. My concern is doing everything I can to find myself on a 25-man roster.”
– Joe Frisaro
Morrison batting third
Looking to shake things up with the lineup, Logan Morrison was moved into the third spot for Florida on Sunday against the Cubs.
Morrison is riding a Marlins’ rookie record of reaching base, which stands at 37 heading into Sunday. The Marlins have lost five straight.
Hanley Ramirez is missing his third straight game due to left elbow inflammation.
1) Sam Fuld, CF
2) Darwin Barney, SS
3) Jeff Baker, 2B
4) Micah Hoffpauir, 1B
5) Tyler Colvin, RF
6) Bobby Scales, 3B
7) Brad Snyder, LF
8) Wellington Castillo, C
9) Jeff Samardzija, P
1) Emilio Bonifacio, SS
2) Cameron Maybin, CF
3) Logan Morrison, LF
4) Dan Uggla, 2B
5) Gaby Sanchez, 1B
6) Mike Stanton, RF
7) Wes Helms, 3B
8) Mike Rivera, C
9) Andrew Miller, P
– Joe Frisaro
Marlins-Phillies lineups
Due to flu-like symptoms, Cameron Maybin was scratched from Monday’s lineup.
The Marlins sent Andrew Miller to the mound to face the Phillies, who are going with Joe Blanton.
1) Shane Victorino, CF
2) Placido Polanco, 3B
3) Chase Utley, 2B
4) Ryan Howard, 1B
5) Jayson Werth, RF
6) Raul Ibanez, LF
7) Carlos Ruiz, C
8) Wilson Valdez, SS
9) Joe Blanton, P
1) Emilio Bonifacio, CF
2) Logan Morrison, LF
3) Hanley Ramirez, SS
4) Dan Uggla, 2B
5) Gaby Sanchez, 1B
6) Mike Stanton, RF
7) Chad Tracy, 3B
8) Brad Davis, C
9) Andrew Miller, P
– Joe Frisaro
Phillies-Marlins lineups Wednesday
The Marlins look to salvage a four-game split on Wednesday night with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Andrew Miller gets the nod, while Cole Hamels will start for the Phillies. Hanley Ramirez got the night off.
Ramirez was plunked in the back by a pitch on Monday, and he is a little sore. Nothing serious.
1) Emilio Bonifacio, SS
2) Logan Morrison, LF
3) Gaby Sanchez, 1B
4) Dan Uggla, 2B
5) Mike Stanton, RF
6) Wes Helms, 3B
7) Cameron Maybin, CF
8) Brad Davis, C
9) Andrew Miller, P
1) Shane Victorino, CF
2) Placido Polanco, 3B
3) Chase Utley, 2B
4) Ryan Howard, 1B
5) Jayson Werth, RF
6) Jimmy Rollins, SS
7) Raul Ibanez, LF
8) Carlos Ruiz, C
9) Cole Hamels, P
– Joe Frisaro
Gaby in lineup Friday
On a day he was suspended for three games by Major League Baseball, Gaby Sanchez was back in the Marlins lineup on Friday in the series opener with the Braves.
Sanchez is appealing his three-game penalty levied by MLB on Friday. Sanchez was involved in the melee with the Nationals on Wednesday night.
Friday also marked the return of Dan Uggla to the starting lineup. Uggla missed three straight games due to a strained right groin.
The Marlins on Friday also announced they selected the contracts of outfielder Scott Cousins and reliever Chris Leroux from Triple-A New Orleans.
Here’s the Marlins lineup for Friday: Cameron Maybin (CF), Logan Morrison (LF), Hanley Ramirez (SS), Dan Uggla (2B), Gaby Sanchez (1B), Chad Tracy (3B), Mike Stanton (RF), Brad Davis (C), Andrew Miller (P).
– Joe Frisaro
Nolasco concerned about knee
Ricky Nolasco, feeling discomfort in his right knee, is now doubtful to make his scheduled start on Friday against the Braves.
“He’s concerned about his knee,” Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said. “Right now, that’s the only thing I can say.”
Nolasco has a torn medial meniscus in his right knee. He went 11 days without pitching before he faced the Braves last Saturday (Aug. 28) at Atlanta.
In a rough outing, Nolasco gave up six runs in two innings, throwing 62 pitches, with 41 in the second inning.
Nolasco’s season may be over. The right-hander is 14-9 with a 4.51 ERA.
Andrew Miller, who took batting practice with the pitchers on Wednesday, is the likely replacement to face the Braves on Friday. But that has not been announced.
– Joe Frisaro
Nolasco has torn medial meniscus
Ricky Nolasco has been scratched from his start on Sunday with a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.
Andrew Miller will get the start in his place in the series finale with the Astros.
As of now, Nolasco isn’t going on the disabled list. The team will see if he will miss just one start.
“We’re going to wait and see, he’s going to miss one start,” manager Edwin Rodriguez told reporters after the game.
There is a chance he could go on the disabled list.
Best case scenario is Nolasco will miss one start and be ready to go on Saturday at Atlanta.
The right-hander is 14-8 with a 4.22 ERA.
In his last start, a win on Aug. 17 at Pittsburgh, Nolasco threw six-plus scoreless innings. In that game, he did some running on the bases as he had an RBI double and a run-scoring single.
Recently, Chris Coghlan underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
The medial meniscus is inside the knee. Players commonly have played through the injury, which is to cartilage in the knee.
Miller recently was called up to add a second lefty to the bullpen. The 25-year-old last started in the big leagues on July 19, 2009 against the Phillies.
– Joe Frisaro
Sim Game in the Rain
They started off throwing in a light drizzle. About 30 minutes later, when the conditions worsened under a steady rain, they were shut down.
Bottom line for Clay Hensley and Andrew Miller is they both got their work in on a day that didn’t seem possible.
With the Marlins having their lone off day of Spring Training, Hensley and Miller were scheduled to pitch. Initially, they were called in on Monday to throw in a scrimmage on Field 2 of the Roger Dean Stadium complex.
Because of the rain, the scrimmage didn’t take place, and instead, the two threw to batters in a simulated game that lasted about 30 minutes. Batters were hitting under a cage, and the two pitchers dealt with messy conditions. There weren’t any fielders.
Hensley, a non-roster invitee, continues to improve his chances of winning a rotation spot. In three innings — including a four-out inning due to a low pitch count — he didn’t allow a run. Of his 32 pitches, 18 were for strikes.
On a couple of occasions the right-hander slipped after throwing a pitch. A sinker-ball pitcher, Hensley induced nine groundballs out of the 11 batters he faced. He struck out two. His fastball topped out at 88 mph, and he was mainly throwing in the 85-86 mph range. Velocity isn’t a major issue with him, as long as his sinker is breaking downward, which it has all camp.
“He commands all his pitches,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He’s putting himself into position where he can fill a role easy.”
The Marlins are looking for two remaining rotation spots. Miller and Hensley are candidates, along with Chris Volstad, Rick VandenHurk and Hayden Penn.
Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco have been named the Nos. 1 and 2 starters, and Anibal Sanchez is regarded as the No. 3 starter, although that hasn’t been announced. Volstad is a frontrunner to be the No. 4 starter.
Gonzalez added that Hensley, if he is not in the rotation, could still win a bullpen spot.
The left-handed Miller threw 43 pitches with 23 strikes, and he had four strikeouts and two walks in the sim game.
Miller’s velocity was 92-93 mph in wet conditions on Monday.
When they were done throwing on the field, Miller and Hensley threw some more pitches under a covered bullpen.
Either Henlsey or Miller could start on Saturday against the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium.
Johnson, meanwhile, will face the Mets on Friday at Roger Dean Stadium. Because Johnson will pitch against New York on the April 5 opener at Citi Field, the team doesn’t want to showcase him too much to the Mets before Opening Day.
The way Johnson’s rotation schedule is shaping up, however, he was in face them on Friday and on March 31 at Port St. Lucie.
Gonzalez said on Monday that Johnson will not face the Mets twice to close out Spring Training. But he will see them once, on Friday in Jupiter. On March 31, Johnson most likely will throw in a Minor League game.
Typically, in their last Spring Training appearance, starting pitchers have their pitch count scaled back to about three innings. Johnson threw 80 pitches on Sunday against the Nationals. He could go to about 100 pitches on Friday.
– Joe Frisaro
Forecasting roster spots
Speculating on who will stay and go is part of the fun in Spring Training.
In Marlins camp, there are some interesting position battles going on, and as we head into the final two weeks, here are some things to follow.
Based on conversations and observations, it looks as if the backup position player spots are coming into focus.
Obviously, until moves are official, anything can happen. But taking the temperature of the ballclub as of Saturday afternoon, it looks like the position players off the bench may be Ronny Paulino, Wes Helms, Emilio Bonifacio, Brian Barden and Mike Lamb.
The Marlins every day outfield, if healthy, is set. Unlike last year, when Jeremy Hermida was frequently removed for defensive reasons in the late innings, there may not be a need for a defensive outfield replacement. Chris Coghlan, Cameron Maybin and Cody Ross won’t be coming out of games because of their defense.
Bonifacio, meanwhile, can play center field, as well as infield. Cody Ross, who will play right field, also can move to center field, if needed.
Barden has been on the team’s radar for more than a year, and chances are good that he will break camp with the club. Now that they have him, he is a quality defensive infielder who can play shortstop, second and third base. On Sunday in Viera against the Nationals, he subbed in at third base.
Gaby Sanchez most likely will win the first base job. If in late innings, the Marlins take Sanchez, a rookie, out for whatever reasons, Jorge Cantu can slide from third base to first base. Barden could get playing time at third in that scenario. Helms, the primary pinch-hitter option, also could fill that role.
Defensively, Barden is very good. He may be this year’s version of Alfredo Amezaga, who is now with the Dodgers.
Lamb, meanwhile, has the edge as the left-handed bat off the bench. In Spring Training, Lamb is 5-for-15, with a .375 on-base percentage. Lamb hasn’t struck out in Spring Training. To fill that lefty situational role, the Marlins are looking for someone who makes contact.
Primarily a first and third basemen, Lamb also could be the emergency third catcher.
It is looking like Jorge Jimenez, the Rule 5 claim who was dealt to Florida as part of the Matt Lindstrom trade, may not fit into the Marlins plans right now. If the Marlins indeed decide to keep Lamb, then Jimenez would likely be offered back to the Red Sox, his original team. Jimenez is 3-for-18 thus far.
Again, the team hasn’t officially made any final decisions, and jobs could still be won based on merit, or if there are injuries.
Typically, how players are used in these final two weeks will indicate what roles the club is considering. The Marlins soon will be looking to give their regulars more playing time, which limits opportunity for prospects who project to open in the Minor Leagues.
On Monday, the Marlins are off, and two starting pitching candidates are slated to throw in Minor League games on the back fields at Roger Dean Stadium — Andrew Miller and Clay Hensley.
– Joe Frisaro
(in photo, Brian Barden)
Lineups vs. Braves on Wednesday
The Marlins will face the Braves on Wednesday afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium.
Back in the lineup for the first time since March 7 is Cameron Maybin, who is slated to play center field. Maybin has been out with a strained left groing. Jorge Cantu, out since Saturday with flu-like symptoms, also is scheduled to play.
Today’s game will be televised on Fox Sports Florida.
1) Nate McLouth, CF
2) Martin Prado, 2B
3) Chipper Jones, 3B
4) Troy Glaus, 1B
5) Brian McCann, C
6) Yunel Escobar, SS
7) Jason Heyward, RF
8) Matt Diaz, LF
9) Tommy Hanson, P
1) Chris Coghlan, LF
2) Cameron Maybin, CF
3) Hanley Ramirez, SS
4) Jorge Cantu, 3B
5) Logan Morrison, 1B
6) Hector Luna, 2B
7) Bryan Petersen, RF
8) Brad Davis, C
9) Andrew Miller, P
– Joe Frisaro
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