"The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies — behemoths both — kept on trucking when Alex Rodriguez and Chase Utley were injured and missed chunks of time this season. But when Hanley Ramirez has been missing in action, the Marlins have flopped big time.

No wonder the team is looking forward to his return this week.

Ramirez, out since Aug. 3 with a shoulder injury, is working his way back into playing shape in the minors and could be back in the lineup before the end of the week.

"He's a key factor even though he hasn't had the year he usually has," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said.

Ramirez was hitting just .243, nearly 100 points lower than his league-leading .342 average in 2009, when he landed on the disabled list for the second time this season. Despite his off season, the Marlins have tanked in his absence.

The Marlins are 50-39 in games Ramirez has started and an abysmal 9-33 when his name has not appeared on the lineup card.

There's not a soul on the team who believes Ramirez is the only cause for the disparity in record. But there's no question his presence in the lineup — or lack thereof — has a profound effect."