Marlins News

"First baseman Mike Jacobs was out of the Florida lineup for the second consecutive game with tightness in his left quadriceps, an injury that came during Wednesday's game against Milwaukee. Jacobs, who has missed time this season with an injured middle finger, said he felt good Friday and wanted to be in the lineup."

"Ricky Nolasco was off to an outstanding start for the Marlins on Friday night, but with two outs in the fourth, the wheels came dangerously close to flying off. Nolasco didn't panic, finished up the inning with little damage and got back to business. As did the Marlins. Nolasco (2-3) surrendered one run in six solid innings of work as Florida won its fifth in a row with a 7-3 victory on a chilly night over Washington at Nationals Park. The first-place Marlins, off to the best start in franchise history at 21-14, have won six of seven."

"Right-hander Ricky Nolasco, who has struggled to close out innings, didn't finish Friday night's 7-3 victory over Washington, but his one-run, four-hit performance was good enough to give the Marlins their best start in franchise history through 35 games "

"Lambasted for their major league-low $21 million payroll and perpetual trading of star players, the Marlins are finally keeping one in the fold. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez told an acquaintance he has agreed to the framework of a six-year, $70 million extension. That ranks as the richest contract in franchise history, topping the six-year, $61 million deal Gary Sheffield received in April 1997. Ramirez's contract is pending a physical and an official announcement might not come until early next week."

"Whether it has been at Nationals Park or Dolphin Stadium, the formula has been roughly the same: One of the Marlins' young, if unrefined, starters manages to silence Washington's offense, while the Nationals get hurt repeatedly by a free-swinging offense they've yet to figure out. Last night's 7-3 loss to the Marlins — the Nationals' sixth in seven games against Florida this season — followed that recipe almost exactly. The Marlins got ahead early, roughed up Tim Redding for the second time this season and ran their record to 21-14, the best start in franchise history. "

"Last night, veteran outfielder Luis González delivered the blow that widened the margin in the Marlins' 7-3 victory, a three-run double in the sixth. Florida right-hander Ricky Nolasco countered with his best outing of the year, six innings in which the Nationals managed just four hits and scored just once."

"Marlins first baseman Mike Jacobs, who hurt his left quadriceps Wednesday, was not in the starting lineup against the Brewers on Thursday night, but was available to pinch-hit. Jacobs could return to the lineup against the Nationals on Friday."

"The last time the Marlins were in first place this late in the season was 2002, and players stars such as Josh Beckett, Derrek Lee and Mike Lowell were leading the charge to the top of the National League East standings. On Thursday night, it was unheralded players such as Jorge Cantu, Matt Treanor and Logan Kensing who sparked Florida to a 7-2 victory over Milwaukee and into first place alone in the NL East."

"Statistics are superfluous with Luis Gonzalez, 40, though, because the numbers can tell you nothing of how interwoven he has been to this sweet surprise of a season. Gonzo'' is one of the vital, indispensable pieces of this team not for what you see on the field but for what you don't see, in the clubhouse."

"The game was long, but the result was quick. It took the Marlins 3 hours, 19 minutes to do it, but in completing a three-game sweep of the Brewers with a 7-2 win at Dolphin Stadium on Thursday, the 2008 Marlins joined the 2004 club as the quickest to 20 wins (34 games)."

"And he misses us. That's the news from Detroit. It's surprising news in a sense. Cabrera misses the near-empty stadium, misses the awful baseball market, misses the unbearable weather delays, misses the team hamstrung by payroll, misses the guys in the clubhouse, most obviously of all."

"Marlins starters held the Brewers to a .174 average in the six-game season series. The relievers held them to a .145 mark, yet after Thursday's 7-2 win at Dolphin Stadium it was the Marlins who were glad to see them go. "I'm glad we don't play them again the rest of the year," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "That's a good lineup they run at you.""

"Back-to-back series sweeps as it appears the lineup is actually swinging the brooms they are being brushed away with. The second sweep was completed by the Florida Marlins, who sent the Brewers back home with a 7-2 loss, their sixth consecutive defeat, to drop them two games below .500 and leave the clubhouse baffled, dazed and utterly frustrated."

"How far can Scott Olsen go? The Marlins aren't sure, but Olsen's pitch limit appears to be right around 120 pitches. Olsen set a career high with 120 pitches April 9 against Washington in a 7 2/3-inning outing, and he used 121 pitches to go 8 2/3 innings Tuesday. Olsen left the game with two outs in the ninth with the bases loaded. But manager Fredi Gonzalez said Wednesday he wasn't sure if the 120-pitch count was 100 percent physical."

"Who was the best player the Marlins received in the whopper trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for six prospects? How about Burke Badenhop? That's right, Badenhop, the kid Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez affectionately calls ``the Hopper.'' Badenhop might just have leaped into the lead of former Tigers helping the Marlins stay in first place in the National League East. He looked that good Wednesday night in the Marlins' 6-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers, and he felt even better after getting his first big-league victory."

"Like starter Scott Olsen, catcher Mike Rabelo fell just short of a career first Tuesday night. Olsen on two occasions came within a strike of his first complete game. That's a feat Rabelo has yet to experience behind the plate. Rabelo had limited opportunities with the Tigers as a rookie last season, appearing in 51 games behind regular catcher Pudge Rodriguez."

"Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla made sure their home runs were free of legitimacy issues. Their back-to-back shots off Bush in the sixth inning accounted for three runs and propelled the Marlins to a 6-2 win over the Brewers at Dolphin Stadium. The Marlins' fourth set of consecutive homers this season came in support of rookie Burke Badenhop, who recorded his first major league win after allowing two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings."

"With advance apologies to Hillary Clinton, it takes a village to raise an ace. Or, to put it another way, there's plenty of credit to go around in explaining the stunning rise of Scott Olsen, he of the 2.22 ERA that is tied for fourth in the National League. Everyone from his manager to his pitching coach to a couple of pitching elders to his mother to his anger-management counselor to his catchers and even his agent had to be incredibly proud of the performance Olsen turned in here Tuesday night."

"If you're looking for a sophomore jinx to bring down Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, don't bother. At least don't mention it to Braun. ''No, I don't believe it that,'' said Braun, who is in town with the Brewers for a three-game series against the Marlins. ``I guess you could say I'm off to a slow start, but it's a long season. I'm not worried about [a sophomore jinx]. I work too hard to worry about it.''"

"So the Brewers had to dip back into the starting pitching well, retrieving Dave Bush, who was sent down to Class AAA Nashville, where he made one start before being recalled to the Brewers and making a relief appearance Saturday. But no one is mistaking Bush for Gallardo. And his fourth loss of the season - 6-2 to the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night at Dolphin Stadium - cemented that fact."

"The Marlins had just beaten the Brewers 3-0 and Scott Olsen was walking into the clubhouse when he spotted a group of reporters. ''So close,'' Olsen said. He didn't need to say another word. He had a no-hitter until the fourth inning, gave up two hits all game -- on a night that arguably was the best of his career -- and won his fourth game of the season."

"Apparently, the Marlins' front office was so overwhelmed with questions about Jacque Jones that it felt compelled to issue a blanket no-comment through the media relations staff. That was somewhat peculiar, because rarely do the Marlins confirm or deny interest in anybody. The Jones speculation is predictable, considering less than a year ago the Marlins had a deal in place to acquire the left-handed hitting outfielder from the Cubs. Jones later was traded to the Tigers, and Monday he was designated for assignment after starting the season 13 for 79 (.165) with a homer and five RBI."

"He came within a strike of the first Marlins complete- game, one-hitter in almost five years. A handful of pitches later he came within another strike of ending the franchise's nine-inning complete game drought at 212. "So close," starter Scott Olsen said, before disappearing into the clubhouse after his winning 8 2/3-inning, 121-pitch performance. Yet Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Brewers at Dolphin Stadium wasn't about what Olsen failed to accomplish. It was about what the Marlins succeeded in accomplishing, namely remaining one game off the best start in team history after 32 games (19-13)."

"Just a scratch past the first month of the season and the Brewers' offense isn't hiccupping. It is downright dry-heaving. Their slide continued Tuesday night at Dolphin Stadium as Florida Marlins left-hander Scott Olsen dominated for nearly nine innings and blanked the Brewers, 3-0. The loss dropped the Brewers to the .500 mark for the first time this season as they have lost four in a row. And the excuses are getting old."

"Outfielder Brett Carroll has been with the Marlins since Friday afternoon, having been called up from Triple A Albuquerque (N.M.) before Florida's game against San Diego. Recalled when left fielder Josh Willingham hit the 15-day disabled list, Carroll wasn't sure what his role with the Marlins would be. On Sunday, he saw his first action since his return to the majors, pinch-hitting in the eighth inning and taking over in left for the final inning. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Carroll probably would get a start in the upcoming series against Milwaukee."

"Mike Rabelo arrives in the clubhouse every day, looks at the lineup card and only then finds out if he'll be starting. That's life, at least Rabelo's version, as a Marlins catcher. But, on most days, the 28-year-old from New Port Richey has another element to his routine: He plays. Before sitting out Sunday afternoon's win against San Diego, he hasn't started a day game this season, Rabelo had served as Florida's starting backstop in 15 of 21 games since coming off the disabled list. "

"Scott Olsen settles onto the home dugout bench at Dolphin Stadium, shades and ballcap on, both legs fidgeting, staring straight ahead at a field beginning to stir with pregame activity. He's ready to talk about himself. Ready to proclaim, with absolute conviction, he's the same guy he was last year and the year before. The guy who got a black eye from a close friend. Who showed up his superstar teammate. Who flipped off the city of Milwaukee. Who incited a feud over a defective jersey. Who got beaten and shocked by police and spent a night in jail."

"That lexicon has been ingrained with baseball players and fans for two decades. This summer marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Bull Durham, widely regarded as the most realistic if not the best baseball movie ever made. For guys like Nelson, Lee Gardner and Doug Waechter, the movie has additional significance because they all had stopovers with the Durham Bulls on their way to the major leagues."

""It's a little bit of frustration, and a little bit of trying to get us going," Gonzalez said after the Padres were pasted 10-3 for their seventh consecutive series defeat. "Maybe he was feeling we were a little dead in the dugout. It was a little more of him trying to get a fire under us than him being mad at the umpires. "I think it was the right time to do it." When Holbrook banished him to the air-conditioned clubhouse at Dolphin Stadium, Black met up with starting pitcher Greg Maddux."

"Cody Ross got a rare start in center field Sunday and, even more of a rarity, he was batting from the leadoff slot. Ross, who has made seven starts this season, isn't used to leading off, and said Sunday he couldn't remember the last time he had done so. ''It only matters in that first at-bat,'' he said after Sunday's start, in which he went 1 for 4 against right-hander Greg Maddux. He had an RBI single off Maddux's final pitch of the day. ``It's no different than batting at any other spot in the lineup other than you'll get more chances. It's fun, though. You get in there and start the game.''"

"Greg Maddux made his major-league debut on Sept. 2, 1986, and it is doubtful Marlins starter Andrew Miller paid much attention. Toddlers rarely have more than a passing interest in baseball. Miller, who was born in 1985, had his best start as a Marlin on Sunday in a 10-3 victory over the San Diego Padres at Dolphin Stadium that denied Maddux his 350th career victory."

"The one with the shaved head is the son of a nuclear physicist. The one with tattoos wallpapering nearly every inch of his body is part Cherokee Indian. The one who throws pellets is an Idaho Mormon. The one from Texas is Irish. The one who dresses the loudest but talks the least is from Venezuela. The closer wears funky, Clark Kent glasses. The long reliever's family is involved in a Christian ministry that counsels prisoners. ''We're a strange group, I'll agree with that,'' said Kevin Gregg, the bespectacled one. They're the Marlins' seven relievers."

"Greg Maddux made his major-league debut on Sept. 2, 1986, and it is doubtful Marlins starter Andrew Miller paid much attention. Toddlers rarely have more than a passing interest in baseball. Miller, who was born in 1985, had his best start as a Marlin on Sunday in a 10-3 victory over the San Diego Padres at Dolphin Stadium that denied Maddux his 350th career victory."

"Cody Ross joked last week he had plenty of experience leading off. Not the game, but the third inning. Sunday, he led off the third inning yet again, only this time it wasn't his initial at-bat. For the first time in his career, Ross' name appeared atop the lineup card. Upon unveiling his new-look lineup Friday, manager Fredi Gonzalez said it was probable Ross would hit first against left-handers and games Alfredo Amezaga didn't start against righties."

"Any win credited to Miller this season is big for the Marlins, who supported their lauded lefty's six-inning, two-run effort with 16 hits in a 10-3 thumping of the San Diego Padres at Dolphin Stadium. The series-winning victory came at Maddux's expense. Making his fourth bid at 350, Maddux allowed five runs (four earned) on 11 hits through 5 2/3 innings."

"The hitters will tell you when you're finished. That's been true ever since Cy Young was still a pitcher and not an award. Former 20-game winner Matt Morris, even at 32, found this out recently in Pittsburgh. Randy Johnson, with an ERA pushing five, may be finding this out in Arizona, and he will hardly be the last hurler to get the memo in such a cold, cruel fashion. Greg Maddux? He may be 42 and the Marlins may have cuffed him around for 11 hits on Sunday, marking the second time in four starts he has surrendered at least that many, but something tells you he will be smart enough to get out while the getting's good. He certainly isn't going to stick around just to pad his already Cooperstown-worthy numbers."

"The Florida Marlins seldom play in front of home crowds half as large as those in San Diego, yet since joining the major leagues in 1993, the low-revenue Marlins have won two World Series, which is two more than the Padres have won since entering the majors in 1969. What did the Marlins do that the Padres haven't done? They spent more aggressively, scouted better and tapped into Latin America. A bit of luck also helped."

"Jake Peavy seethed as he approached the dugout, slammed his cap down and, blue eyes bulging, screamed a few choice words. "You've gotta be kidding me," Peavy yelled. No, Peavy wasn't impersonating a Padres fan. But on this balmy night at Dolphin Stadium, it was the only tirade the last-place Padres inspired, at least among their own. San Diego, which had lost 13 of its past 16 games, got at least one hit from all eight field starters and eased to a 7-2 win over the Marlins, though not before Peavy fumed over his inability to close out the sixth inning."

"Pitching isn't the problem with the San Diego Padres, so when they actually score some runs, opposing teams are in big trouble. The Marlins found that to be the case Saturday night. The Padres scored three runs in the fifth inning, giving reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy plenty of cushion to beat the Marlins 7-2 in front of an announced crowd of 37,689 at Dolphin Stadium."

"Manager Fredi Gonzalez already rearranged his batting order. The way the backend of the rotation is performing, maybe a starters' shakeup isn't far behind. Remove Mark Hendrickson and Scott Olsen from the equation and the four pitchers that have started for the Marlins are a combined 2-8 with an 8.36 ERA. Ricky Nolasco was charged with the last of those defeats Saturday after giving up six runs on 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings of a 7-2 Padres win at Dolphin Stadium."

"Hard-throwing reliever Matt Lindstrom had a magnetic resonance imaging test performed on his lower back before Thursday's game, but the Marlins are waiting to see if the pain and stiffness will subside with regular treatment. Lindstrom, a right-hander, was lifted from his outing in the eighth inning Wednesday when he gave up two runs and three hits in a third of an inning... Last season, Lindstrom also experienced back pain, which he alleviated by sleeping on a hard floor. ''I might have to go back to the floor again,'' he said. ``I'll try whatever.''"

"Left fielder Josh Willingham was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday, with Brett Carroll recalled from Triple A Albuquerque (N.M.). Willingham hasn't played since Sunday in Milwaukee because of a sore lower back. Willingham has been placed on the DL retroactive to Monday, so if his back feels better, he could return May 13 in Cincinnati."

"With the Marlins riding a season-high three game losing streak and leading hitter Josh Willingham lost for at least the next 10 games, manager Fredi Gonzalez decided to tinker with his lineup. Gonzalez saw immediate results Friday night. Florida's new-look produced a first inning run and Dan Uggla -- dropped to sixth in the lineup -- hit two home runs as Florida ended its losing ways with a 6-4 victory in front of 14,562 (not including 754 canines) at Dolphin Stadium."

"Hanley Ramirez hasn't been miscast as a leadoff man, but few would argue his offensive range includes the middle of the order. With cleanup hitter Josh Willingham placed on the disabled list Friday, the Marlins will insert Ramirez in the three hole for the next several games. Willingham's balky back will sideline him through May 12. Friday, he went to see a specialist, but the hope is he'll be ready to return as soon as he's eligible."

"Dan Uggla's two homers probably weren't enough to steal any scenes from Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson on Friday. But Uggla should still consider it a successful screen test. Uggla put a pair of Justin Germano pitches in the seats, the second coming with two on in the sixth, as the Marlins topped the Padres 6-4 at Dolphin Stadium. Luis Gonzalez added his 349th homer in support of Mark Hendrickson (5-1), who pitched seven innings."

"The Padres have 132 games to salvage a season that's threatening to go "poof" just as fast as the Marlins' three home run balls zoomed Friday night. All three homers, which rocketed Florida to a 6-4 win, came on slow balls from Padres starter Justin Germano."

"Marlins left fielder Josh Willingham was placed on the 15 day disabled list on Friday afternoon. Brett Carroll was recalled from Triple A Albuquerque. Willingham hasn't played since Sunday in Milwaukee because of a sore lower back. Willingham has been placed on the DL retroactive to Monday, so if his back is OK, he would be eligible to return May 13 in Cincinnati. "

"The Dodgers extended their major-league leading six-game run on Thursday by beating the Florida Marlins, 5-3, at Dolphin Stadium, scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on the very kind of opportunity they failed to convert so often earlier in the year."

"Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez gave each of his seven relievers a disposable razor after Wednesday's rocky loss and ordered them to shave off the mustaches they had started to grow. Gonzalez thought the mustaches had changed the luck of the bullpen, which was going fine until the Los Angeles Dodgers hit town. So much for that idea. On Thursday, clean-shaven closer Kevin Gregg gave up two runs in the ninth and the visiting Dodgers completed a sweep of the Marlins with a 5-3 victory."

"Third baseman Jorge Cantu's stated goal in spring training was to re-establish his offensive credentials after two down seasons, and he has gotten a solid start. Cantu, entering Wednesday's game, was hitting .309 with 10 doubles, three homers and 10 RBI. He has nine multi-hit games and leads the team with four three-hit games."