There's bad blood in the Florida Marlins clubhouse, and it couldn't be between two worse people if the team wants to continue its dark horse run at a playoff spot. Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla got into a shouting match in front of reporters on Wednesday afternoon, forcing the Marlins to have a team meeting and close the clubhouse. At issue was the way Ramirez asked out of Tuesday night's game because of a hamstring injury. He was talking to reporters, telling them he felt "10 percent" healthy, but said he was planning to take the field against the Braves on Wednesday because of the way his teammates reacted to what happened the night before.
Uggla overheard what Ramirez was saying and that's when the fur started flying.
The final barbs centered on Uggla's assertion that Ramirez asked out of the game so that he'd be able to remain the National League's leading hitter.
"If you really wanted to win you would have never come out of the game," Uggla said. "Stand pat."There was more, helpfully transcribed by the Sun-Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez, but that's enough to get the general gist of the thing.
Ramirez: "Yeah, I'm 0 for 14. They think that's why. I'm still hitting .355. It's unbelievable. And arbitration, I've got arbitration next year so I have to sit on my numbers."
Uggla: "Yeah, you got your $70 million, so f------ win. What the f--- you have to come out of the game for?"
"I don't show nobody up on the field. You showed me up on the field! I never do that to nobody," Ramirez said, shouting now.
That's when [Marlins manager Fredi] Gonzalez intervened and asked the media to leave.
On the surface of things, it's hard to understand Uggla's stance. Ramirez has missed four games this season and has only missed 21 games over the last three seasons combined. That doesn't mean he's the sweetest guy on Earth or that he's going to get a "World's Greatest Teammate" mug in his Christmas stocking, but it doesn't really add up to someone who is eager to look for a way out of the lineup when he's feeling the slightest twinge.
Furthermore, if Uggla is sincere about his desire to win games, it behooves him and the rest of the Marlins to play without Ramirez for the final four innings of a game following a rain delay if it means getting him back in the lineup the next day. Ramirez, who wound up being scratched from the lineup, is the sole offensive reason why the Marlins aren't already mathematically eliminated and risking a further injury at this point in the season hurts the team a lot more than it hurts Ramirez.
Now there may be more than meets the eye to Ramirez's relationship with the rest of the Marlins, but, again, the superficial take is that Uggla picked the wrong battle to fight. And even if he's speaking for other members of the clubhouse, it's not hard to guess whose side the Marlins will take if push comes to shove.
Terrible Teammates
Hanley Ramirez, left, and Dan Uggla got into a shouting match in front of reporters on Wednesday afternoon, forcing the Marlins to have a team meeting and close the clubhouse. Click through to see teammate feuds in sports history.
Greg Fiume, Getty Images
Add former MLB pitcher Dave Stewart, left, to the list of people who dislike Jose Canseco. The 1989 World Series MVP said Canseco "was a bad teammate" and "concentrated more on himself than the team."
AP
Jonathan Papelbon, right, was the latest Red Sox star to take a shot at former teammate Manny Ramirez. Not too long after Curt Schilling ripped the slugger, Papelbon told Esquire magazine that Ramirez was like a "cancer" and "he had to go."
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The frustration over a lost season boiled over in Cleveland. Browns quarterback Brady Quinn, left, was allegedly punched in the face by former teammate Shaun Smith, following a heated exchange of words in the team's locker room in late December.
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Thomas Jones wasn't amused by Brett Favre's three-interception game in the regular-season finale. During a December radio interview, the Jets rusher said Favre should have pulled himself out of the game.
Al Pereira, Getty Images
In the wake of a report that Terrell Owens was purposely sabotaging his situation in Dallas because of Tony Romo's relationship with tight end Jason Witten, left, a second report leaked out claiming that Owens and Witten had a heated exchange in the Cowboys locker room and had to be separated. Both Owens and Witten denied any such incident occurred.
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After former Knicks star Stephon Marbury, left, reportedly refused to play in a game in November, Quentin Richardson said he no longer considered him a teammate. Marbury responded by saying his teammates "left him out for dead." He was released in February and signed a deal with the Celtics shortly thereafter.
Darren Hauck, AP
As the Mariners' miserable 2008 season came to a close, a clubhouse insider reported that one particular player wanted to "knock out" Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle's highest profile player. "It got to a point early on when I thought they were going to get together and go after him," said the source.
Lisa Blumenfeld, Getty Images
Prince Fielder, center, had to be held down by teammates after a duguout altercation in August with pitcher Manny Parra. While the Brewers wouldn't say what caused the scuffle, the incident raised tensions in the Milwaukee clubhouse.
Al Behrman, AP
Tampa Bay Rays teammates Dioner Navarro, left, and Matt Garza had a heated exchange on the mound during a loss to the Rangers in June 2008. TV cameras later caught Navarro and Garza shoving each other in the dugout.
ESPN
Comments (Page 1 of 3)
I gotta love the guy fights. :-)
If there was more to this why did you leave it out?
Maybe because it doesn't back your theory that Uggla is to blame?
I'll give Ramirez this, at least he speaks english.
We've got some guys on the Angels who've been in the league for years,Vlad Guerrero, and I still haven't ever heard them do an interview in english.
But that doesn't mean Hanley was at fault, as you correctly point out he doesn't miss many games.
What does the person native tongue have to do with whether he is right or wrong in this situation?
Uggla is an ass. Bad attitude, he needs to worry about he is playing himself.
The MLB should have the same rule as Japan...no more than 4 foreign players per team. Let's give some of the American college kids a chance to play, and stop having to put up with these Hispanic asshole attitudes.
Hey Solo,if one of those American college kids happens to be of Hispanic heritage does that still count?? What a bigot..
If a Purple with green hair player is better, he will be playing ahead of a player that is white, Hispanic or black.
Race or color today, fortunately, is not a factor.
If you are the better player, you will be higher on the depth chart, in any sport.
Just because Vlad is too lazy to learn English, it won't take away from his playing abilities.
Cano didn't speak English very well two years ago,
but to his credit, he does so now.
Matsui & Cabrera have interpreters still after three years and still do interviews with them.
If you can play, so what?
I couldnt agree with you more..we pay these third world ass holes millions of dollars and our kids sit...call me a bigot..God Bless Our Troops
You said it brother!
What are you dumb even if this was done he would still play, he is one of the best hitters in the MLB and if you are going to take out "hispanic assholes" you need to take out the white assholes as well. personally i dont care about what someones heritage or nationality is i would rather see the best players in the world play.
SOLO ur a dumb ass ur probably saying that cause u were cut from the team cuz sum hispanic took ur spot..... what u mean give the american college kids a chance??? maybe u should go help them to get better so they can get looked at by scouts MORON.... learn how the system works
i can play shortstop, call me
If you could really play shortstop, the Mets would have signed you 2 months ago!!!
I can play Second, call me !!!!
I'd say Uggla is a bit jealous. I would have smacked him right in the mouth.
again million dollar cry babies!
Hi everyone....my, my, my, The 3rd world country baseball players are much better than the ones that are sitting anywhere in the USA....ask yourself ...why are they not playing? Soon the hispanic race will rule the USA. Americans to lazy to work but eager to voice there opinion on anything they refuse to do. get off the sofa and please contibute to society. Thank You.
who are you taliking about wetb**k go back to mexico if you have something against americans leave
Luis, you have to realize that alot of the American players take time to get an education. The Latin American players practice and play year round. Also most jobs when working out of the country require you to learn the language. While making millions of dollars they could hire somebody to teach them. And no the Hispanics will not rule the U.S. Their might not be one after this president is through.
i can understand how some of these people feel im a mets fan an all omar minaya does hire latin ball players thats more bigot then anything