MLB FanHouse

Footprints in the Snow: Marlins

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

The Florida Marlins finished second in the NL East, six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies and were in the thick of the wild-card race up until the final weeks of the season. When you think of the bright, young pitching staff in Florida anchored by Josh Johnson and featuring Ricky Nolasco and Chris Volstad, you reason that the Marlins finished well in 2009 because of their hurlers. That notion is actually a fallacy -- only Johnson finished with an ERA under 4.00 among the starters who compiled at least 25 starts. The Marlins stayed in the race because of their hitting, plain and simple. Three hitters -- Dan Uggla, Hanley Ramirez and Cody Ross -- bopped 24 or more home runs, and as a team the Marlins finished fifth in the National League in runs scored.

The landscape in Miami might change a lot this offseason. Florida has already shipped under-performing Jeremy Hermida to Boston and many expect Uggla to be exchanged soon for a multitude of cheap, young players.

Who Might Leave

Nick Johnson, 1B; Brendan Donnelly, RHP; Kiko Calero, RHP; Ross Gload, INF.

Shopping List

Just about every arbitration-eligible player that the Marlins have is on the trading block, save one -- Josh Johnson. Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Ricky Nolasco and Cody Ross will all be shopped around, creating some uncertainty about what position players like Chris Coghlan and Emilio Bonifacio will play in 2010.

The positions that Florida will likely try to fill when they ship these players out will depend on who actually gets shipped. Uggla is the most likely to be in a different uniform before the new year, so they'll look for a less expensive option at second base, unless Bonifacio moves over or Coghlan leaves the outfield. The Marlins will also look for a first base option, should Johnson leave.

The Marlins also may look to shore up the middle of their rotation and they have a definite need for bullpen help, maybe even a new closer. Florida is unlikely to be able to afford to keep both Matt Lindstrom and Leo Nunez. Lindstrom is most likely to be dealt, which would leave Nunez in place to close out games. But if Nunez departs, and most feel that won't happen as the Marlins feel he's the better suited to be the team's closer, Florida may look for a new shut-down relief pitcher to pitch the ninth inning.

Money Matters

When it comes to matters of the pocketbook, the Marlins' first rule is to spend less unless it's time to pay for a World Series title. The Marlins have successfully bought the championship twice, but 2010 won't be a year they'll make a run for No. 3. Expect the team to work from a shoestring budget and to offer up many of the arbitration-eligible candidates.

The Marlins entered 2009 with a payroll of just under $37 million. They'll be hard-pressed to come in under that number in 2010, but you had better believe that they will try. This is where Uggla, Cantu and Ross come into play. If the Marlins want to make sure they come in under the $40 million mark, at least two of these, if not all three players must be dealt for as many prospects as the team can manage in return, especially since Florida has made it known that they would like to re-sign first baseman Nick Johnson.

Offseason Goals

The cost-cutting measures the Marlins would like to put into place isn't the only area of instability for Florida. There is some shaky news on the injury front as well. Both Hanley Ramirez and Jorge Cantu ended the season hurt, but are expected to be ready to begin spring training on time. Marlins center field prospect Cameron Maybin also had shoulder surgery in November. Florida was counting on him to start the season in center. If he's unable to make that happen the Marlins will have to retool the outfield, which could have a trickle-down effect on the entire roster. Expect the Marlins to be a little younger in 2010, but that's not necessarily a bad decision. They won't go overboard with the youth movement, at least not enough to endanger their hopes for another deep run of contention. They won't be good enough to threaten Philadelphia, but the 2010 Marlins could press for the wild card with a few good transactions this winter.

Footprints in the Snow: Marlins originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NL Rookie of the Year: Florida Marlins' Chris Coghlan

Ed Price — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, MLB Awards

The National League featured a strong class of rookies in 2009, and although Florida left fielder Chris Coghlan didn't get called up until May 8, he impressed enough to win the Rookie of the Year award from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Coghlan wasn't named on seven of the 32 ballots (which included three players each) but had 17 first-place votes to 10 for Philadelphia left-hander J.A. Happ.

Atlanta right-hander Tommy Hanson was third in the voting, with Pittsburgh center fielder Andrew McCutchen fourth.

Upon his promotion to the majors, Coghlan was inserted as the Marlins' left fielder, and three weeks later he became the team's leadoff man -- two roles he had never been asked to do. But it never stopped him from hitting, and Florida went 67-54 in his starts.

How They Voted
Voting for 2009 NL Rookie of the Year (5 points for a first-place vote, 3 for second, 1 for third):
Player, Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Pts
Coghlan, Marlins	17	6	2	105
Happ, Phillies	10	11	11	94
Hanson, Braves	2	6	9	37
McCutchen, Pirates	2	5		25
McGehee, Brewers	1	3	4	18
Wells, Cubs		1		3
G.Jones, Pirates			2	2
E.Cabrera, Padres			1	1
Fowler, Rockies			1	1
G.Parra, D-Backs			1	1
Rasmus, Cardinals			1	1

"You never know until you live with a guy what kind of guy he is," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said in September. "I tell you what, he's off the charts. You see him day in, day out -- you see the character, you see the work habits, you see the grit.

"You label certain guys as 'baseball players.' And he's one of those guys. And if next spring training you said, 'Hey we need you to maybe catch,' he'd say, 'OK, let's go.' "

Coghlan, 24, batted .321 -- best by a rookie since Albert Pujols in 2001. And Coghlan had 113 hits after the All-Star break, easily the most in the majors (Derek Jeter has 102) and most by anyone since 2004.

He led the majors in hits in September with 47, most by a rookie in September since 1928. He also had the most August hits by a rookie (47) since 1954. And no NL player had 94 hits over a two-month span since Dave Parker in 1978.

Coghlan led NL rookies in runs (84), total bases (232), doubles (31) and on-base percentage (.390).

Happ went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA and two shutouts in 35 games (23) starts for the Phillies. He tied for third in the NL with three complete games.

In 21 starts for the Braves, Hanson was 11-4 with a 2.98 ERA and .225 average allowed.

More coverage: Oakland's Bailey Wins AL Award

McCutchen hit .286 with 12 homers, 54 RBI, 74 runs scored and a .471 slugging percentage after being called up when the Pirates traded Nate McLouth to the Braves in early June.

In all, 11 rookies earned at least one point in the 5-3-1 voting system.

Coghlan is the third Florida player to be named Rookie of the Year, after Dontrelle Willis in 2003 and Hanley Ramirez in 2006.

NL Rookie of the Year: Florida Marlins' Chris Coghlan originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marlins Ready to Replenish Again

Frankie Piliere — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, Prospects, Scout's Eye View

It can be frustrating to be a Florida Marlins fan as star after star is sent on their way to richer organizations. One thing has remained constant, however. The talent continues to flow throughout their player development system. They draft well, coach well, and even without shelling out the big bucks, they find talent through international free agency.

Maybe they have trouble holding onto these guys once they blossom into big-league stars but there is no end in sight to their seemingly endless pipeline of young talent. So, as we continue to examine farm systems that could have an impact on 2009 and beyond, Florida has to be taken into account. No, it will not be dealing away any prospects but the outstanding minor-league depth once again will allow it to sell off its more expensive major leaguers.

The Next Wave

Michael Stanton, OF -- There aren't too many talents floating around the minor leagues with as dynamic a skill-set as Stanton, pictured above and to the right. What's most interesting about him is the way he approaches his at-bats and the huge power he's able to produce. This is not your typical pull-happy, over-swinging young slugger. Watching him take batting practice is a fascinating sight as he spends at least a couple rounds not only focusing on taking the ball to right field, but driving shots out of the park that look like they should be coming off the bat of a left-handed slugger.

He has a compact swing and has a calm at the plate few young hitters can match. What the Marlins have here is a superior athlete with special physical skills that has evolved into a nearly complete ballplayer. It won't be too long until he's making a splash with the big club.

Matt Dominguez, 3B -- The polish has not yet arrived for Dominguez, and he may not be on the verge of bursting onto the big stage, but the physical tools are clearly present. Fans will be most curious about his bat but his glove nearly guarantees him a big-league future. He's especially quick to his backhand side and has the arm to pull off the spectacular play. His good hands may carry him to a Gold Glove sometime down the road.

At the plate, the ball jumps off his bat and he could develop into a 25-homer type of hitter. However, given his occasional front-foot approach and often sloppy mechanics it's difficult to see him hitting for a high average. There's a lot of room for him to grow both physically and mechanically as a player.

Jake Smolinski, 3B -- With Dominguez in the system it's easy to see how Smolinski could be glanced over, but, you won't find too many guys who make hitting look as pretty as this 20-year-old. He has solid tools across the board, but nothing that jumps out. That is, of course until you get to his hitting tool. A player who works very hard at his craft in the cage, Smolinski has the profile of a perennial .300 hitter with some power to all fields.

His stance and swing mechanics resemble Evan Longoria's, and although he likely won't develop that type of power, he is as consistent a line-drive hitter as you'll find in the minors. If he can stay healthy and maintain his compact stroke, it's difficult to envision him hitting many roadblocks on his way up. This is a major sleeper and he could be a big part of Florida's future.

The Future of the 'Pen?

Steven Cishek, RHP -- If Florida needs a bullpen arm sometime in 2010, Cishek could come up and be a viable option pretty quickly. In his fastball and slider, he is the owner of two plus pitches and has the command of each to allow him to quickly move up the ladder. He mixes in a changeup now and then, but primarily works off the fastball and slider. His fastball sits at 91-93 mph, and he has shown the ability to reach 95 when needed. The slider has looked a little inconsistent at times, but the majority were plus, swing-and-miss pitches at 82-85 mph.

What makes him so difficult, however, is his funky leg kick and three-quarters delivery. He's very difficult for right-handed hitters to pick up, and he also has enough command to combat lefties. This is not a guy who will need to be used situationally. What the Marlins may have in him is a setup man who can pitch multiple innings. Cishek may have only reached advanced Single-A ball this year, but he has a veteran's approach and is not far off from contributing in the majors.

Daniel Jennings, LHP -- With their ninth-round selection in 2008, the Marlins may have netted themselves quite a steal. Jennings was outstanding at three levels this year, ending the season at Double-A. Jennings probably has the stuff to start, but Florida has elected to use him in the 'pen. He showed plus command for the most part, although during the year he hit a patch where he struggled with his control. But, when he's on, he throws his 90-93 mph fastball and sharp breaking ball at 80-83 for strikes.

He likes to pound the zone and work quickly, and shows off a very calm, professional demeanor. Jennings has the raw stuff and command to miss both left-handed and right-handed bats and could fill a key setup role on a contending club. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think Jennings could be pitching in the majors by the end of 2010.

Jhan Marinez, RHP -- In 2008, Marinez was scuffling in the Gulf Coast League. What I saw in 2009 was perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the minor leagues. At first it was curious why a a pitcher with an ERA north of 6.00 in rookie ball a season before would warrant such a big jump all the way to advanced Single-A ball with Jupiter (Fla.). The reason became clear the first time I saw Marinez enter a game. As he sat 96-99 mph, touching 100 in his first inning of work, it was apparent that the 21-year-old righty had experienced a tremendous velocity spike. In other outings, the velocity remained consistently around 95-97 mph, touching the upper 90s with ease.

Marinez also owns a slider, which at this stage is rather inconsistent, but has shown flashes of being an above average offering. When he has both pitches working, he is essentially unhittable at the minor-league level. He's still very raw and inexperienced, but with a superb breakout 2009 season, showing the type of explosive stuff he had on display, Marinez must be placed squarely on the prospect radar screen.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

Marlins Ready to Replenish Again originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hermida Could Pay Off Big for Red Sox

Frankie Piliere — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:49:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Brewers, Marlins, Red Sox, Twins, White Sox, MLB Transactions, Scout's Eye View

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down offseason moves from a scouting perspective.

It hasn't taken long for the Hot Stove to get heated up as we roll past the World Series. Some key players have already been locked up and some high upside trades have already gone down. What do these moves mean for each club involved and how will the players dealt respond to their new homes? Just as significant, how important will the prospects dealt turn out to be?

From Mark Teahen headed to Chicago, to the Carlos Gomez for J.J. Hardy swap, to Bobby Abreu's new deal with the Angels, each move had a distinct impact. Perhaps the most interesting of these, however, was Jeremy Hermida being shipped to Boston. For the price of a pair of young lefties, the Red Sox took a gamble that may prove very worthy.

There was a time when Jeremy Hermida was a can't-miss outfielder, considered pretty much unanimously to be one of the top prospects in all of baseball. For the former Marlin, those days were many setbacks ago. But make no mistake, there was good reason he was held in such high regard on his way up through the minor leagues. The raw power potential is still very much there and he has the skills that any scout points to with excitement.

On the other hand, the story of a player with physical skills that doesn't pan out has been retold many a time. So, did Boston get the player who never reaches that high ceiling or one it can help turn the corner?

There's no clear answer here, but it's safe to say that Boston has a good track record with left-handed hitters in recent years. Giving a guy like Hermida something to shoot for with that inviting Green Monster in left field will be fascinating to watch. It could very well put him in a better frame of mind at the plate. If they can get him confident in his ability to drive the ball to the opposite field, he could still blossom into the .300-hitting, 20-homer bat scouts envisioned a few years ago.

Considering his contract, his injury trouble and his failure thus far to reach his potential, Hermida is most definitely a gamble for the Red Sox. That only leaves the issue of the players that Boston sent to Florida in return.

First, there is lefty reliever Hunter Jones. With a fastball hovering around 86-88 mph, Jones is not a guy who figures to ever be a key setup man in a major league bullpen. If he's going to have a career, it's going to have to be against left-handed hitters. He relies heavily on his sweeping breaking ball and has shown he can have some success against tough lefty bats, but all things considered, this isn't a player Boston fans need to be concerned about dealing for a high-upside player like Hermida.

Jose Alvarez, the second and even lesser known of the two lefty arms Boston sent to the Marlins, also does not profile as a savior in this deal for Florida. After scouting him back in spring training, my impression of Alvarez was not an uncommon one. This isn't a pitcher with standout skills or projectability. There are some things to like about the 20-year-old southpaw, who finished the season at advanced Single-A, but he is not going to wow anyone with his raw stuff.

He's a feel pitcher with plus command of his pitches, and that control is going to need to remain for him if he's going to have success at higher levels. His fastball sits at 86-89 mph and he relies heavily on his two average secondary pitches. He has confidence in his changeup and has proved he could locate his 74-77 mph breaking ball against lefties.

The main concern with Alvarez is his over-aggressiveness in the zone. He gets too much plate when he's ahead in the count for a pitcher with less-than-electric stuff. Overall, there is enough there for him to have a role in a big-league bullpen, but given his smallish frame and current stuff there isn't a lot of upside.

If there is gamble for Boston in picking up Jeremy Hermida, it is not because it gave up high upside talent to get him. Clearly this was about dumping salary from the Marlins' perspective, and that is the positive they must take from this, because the talent they received doesn't come close to equaling Hermida's upside.

Quick Hits

o. We've yet to see how this year's market will take shape, but Bobby Abreu will not be left hanging like he was last year as it evaporated before his eyes. The pairing of him and the Angels is a perfect one, as his patient approach brings a balance to their aggressive lineup. With potential losses of key players elsewhere on its roster looming, this was a big move for Los Angeles. You know what Abreu will give you going into a season, and the Angels can now plan around him when constructing their 2010 lineup.

o. Carlos Gomez was one of the centerpieces of the Johan Santana trade, but things just never got off the ground for him in Minnesota. It was evident at times that both his attitude and careless play did not mesh with the hard-nosed, mistake-free brand baseball the Twins like to play. In that regard, you have to credit the Twins for being unafraid of dispatching a player for whom they clearly had high hopes. From a Brewers perspective, it can not hurt to give a player with physical gifts like Gomez a fresh start. Despite his struggles, there is still tremendous upside there. Of course, if J.J. Hardy can return to his peak offensive form, we might look at the Twins' side of the deal as one of the steals of the offseason.

o. He's never had overwhelming numbers, but from a scout's perspective there are a number of reasons Mark Teahen could continue to develop offensively. He's shown some of his best power to the opposite field, but it would be nice to see him learn to spin on the good fastball inside. That is about the only thing that's prevented him from taking off at the plate, and that's how opposing pitching will continue to try to get him out. The White Sox obviously hope he puts it all together with them.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

Hermida Could Pay Off Big for Red Sox originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeremy Hermida Traded to Red Sox

Matt Snyder — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, Red Sox, MLB Transactions

With the conclusion of the World Series, it appears Major League Baseball isn't wasting any time thrusting us directly into Hot Stove season. In the midst of Mark Teahen rumors, we have been served our first actual trade. The Boston Red Sox have acquired 25-year-old outfielder Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins for pitchers Jose Alvarez and Hunter Jones.

Thus far in his career, Hermida has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that come for someone with his natural abilities. A former first-rounder once said to have five-tool potential, Hermida has hit .265 with a barely above average OPS through just over 3 1/2 seasons in the bigs. Of course, some circumstances should be considered.

Remember, Hermida will enter 2010 at the ripe, young age of 26. It's not like he never has a chance to live up to the first-round expectations. Secondly, he's been playing home games in the spacious Land Shark Stadium. Despite an outlier last season (where it somehow, inexplicably, became a hitter's park), the Marlins' home field is traditionally rough on power hitters. Hermida's splits show he has had trouble hitting at home, and we have a perfect sample upon which to judge.

Through his career, Hermida has played exactly 258 games at home and on the road. At home, he's hitting .253 with 23 home runs, 94 RBI and a .721 OPS. On the road he's hitting .276 with 34 home runs, 116 RBI and an .815 OPS. Clearly, the ballpark was doing a number on Hermida.

Another plus is he'll get to join a much more potent lineup in Boston, though it appears he may not have an immediate starting spot. Hermida is a corner outfielder, as are Jason Bay and J.D. Drew. Bay is a free agent and it's not a sure thing the Red Sox re-up with him. It should also be noted Hermida's name was in the mix in the Manny Ramirez trade rumors in the summer of '08 -- a move that eventually landed the Red Sox Bay. Thus, Theo Epstein and company may have had their eyes on Hermida for a while. Maybe they wouldn't mind replacing Bay with him, however, a source told FanHouse that the trade will not effect the Red Sox' effort to retain Bay.

Perhaps it's just insurance in case they can't sign Bay?

As for the players the Marlins received, Jones is a 25-year-old lefty who had a 4.25 ERA in 53 Triple-A innings this year. He appeared in 11 games for the Red Sox and was roughed up for a 9.24 ERA. Alvarez looks like the Marlins' prize in the deal. He only made his way to Single-A-Advanced this season, but put up a 2.26 ERA in 26 total outings. He is a 20-year-old left-hander.

Jeremy Hermida Traded to Red Sox originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fredi Gonzalez Will Be Back in 2010

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:22:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, NL East, MLB Rumors

Last February, Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez signed an extension that would keep him in Miami until 2011, and after his team finished the season in second place in the NL East you wouldn't think there'd be any reason why the team wouldn't honor that contract. Then word broke out that the Marlins were interviewing Bobby Valentine for a position with the team, but they wouldn't say what that position was.

This fueled speculation that Gonzalez wasn't going to be back for the 2010 season, but on Tuesday sources confirmed that Fredi has nothing to worry about.

Sources have confirmed what Ken Rosenthal first reported, that Fredi Gonzalez will return as Marlins manager.

"There is nothing to that -- zero," a source told Rosenthal about rumors that Fredi's job was on the line.

An announcement from the Marlins was expected this afternoon. No word yet on the fate of the coaches.

The Marlins held an organizational meeting on Monday and team owner Jeffrey Loria was reportedly upset that the team didn't make the playoffs this season and therefore killed the whole "World Series championship every six years" theme they've had going on for a while.

It's a good thing cooler heads prevailed because Gonzalez has done a nice job since taking over the Marlins job in 2007. The team finished in last place in the division that year with a 71-91 record, but they've improved each year since despite the losses of players like Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

Fredi Gonzalez Will Be Back in 2010 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Wild West Weekend on Tap

Andrew Johnson — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Dodgers, Marlins, Rays, Rockies, Tigers, Twins, NL West, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the NL West race will come down to the final weekend of the regular season.

The Rockies held on for a 4-3 win over the Dodgers Friday night, cutting Los Angeles' lead in the division to one game behind shortstop Troy Tulowitzki's 32nd home run of the year and 10 strikeouts from Ubaldo Jimenez.

The Dodgers, who lost their fifth straight, have already won the season series, meaning that Colorado will have to win the final two games of the regular season in L.A. to win the division since both teams have already clinched playoff spots.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Jorge De La Rosa and Jason Marquis, winners of a combined 31 games this year, will start the Rockies' final two games, but 21-year-old Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who will face De La Rosa on Saturday, will pose a significant obstacle to Colorado's hopes of stealing away the NL West.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Don't expect to see Cody Ross again this season. The Marlins outfielder, sidelined since last weekend after getting hit on the wrist by a pitch, hasn't played since Saturday because of lingering soreness in the area. It's unlikely Ross will play again this season, but that won't stop him from trying.

"I want to get back out there," Ross said. "I want to finish the season. I don't want to finish on the bench."

Numbers Game ...
CC Sabathia and Adam Wainwright fell short in their respective bids to win 20 games Friday, marking the second time in the last four years that Major League Baseball will not have a 20-game winner. Wainwright was well on his way to a 20th win, carrying a 6-1 lead into the seventh inning, but the Brewers scored six times in that frame (two of the runs were charged to Wainwright) erasing him from the decision.

"This is right there with the most disappointing, toughest regular-season losses that I can remember," manager Tony La Russa said. "It was an important win for us if we can get it with what was at stake. Adam has been so great all year long. I'm really, really disappointed."

The Cardinals rallied to win the game 12-6.

In Their Own Words ...
"Every one of those balls was just scorched. I mean, I don't think I've ever hit five balls hard like that in a row. He hit them all really hard, too." -- Rays utilityman Ben Zobrist on B.J. Upton's cycle -- the first in Tampa Bay franchise history and a feat Upton accomplished in just five innings. The Rays center fielder finished with five hits and six RBI.

Advance Scouting ...
The Twins are within a game of the Tigers in the AL Central, but their biggest hurdle to tying Detroit awaits Saturday against the Royals. Minnesota must face top Cy Young contender Zack Greinke (4:10 PM ET), who is 16-8 with a 2.06 ERA this year, needing to win out and the Tigers to lose on of their remaining games just to force a playoff. Nick Blackburn, starting on three days of rest, will go for the Twins.

Starting Five: Wild West Weekend on Tap originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: No Match for Nolasco

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Marlins, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Braves are all but done in the NL wild-card race, not that there was anything they could do about it. Atlanta, which had surged into contention over the last few weeks, ran into the Marlins' Ricky Nolasco Wednesday night.

He was on -- very on -- and now the Braves' playoff push is off.

Nolasco struck out 16, a Marlins record, including a stretch where he fanned nine in a row, one shy of the major league record of 10 straight held by Tom Seaver.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"I haven't had that feeling since high school, when you pretty much have a good idea what's going to happen," said Nolasco. "I would never think I would strike out this many hitters against this lineup."

Any Braves loss or Rockies win over the final four days of the regular season will mathematically eliminate Atlanta.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Stop us if you've heard this one before: A Met suffered an injury setback. All-Start shortstop Jose Reyes, out since May 20 with an assortment of nagging hamstring injuries including a torn tendon, further damaged the area, meaning he will almost certainly require surgery in the offseason. Reyes, who relies on his speed as much as any player in baseball, is now not a sure thing to be ready for spring training next year.

Numbers Game ...
Roy Halladay threw his ninth complete game of the season against a vastly depleted Red Sox lineup. It's the third time Halladay has gone the distance nine times in a season. Only five other pitchers have thrown that many completes game in a season this decade -- all of them once -- and only CC Sabathia last year exceeded that total. Doc has 47 complete games since 2000, 11 more than the next closest pitcher, Livan Hernandez.

"It's obviously a nice way to finish," Halladay said. "It's fun when you get runs like that. It takes a lot of the pressure off."

In Their Own Words ...
"I'm sure he had pine tar on his cap. He didn't have any problem getting a grip. Balls like that can generate a lot more movement than a slick ball that hasn't been rubbed up." -- Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan on Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo. Duncan insinuated that Arroyo had pine tar on his cap during St. Louis' 6-1 loss and complained to the umpiring crew that the baseballs being used at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati weren't rubbed up properly. Apparently clinching a playoff spot did little to take the Cardinals off edge.

Advance Scouting ...
Weren't the Rockies just clinging to the wild-card lead over the Braves? All of sudden Colorado's magic number is one and it'll take its first crack at clinching a playoff spot in a Thursday matinee against the Brewers. Aaron Cook will start for the Rockies against Milwaukee's Manny Parra (3:10 PM ET). If Cook can deliver, Colorado will head to Los Angeles for the final three games of the season with a real chance to pass the NL West-leading Dodgers, who are 2 1/2 games ahead in the standings.

Starting Five: No Match for Nolasco originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Greinke's Cy Case Grows

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, Red Sox, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Zack Greinke is doing everything in his power to win the American League Cy Young Award.

The Royals ace will not get anywhere close to 20 wins, but he did pick up his 16th of the year with seven innings of one-run ball against the Twins. He's now won five straight decisions dating back to Aug. 25 and his ERA is down to 2.06. As pointed out by FanHouse's Jacob Wheatley-Schaller, if Greinke pitches seven shutout innings in his final start of the year next Saturday in Minnesota, he'll finish the year with his ERA under 2.00.

Only one AL pitcher in the last 15 years -- Pedro Martinez in 2000 -- has thrown more than 200 innings in a season and finished with a sub-2.00 ERA

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Greinke departed the mound at Kauffmann Stadium to a loud ovation, a reaction that made him very uncomfortable.

"It's pretty annoying, actually," Greinke said of the cheers about the Cy Young Award. "I don't like it at all. I guess it's nice that they'll do that, but it's annoying to me."

No matter how much the right-hander wants to stay out of the spotlight, his performance has made him impossible to ignore.

"We knew he'd be good," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "We felt like he would be durable. But I don't think anybody could've predicted the impact of his statistics here before his final start."

From the Trainer's Room ...
Marlins ace Josh Johnson was scratched from his Sunday start with flu-like symptoms. The flu bug has been making its way around Florida's clubhouse, affecting a number of players over the last several days. Chris Volstad started in Johnson's place, and the Marlins fell 4-0 to the Mets, officially eliminating them from the NL East race.

Numbers Game ...
In losing to the Yankees, the Red Sox became the first team to start a season 8-0 against another team and then wind up not winning the season series. New York's sweep of Boston over the weekend leveled the season series at 9-all, not that the sudden turn in fortune in the rivalry has the Sox concerned.

"I think they have the best team in the American League East," closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "Sure. Facts are facts. I think there's a little sense of pride in trying to win the division every year. But realistically, the point is getting in and getting hot."

"As of right now, obviously they're the better team," left fielder Jason Bay said. "Once the postseason starts, everything else is kind of thrown out the window."

In Their Own Words ...
"There's been pitches of the year, innings of the year -- that's the defensive play of the year." -- Rockies manager Jim Tracy on Clint Barmes' diving catch that resulted in the game-ending double play of a 4-3 win over the Cardinals. The grab left the second baseman with a welt on his head, a sacrifice he was all too happy to make since it helped Colorado win a three-game series against St. Louis and kept its wild-card lead at 2 1/2 games over the surging Braves, who won in Washington.

Advance Scouting ...
Separated by two games in the AL Central, the Tigers host the Twins in the opener of a four-game set (7:05 PM ET) that will likely determine the division. Detroit, which carries the edge in the standings into this series, will send Rick Porcello to the mound against Minnesota's Nick Blackburn. The Tigers are 48-26 at Comerica Park this year, the third best home mark in the American League, but just 5-9 against the Twins.

Starting Five: Greinke's Cy Case Grows originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Time to Count Marlins Out?

Andrew Johnson — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Angels, Athletics, Marlins, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That you can add the Marlins to the list of fringe contenders fading away with three weeks to go in the season.

Florida wasted an opportunity to gain on wild-card leading Colorado, which lost in San Francisco, in an 11-6 loss to the Cardinals. The Marlins fell behind 4-0 in the first, but managed to take a 6-4 lead by the fourth inning, only to squander that lead in large part due to Ricky Nolasco's five-inning, seven-run outing.

Poor starting pitching has been a big reason why Florida hasn't been able to make a run.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From the Palm Beach Post's Joe Capozzi:

The Marlins haven't had a starter pitch at least seven innings since Aug. 18, when Nolasco threw a complete game.

"For us to get back into this thing and go forward and get into the playoffs, we need to improve it right now, as soon as possible," [Marlins manager Fredi] Gonzalez said.

Florida is 5 1/2 games behind the Rockies with 18 left to play.

From the Trainer's Room ...
A severe fever forced the Astros to quarantine closer Jose Valverde in the team's clubhouse Sunday and also kept him from joining the club on the first day of its road trip in Cincinnati. Valverde had a temperature of 101 degrees over the weekend.

"They're treating him, and he has some type of virus," [Houston GM Ed] Wade said. "Hopefully it will run its course and he will be able to get here [Tuesday]."

Numbers Game ...
Believe it or not, Oakland's Brett Tomko is a 100-game winner. The journeyman, who has played for nine different teams, reached the milestone by throwing a five-hit shutout against the Rangers, dealing another blow to Texas' rapidly shrinking playoff hopes.

"We want to put ourselves in as good a position as possible and we haven't done that the last two days," [Rangers losing pitcher Scott] Feldman said. "Regardless, we're still in this thing. We just need to show the character we've shown all year and move on."

Texas is now 4 1/2 games back of Boston in the AL wild-card race. The shutout was just the second of Tomko's career and his first since 2004.

In Their Own Words ...
"Sleep is more tranquil, food tastes better and I like my dog a whole lot more." -- Rays manager Joe Maddon after his team avoided becoming the first team to lose 12 straight games the year after appearing in the World Series by beating the Orioles 8-4.

Advance Scouting ...
In a potential ALDS preview, the Angels head to Fenway Park for a meeting with the Red Sox (7:10 PM ET). Los Angeles' starter, John Lackey, has thrown back-to-back complete games and appears to be rounding into form, but his struggles in Boston -- he has a 6.34 career ERA there -- are well known. Lackey will take a backseat in the intrigue department to Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, though. The enigmatic Matsuzaka has an 8.23 ERA this season and hasn't appeared in a Boston uniform since June, but with a strong finish to the year, it could still be possible for him to work his way into the Red Sox playoff rotation.

Starting Five: Time to Count Marlins Out? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From the Windup: Individuals of Interest This Coming October

Matt Snyder — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Marlins, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, Tigers, Yankees, AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Playoffs

From the Windup is Matt Snyder's weekly, extended look at some aspect of America's pastime.

As I look ahead to the MLB playoffs, I'm faced with the fact that my beloved Cubbies aren't going to be competing. Being a devout baseball fan, though, there's no way I'm not watching the postseason. Without a horse in the race, I'm forced to focus instead on individuals, and there are always plenty of reasons to watch certain players. Thus, I'm going to list 10 players I'm looking forward to watching and five players I wish I could come October.

Five Players I Can't Wait to Watch

Alex Rodriguez: The three-time regular season MVP was possibly the most polarizing figure in baseball before he was revealed to have used PEDs. Now most people just hate him. The stigma A-Rod carries is that he's a lion when there is no pressure, but a lamb when there is. He's actually been a pretty clutch regular season player the past few seasons, but he's been brutal in the playoffs since the Yankees ran up a 3-0 lead in the 2004 ALCS against the Red Sox. Will the presence of Mark Teixeira in the middle of the lineup help A-Rod come shed his "unclutch" image in October?

CC Sabathia: The big man is going to be leaned upon heavily in the playoffs, as the Yankees are thinking about using just a three-man rotation in the first round. I'd be pretty confident in Sabathia holding up his end of the bargain if I couldn't see that career 7.92 postseason ERA in five starts. The worst part? His command seems to disappear -- which is something that could be attributed to either nerves or fatigue. His BB/9 over the course of his career in the regular season has been 2.8. In the playoffs, it's 7.9. That's such a drastic leap it doesn't even sound realistic.

Kendry Morales: The 26-year-old first baseman has emerged as a star in taking over for the departed Teixeira, serving as one of the anchors to the Angels' mighty offense. He's 3-for-13 in the postseason, but he's never been a regular starter before and he's a different player. We'll see if he can step-up under the spotlight of the playoffs.

Josh Beckett: Beckett has always been known as a money pitcher when the pressure is on. His career 7-2 record and 2.90 ERA in the postseason illustrates as much. The thing is, he was pretty bad last season. His career playoff ERA was actually 1.91 before his three October 2008 starts -- when he allowed 22 hits and 14 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings. If the Red Sox hold onto their tenuous wild-card lead, Beckett's going to have to show last year was a fluke and he's still got the magic.

Mark DeRosa: It's no secret I'm a die-hard Cubs fan. Thus, I'm required to hate the Cardinals (and I do). Still, DeRosa was easily my favorite player from the past two Cubs' playoff teams and I'll enjoy watching him get to play in October once again. No real storyline here, just some love for Mr. DeRosa -- a true guy's guy who doesn't seem to take for granted how lucky he is to play baseball for a living.

Five Exciting "Debuts"

As you'll see, these aren't all necessarily debuts in the traditional sense, but, hey, it's my list.

Cliff Lee: Last year's AL Cy Young award winner came over to the Phillies in a trade deadline deal and took the National League by force initially. His ERA in his past three outings is 9.60, though, and he's never appeared in the playoffs. Can he get things turned around and handle the heat in October?

Ryan Franklin: The 36-year-old closer has appeared in 445 games over the course of his 10-season career. He has appeared in exactly zero playoff games to this point. Franklin's taken the closer job by force this season with ice-water in his veins, saving 37 games and sporting a 1.96 ERA. The postseason is totally different than the regular season, though, so can he keep it going?

Clayton Kershaw: Kershaw saw brief relief action in two playoff games last year. This time around, though, he'll be a starter and taking the ball in the first inning of a playoff game is a different animal than coming in as a reliever. Teaming his 8-8 record with his 2.89 ERA shows he can be quite inconsistent. When the 21-year-old lefty is on, there's almost no one better. Which Clayton shows up in the playoffs?

Edwin Jackson: Yes, Jackson has also pitched in the postseason before -- three short relief appearances. After a change of scenery, though, he's been a different pitcher and, again, it's much different to start a game in October. In Jackson's two seasons as a member of the Rays' rotation, he had a 5.04 ERA and a losing record. He was left out of the postseason rotation. This year, he's having his breakout campaign with the Tigers, going 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA. Will it continue on the big stage?

The Young Rockies: Again, I'm cheating here ... this time by including more than one player. Between Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Chris Iannetta and Ian Stewart, there's plenty of new blood. Plus, Franklin Morales and Ubaldo Jimenez are different players than the bright-eyed youngsters they were in 2007.

Five Players I Wish I Could Watch

The Rangers trail the Red Sox by just two games, so it's possible they make a run and take the AL wild card. In the National League, the Giants are 4 1/2 games behind the Rockies. It's an uphill battle, especially considering how well the Rockies are rolling, but still possible. The Marlins and Braves appear left for dead. If things stay the way they are, the following five players are guys I'll be saddened to not see in the playoffs.

Tim Lincecum: It's a shame it appears the Giants will come up short, because Lincecum in the playoffs would be an absolute pleasure to baseball fans who love a good pitcher's duel. Imagine this: If the Giants do snatch the wild card away from the Rockies, their first-round opponent would likely be the Cardinals. How does a Chris Carpenter vs. Lincecum matchup sound? Hell, throw in Adam Wainwright vs. Matt Cain in Game 2. The games will last less time than a typical movie. (Of course, I also want to see the Rockies in the playoffs. Any chance both can pass the Dodgers?)

Pablo Sandoval: Hmm ... let's see: His nickname is "Kung Fu Panda." He's 5-foot-11 and weighs 245 pounds, but he's still stolen four bases. He's only 22, but he's got an OPS of .918. He's a switch-hitter with great gap power (an NL-leading 40 doubles). What's not to love?

Michael Young: 10 seasons, 1,345 games, six All-Star games, a career .302 batting average, and zero career playoff games. You think anyone on the Rangers wants to make up those four games more than Young?

Tommy Hanson: Young fireballers can steal the stage in October (remember Jaret Wright for the Indians?). The 22-year-old Hanson has a 9-3 record with a 2.83 ERA as a rookie. He's struck out 85 hitters in 101 2/3 innings this year, but he's picking up the pace lately, having punched out 39 hitters in his last 34 2/3 innings.

Hanley Ramirez: He's been one of the best and most exciting players in the majors for the past three seasons. He does everything well -- .358 average, .998 OPS, 23 bombs, 24 steals, good fielding range -- but we've never gotten to see him in the playoffs. That's a shame, but he's only 25, so there's plenty of time.

From the Windup: Individuals of Interest This Coming October originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breed

Ed Price — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Cardinals, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Rays, Royals, Tigers, Twins, Yankees, MLB Awards, MLB Biz, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Cody Ross blames his mom.

"My dad was a really good athlete (Kenny Ross, who played safety at New Mexico in the late 1960s)," said Ross, the Marlins' right fielder. "My dad was all right[-handed]. My mom's a lefty, so maybe I got that gene from her."

Ross and St. Louis' Ryan Ludwick are the only two active position players who throw left and bat right. Just 14 such players in baseball history have gotten as many as 1,000 at-bats -- and that list now includes a Hall of Famer, Rickey Henderson.

"He kind of put us on the map," Ross said.

Some of the other names are recognizable -- early 20th-century Yankees star Hal Chase, Mets outfielder Cleon Jones, and more recent players Mark Carreon, Brian Hunter and David McCarty.

Some aren't -- Rube Bressler, Johnny Cooney, Al Nixon and Delos Drake.

"I think it's something that's kind of cool, something to be proud of," Ludwick said. "It's kind of an honor to be able to be in such little company."

Why so rare? There have certainly been plenty of players who throw right and bat left (582 with 1,000 or more at-bats), so it can't be that it's hard to be opposite-handed for hitting and throwing.

The simplest explanation is that a left-handed thrower can really play only four of the eight positions -- outfield and first base -- and is even less valuable if he bats right-handed, since lefties are less common and have the advantage against right-handed pitching.

"I think being a left-handed hitter is viewed as having an advantage," Ludwick said, "so you see a lot more people who throw right and are taught to hit left because it's an advantage."

Nether Ross nor Ludwick could explain how they ended up batting right and throwing left.

"It just happened," said Ludwick, who last year joined Henderson and Jones as the only bat-right/throw-left players to make an All-Star Game. "Natural."

Said Ross: "I have no reason why I do it. Nobody ever taught me to do it."

Both tried switch-hitting as kids -- "for a minute," Ludwick said, "but I was so much better right-handed."

Said Ross, "My dad tried to get me to switch-hit when I was younger. I did for a little while. But I realized really quickly that I had a lot more power from the right side and I didn't want to waste an at-bat [left-handed]."

It's not like Ross and Ludwick can't play. Ross, 28, is third on the Marlins with 22 homers and 83 RBI. Ludwick, 31, has 20 home runs and has driven in 87 runs, both second on the Cardinals.

"I feel like you see a lot of left-handed hitters that are right-handed throwers that have a lot of pop because they're right-hand-dominant, so they can really pull that bat through the zone," Ludwick said. "So I feel like being left-hand-dominant, I can [do the same]."

The bottom hand provides the power in a swing, and some recent boppers who throw right and bat left include Jim Thome, Prince Fielder, Larry Walker, Tino Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Adam Dunn, Jason Giambi and Mo Vaughn.

But those guys who throw left and bat right -- they don't get the love.

Ludwick was a second-round draft pick out of UNLV in 1999, so he never felt a bias because of his bat/throw combination. But Ross, a fourth-rounder in the same draft out of high school in New Mexico, said it worked against him. (Louie Medina, who played 51 games in the majors while throwing left and batting right, scouted both players for that '99 draft. Medina, now a special assistant to the GM in Kansas City, was then a scout for Arizona.)

"You have scouts come to watch you," Ross said, "and I was already challenged because of my height and I wasn't your prototypical baseball player, pushing 5-10. And also throwing left and hitting right, that's a lot against you going into pro ball. Or even college. So I think it affected me a little bit when it came to drafting and stuff like that.

"It's one of those things I knew I had to overcome, and I just did. A little bump in the road."

Both Ludwick and Ross didn't get a chance to become regulars in the majors until they had gone through multiple organizations. Ludwick was traded from Oakland to Texas to Cleveland and then had to sign on with Detroit and St. Louis as a minor-league free agent.

Ross was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers to the Reds to the Marlins, including being traded twice in 33 days in 2006.

But he didn't blame that bouncing around on throwing left-handed and batting right-handed.

"I think once I got into pro ball, I think all of that kind of goes out the window," he said. "If you can play, you can play, and they'll find a spot for you."

Overheard and Understood

-- If you think Derek Jeter's pursuit of the Yankees' franchise hits record was overblown, wait until next spring training. Because the Yankees seem intent on letting Jeter go into 2010 without a contract beyond this year, and it will be a season-long storyline next year: Is this the Captain's last year in pinstripes?

Chart of the Week
Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria became the ninth player to have 40 doubles, 30 homers and 100 RBI in a season before the age of 24:
Player	Year
Hal Trosky	1934/36
Ted Williams	1939
Alex Rodriguez	1996
Scott Rolen	1998
Eric Chavez	2001
Aramis Ramirez	2001
Albert Pujols	2001-03
Miguel Cabrera	2005
Evan Longoria	2009
Source: Rays

While it might seem good public relations and, emotionally, a no-brainer to try to lock up Jeter long-term this winter, that wouldn't be good business for the Yankees. Not that they don't want him, but Jeter will be coming off his best season in at least three years, maybe 10. So in any contract negotiations this winter, Jeter would have the upper hand. The Yankees couldn't tell Jeter they have an alternative in mind, since both sides know he'll be the team's shortstop in 2010.

And it's not like the Yankees have ever gotten any kind of hometown discount from Jeter; the sides went to arbitration in 1999, avoided arbitration in 2000 with a $10 million salary and then worked out his current 10-year, $189 million deal in February 2001. Considering what he means to the franchise -- and its fans -- Jeter now could have every right to ask for more than Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia.

The only way an extension would get done before Jeter's contract is up (or close to up) is if ownership -- the Steinbrenner brothers -- steps in. They did in the fall of 2007, after the Joe Torre fiasco, to bring back Rodriguez (after his ugly opt-out), and with Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera on above-market deals. But the Steinbrenners may realize now they overpaid then and hold firm on Jeter.

Which will make for a fascinating winter of 2010-11, because the next negotiations will determine how much Jeter makes compared to A-Rod, whether he will be signed for the same length of time (through 2017!) and -- as part of the whole equation -- whether he ever moves from shortstop, and when, and where.

-- With a new ballpark opening next year, the Twins plan to spend more this winter than in any recent offseason. They "won't be picking up the scraps" of free agency, as one person put it.

-- Washington (including its Montreal years) is the only franchise never to have had two teammates with 100 RBI in the same season, but that could be corrected this year as Adam Dunn has 99 RBI and Ryan Zimmerman has 94. Tampa Bay got its first 100-RBI duo this year, with Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena.

-- The Angels could be the first team since the 2005 Cardinals to make it through the season without a four-game losing streak.

-- Figure this: Seven of the Dodgers' final 18 games are against the Pirates. Three others are against the Nationals.

-- Arizona's Chris Young last Sunday became the first player to go into a game batting less than .200 and then hit three homers.

-- The Cubs did not gain ground on the Cardinals in any day from Aug. 3 through Thursday.

-- If the A's, who have 85 errors, can finish with fewer than 100, they will set an all-time record by doing that for the sixth straight year. The Phillies had double-digit errors from 2001 to 2005.

-- Attendance at the Mets' new Citi Field on Thursday, for a game against the Marlins, was 37,620. But the Mets estimated 20,000 no-shows and about 17,000 in the stands.

-- The Rays are promoting right-hander Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.57 ERA) for AL Rookie of the Year. They cite that he is in the top 10 all-time for winning percentage by an AL rookie starter; the first rookie to beat Roy Halladay twice; the first rookie in 55 years to lead the defending AL champs in wins and ERA; and that he could have three more wins but for two blown two-run leads and a blown three-run lead by his bullpen.

-- Since the start of last year, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, just two AL teams have swept four series from the same opponent (three or more games). It figures that the Yankees swept the Orioles five times, but not that the Royals have swept the Tigers four times.

-- Detroit's Brent Dlugach, called up Sept. 1, is the first big-leaguer ever whose name begins with "DL." Unless you count Mike Hampton.

Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breed originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coghlan Learns on Job, Turns Into Star

Ed Price — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, MLB Awards

NEW YORK -- On the day the Marlins told Chris Coghlan he was getting the call to the majors, they asked him to play one more day in Triple-A.

That's not standard procedure -- why risk an injury? -- but Florida had a good reason.

The Marlins wanted Coghlan to get one career game in left field under his belt before asking him to do it in the big leagues.

In fact, Coghlan has been asked to do two things this year he had never done before. Besides moving from second base to left, Coghlan has become a leadoff hitter.

And while that might seem like piling on, asking a youngster to learn two new jobs at the same time he adjusts to the major leagues, Coghlan has handled it all calmly and well.

"There's adjustments, there's no doubt," Coghlan told FanHouse. "And at this level, there's a lot of it. And doing both of those things -- I try not to look at it so much. I try to take it as a grain of salt and try to make it as simple as possible. Otherwise I think it can be overwhelming. And for me, it's been a transition. I can't say it's seamless. There's definitely been ups and downs."

But many more ups, enough that he might be National League Rookie of the Year.

"You never know until you live with a guy what kind of guy he is," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I tell you what, he's off the charts. You see him day in, day out -- you see the character, you see the work habits, you see the grit.

"You label certain guys as 'baseball players.' And he's one of those guys. And if next spring training you said, 'Hey we need you to maybe catch,' he'd say, 'OK, let's go.'"

Coghlan, 24, led the majors with 47 hits in August -- most by an NL rookie in a calendar month since Wally Moon had 52 in July 1954. Coghlan's streak of eight multi-hit games to start August was the longest for a rookie since Dan Driessen in 1973.

"He has a great idea of what he's trying to do, and he executes it," hitting coach Jim Presley said. "His approach is as good as you can have with a young player.

"He stays inside the ball really well. And he hits the ball the other way, which is really hard for a young player to learn how to do."

A supplemental first-round pick in 2006 -- the draft choice Florida got when A.J. Burnett signed with Toronto -- Coghlan played third base at Ole Miss and moved to second base in '07.

But outfield? Never.

Yet when Cameron Maybin faltered early in the year, Cody Ross moved from right field to center and Jeremy Hermida went from left to right to open left field for Coghlan.

Thus that final game in the minors before joining the Marlins on May 8.

"I feel comfortable in the outfield, I feel comfortable hitting leadoff. Now the game's slowing down."
-- Chris Coghlan "I didn't get any fly balls," Coghlan said. "That was really nerve-wracking because I went, 'Man, I'm going. My dream come true.' And I was just thinking about how fortunate and blessed I was -- but at the same time I didn't want to get injured."

The Marlins rave about Coghlan's work ethic, which he has applied to his defense. It has improved so much, Gonzalez no longer takes Coghlan out in the late innings for a defensive replacement.

"To his credit," Gonzalez said, "here's a guy that bought into: 'Hey, I'm going to play left field in the big leagues,' instead of just going, 'Ah, [expletive].'"

Gonzalez moved Coghlan atop his lineup at the end of May. And instead of just treating batting first like batting anywhere else, Coghlan set about learning, and embracing, some of the subtle intricacies of hitting leadoff. Things such as making sure to see a lot of pitches in the first inning, so his teammates get a look at the opposing pitcher's stuff. Or taking his time when his pitcher makes the second out of the inning, so the pitcher has time to rest before going back to the mound.

"There's a lot of unselfishness that comes with hitting leadoff," he said. "I haven't mastered it by any means, but each day I learn something new."

Since Coghlan took over the No. 1 spot, Florida has averaged more than five runs a game, best in the NL. And the Marlins continue to hang around in the playoff hunt.

There's some thought the Marlins could trade Dan Uggla, who's due to make $7-8 million next year as an arbitration-eligible player, this winter and move Coghlan back to second. (If you don't think there's a market for a power-hitting, erratic-fielding second baseman, you probably believe Jeff Kent hurt himself washing his truck.)

But some on the Marlins believe Coghlan could be an above-average left fielder and that he is already better there than in the infield.

Really, there shouldn't have been any question whether Coghlan would hit. As a high school senior in Tarpon Springs, Fla., he led his county with a .573 average. He hit .302 as a college freshman, .363 as a sophomore and .350 as a junior. He hit .297 his first year of pro ball, .287 his second and .298 last year in Double-A.

All along he used the same daily routine, a progression from hitting off a tee to work in the indoor batting cage to on-field batting practice.

"He's had success," Presley said. "He knows what he needs to do."

Coghlan started out slow, batting .205 through his first 25 games, but now leads big-league rookies in batting average, hits, multi-hit games, total bases, runs and on-base percentage.

Since June 6, he is second in the NL -- among all players, not just rookies -- in hits (110, behind only teammate Hanley Ramirez), fourth in runs scored (59), sixth in batting average (.332) and 14th in on-base percentage (.396).

Coghlan also had a 14-game hitting streak, Aug. 23-Sept. 6, that was longest by an NL rookie since 2006.

"Things have started to fall together," Coghlan said. "I haven't lost confidence, even when things are going bad. And now they just seem to be falling in place.

"I feel comfortable in the outfield, I feel comfortable hitting leadoff. Now the game's slowing down, and everything feels like it did in the minors."

Coghlan Learns on Job, Turns Into Star originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Rays' Season Slips Away

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Brewers, Marlins, Rangers, Rays, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Rays left their magic in 2008.

Fading Tampa Bay wasted a dazzling major league debut by Wade Davis, who allowed one run and struck out nine over seven innings, in a crushing 5-3 loss to the Tigers.

Davis' pitching helped the Rays carry a 3-1 lead into the ninth inning, but then the bullpen came unraveled. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon used five relievers in the ninth, three of whom -- Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Russ Springer -- failed to record an out in succession.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Springer surrendered a grand slam to Detroit's Brandon Inge that turned a two-run lead into a two-run deficit.

"It's difficult, because if you lose games late like that, that's more difficult to take," Maddon said.

The Rays now sit a full seven games behind wild-card-leading Boston in the standings with 26 games to play, making them an extreme longshot to return to the postseason.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Bad news for two teams desperately trying to hang on in the playoff race. Chipper Jones missed Atlanta's 4-2 loss to the Reds Sunday with a sore abdomen. He's hoping to return to the lineup on Tuesday, but with Jones' injury history, you can never be sure.

Meanwhile, the Rangers will be without Josh Hamilton indefinitely. The Texas slugger missed the entirety of this weekend's series in Baltimore with a pinched nerve in his back and is expected to have a cortisone injection in the area in the coming days.

Numbers Game ...
Hanley Ramirez hit his 100th career home run Sunday, becoming the fourth-fastest shortstop to reach that threshold in major league history by hitting it in his 595th game. Only Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra and Ernie Banks reached the century mark faster.

"I didn't even know it was my 100th home run,'' Ramirez said, not in the mood to dwell on his accomplishment after Florida's 5-4 loss. "After the game, they gave me the ball and told me it was my 100th home run.''

In Their Own Words ...
"That was fun. Especially the way our season is going now, it's always good to have some fun." -- Prince Fielder, whose 37th home run of the season gave the Brewers a walk-off 2-1 win over the Giants in 12 innings. Milwaukee also turned a 5-4-3 triple play in the game.

Advance Scouting ...
Two of the hottest team in baseball hook up for a Labor Day matinee, and one of them has plenty on the line. The Rockies -- winners of five of their last six and leaders in the NL wild-card race -- host the Reds (3:10 PM ET), who have won 12 of 14. Per FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher, this is Cincinnati's best 14-game stretch since 1998, when it won 13 of 14.

Starting Five: Rays' Season Slips Away originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: NL Wild-Card Leaders Keep Winning, Braves Fading

Jeff Fletcher — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, Giants, Mariners, Marlins, Pirates, Rockies, Yankees, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the National League wild-card leaders are all playing well this weekend, leaving the Braves in the dust. For the second consecutive day, the Rockies, Giants and Marlins all won. The Braves have lost four in a row, falling six games out in the wild-card race.

The Rockies have won four of five games since getting swept by the Giants last weekend. They got a boost on Saturday night when Jose Contreras gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings in his Rockies debut. The Marlins have also been hot, winning four games in a row. They have scored eight runs in each game, a first in the franchise's history.

The Giants, meanwhile, still aren't scoring much, but their pitching is carrying them. Five games into this tough six-game trip through hitters parks in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, the Giants have scored 13 runs. They've won three, including a 3-2 victory on Saturday that snapped Matt Cain's eight-start winless streak.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Meanwhile, the Braves seem just about finished.

"I don't know what to say anymore. It's getting frustrating, considering how important these games are," said pitcher Jair Jurrjens.

From The Trainers' Room...
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who has been sidelined because of a sore left groin, threw about 20 pitches in the bullpen before Saturday's game and reported no problems. Rivera might be able to return to closing duties as soon as Sunday.

"I wasn't expecting to feel anything," Rivera said. "I just have to make sure that it's ready. I wasn't looking for something."

By The Numbers...
Pirates righty Ross Ohlendorf became just the 40th pitcher in big league history to strike out the side on nine pitches, whiffing the Cardinals in the seventh inning. What was even more unusual was that all three times catcher Ryan Doumit mishandled the third strike and had to throw to first for the putout.

"I threw a lot of sliders that bounced for strike three, and he did a great job of knocking them down and going and getting them and throwing them out at first," Ohlendorf said.

In Their Own Words...
"I told her, 'Man, now I've got to hit a home run for you and Dylan. It's going to be tough,' " -- Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, recalling what he told his daughter, Jada, who is always asking him to a hit a home run. Lee returned to action for the first time since his wife gave birth to Dylan, the couple's second child, and he responded with two homers.

Advance Scouting...
You might only have to watch the first batter of the Mariners-A's game (4:05 PM ET) to see a milestone. Ichiro Suzuki has 1,999 hits in the major leagues. Granted, 2,000 hits is not that big a milestone (the are 18 active players with 2,000 hits), but it is just the appetizer for the milestones upcoming for Suzuki. He's got 194 hits this season. When he gets to 200, he'll break Willie Keeler's record with his ninth consecutive 200-hit season.

Starting Five: NL Wild-Card Leaders Keep Winning, Braves Fading originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Teams on Bubble Keep Hopes Alive

Ed Price — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, Rays, White Sox, MLB Injuries, MLB Milestones, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
The White Sox, Rays and Marlins aren't irrelevant yet.

All three teams faced near must-win games Wednesday, and all came through -- late.

Chicago, which would have fallen eight games out in the AL Central and 4 1/2 behind second-place Minnesota, rallied against Twins closer Joe Nathan with four runs in the ninth for a 4-2 victory.

"Hopefully we start playing better and have a little more fun, at least have a little more fun," [Sox manager Ozzie] Guillen said. "You think we're out [of post-season contention]. People think we're out, just go out there and enjoy it. Hopefully things turn around."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Tampa Bay entered the night six games behind Boston in the AL wild-card chase. A loss would have dropped the Rays seven out with 30 to play, and they let a four-run lead turn into a tie game in the eighth inning.

Then Carlos Pena doubled, Pat Burrell singled and Evan Longoria homered, keeping alive Tampa Bay's faint hopes of repeating as AL champs.

"Everything's big now, every pitch is huge," Burrell said. "We put ourselves in that situation, and you can't be surprised by anything at this point. We have to go for it every time we step on the field. We've got a lot of ground to make up - some of which I think we're capable of doing, and we might need a little help."

Meanwhile, further south in Florida, the Marlins were letting a ninth-inning lead get away, as the Braves' Yunel Escobar homered to tie the game. But Wes Helms, who had entered in a double switch in the top of the ninth, homered with one out in the bottom of the inning.

That prevented Florida from dropping to six games out in the NL wild-card standings -- tied for fourth with the Cubs -- and three back of Atlanta.

"It felt like we won that game but we didn't," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.

From the Trainer's Room ...
The same day the Rangers found out star third baseman Michael Young will be out at least two weeks with a strained hamstring, slugger Josh Hamilton had to come out of their game with a sore lower back.

Hamilton hopes to be in the lineup Friday in Cleveland. He's been receiving treatment on his back all week.

"I'm doing everything I can to make it feel better," said Hamilton, who doubled and scored before leaving. "It seems like the more I run, the worse it feels. It's good we've got a day off tomorrow."

Hamilton had been heating up, it seemed, batting .342 in August and homering Tuesday to snap an drought of 99 homerless at-bats.

Numbers Game ...
Alex Rodriguez got his 2,500th career hit Wednesday, a fifth-inning single at Baltimore. And that means A-Rod is now tied with former teammate Gary Sheffield for the fewest triples by a player with 2,500 or more hits: 27.

In Their Own Words ...
"It's been a horrible season. It's been a horrible season for me and a horrible season pretty much for everybody." -- Royals outfielder Jose Guillen, who left a 10-4 loss to the Athletics with a sore hamstring four innings after starter Brian Bannister had to depart with "shoulder fatigue."

Advance Scouting ...
In his first two starts for the Cardinals, John Smoltz drew San Diego and Washington -- the worst offense and the worst team in the National League, respectively. Thursday night he gets more of a test when St. Louis hosts Milwaukee, third in the league in runs scored (2:15 p.m. ET). Then again, Smoltz has never lost to the Brewers, going 3-0 with six saves and a 2.84 ERA in 15 appearances (five starts) against them.

Starting Five: Teams on Bubble Keep Hopes Alive originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla Get Into a Tiff in Marlins Clubhouse

Josh Alper — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:55:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, NL East

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."

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.

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.

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.

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Feuding 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

Terrible Teammates

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."

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."

Getty Images

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.

Getty Images (2)

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.

Getty Images

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

Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla Get Into a Tiff in Marlins Clubhouse originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luis Ayala Upset After Being Designated For Assignment by Marlins

Pat Lackey — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, NL East

September 1 always brings roster moves for big league clubs, so it's no surprise to see the Marlins shuffling things up today. Well, it's no surprise to anyone not named Luis Ayala. Ayala, the 31-year old reliever, was designated for assignment by the Marlins today after making just appearance since his call-up on August 29th and he was not pleased. This is what he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

"It was terrible what they did," Ayala said. "I don't know why they called me up if they were going to do this. I think it's a lack of respect. I know it's a business, but for me, it's something they've handled poorly."

In his place, the Marlins announced the call-up of Rick VandenHurk.

It's easy to see why Ayala's upset. VandenHurk last pitched on August 27, so when the Marlins wanted a pitcher two days later, he wouldn't have been available. Couple that with the September 1 date to expand rosters, and they obviously just wanted a guy for a few days to give some depth. Now that Ayala gave them that, he's gone.

Of course, it's also worth remembering that Ayala's been pretty bad this year, both for the Marlins and Twins. The Twins dropped him back in June and since then, he's put up an 11.74 ERA in 10 appearances with the Marlins. He did throw 10 scoreless innings with their Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans, but since it's now after the date that playoff rosters must be set, it seems unlikely he'll attract any interest until the offseason.

In addition to dropping Ayala and calling up VandeHurk, the Marlins also called up rookie Cameron Maybin for the stretch drive. Maybin struggled with the Marlins early in the year, but he's hitting .319/.399/.463 in 83 Triple-A games and should at the very least give them some outfield depth in the final weeks of the season.

Luis Ayala Upset After Being Designated For Assignment by Marlins originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Crazy Eights for Jays' Lind

Andrew Johnson — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Braves, Marlins, Padres, Tigers, Yankees, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That in a game of runs -- the basketball, not baseball variety -- it was Adam Lind who stood out.

The Blue Jays jumped out to an 11-0 lead through five innings in Texas. Then the Rangers, fighting to hang with Boston in the AL wild-card race, answered with 10 runs of their own. And Toronto followed with seven insurance runs in the ninth inning to win a slugfest 18-10.

The main difference? Lind, who homered twice, including a grand slam, and drove in eight runs

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"I hit it on the sweet spot on a couple of pitches," Lind said.

His eight RBI are the most by a Blue Jay since Roy Howell drove in nine 32 years ago.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Kyle Blanks' season may be in jeopardy. The promising Padres rookie was diagnosed with a partial right plantar fascia tear. The plantar fascia is the tissue that supports the arch of the foot. Blanks has played off and on since Aug. 22, when he initially injured his foot, but was placed on the disabled list over the weekend. He'll be fitted for a cast and re-evaluated in a week.

Numbers Game ...
The before and after picture isn't pretty for Jarrod Washburn. The left-hander, who came to the Tigers in a July 31 trade, gave up eight runs in a loss to the Rays Monday afternoon. In six starts with his new club he is 1-2 with a 6.81 ERA. That's more than four runs higher than his ERA with the Mariners this season.

"He certainly didn't have very good success today," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "Some of it by his own doing and some of it was that's just the way it is sometimes.

"Sometimes it just isn't your day."

In Their Own Words ...
"He was like, 'You took the pressure off me.' He goes, 'If I haven't thrown a no-hitter by now, then I'm not going to do it.' He was probably the best. He said he didn't want to throw nine innings anyway. That's what type of attitude he has." -- Yankees utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. on how Andy Pettitte consoled him after he made an error in the seventh inning that ended Pettitte's bid for a perfect game. Pettitte gave up a hit immediately after Hairston's error, but New York still beat Baltimore 5-1.

Advance Scouting ...
Tim Hudson makes his first start in the major leagues since last July, completing a lengthy rehab process from Tommy John surgery, and he'll do it on the same mound which he was initially hurt. The right-hander will take the hill at Land Shark Stadium as the Braves take on the Marlins (7:10 PM ET) in the second game of a critical series in the NL wild-card race. Atlanta won the opener to pull within three games of the wild-card lead.

Starting Five: Crazy Eights for Jays' Lind originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Cardinals' Pineiro Stays Hot

Jeff Fletcher — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Giants, Marlins, Rays, Rockies, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Cardinals' Big Two has quietly become a Big Three. By now most around baseball have noticed that Adam Wainwright is having an outstanding season behind ace Chris Carpenter, but lately Joel Pineiro has been on a roll, too.

After beating the Astros, 3-2, on Wednesday, Pineiro is 7-0 with a 2.65 ERA in his last 10 starts. The Cardinals have won all 10 games. Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted that the Cardinals are 28-3 in games started by Carpenter, Wainwright and Pineiro since July 1.

With the win, the Cardinals improved to 20 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2005 season.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From The Trainers' Room...
Rays outfielder Carl Crawford, who has been out since Monday because of a sore lower back, is improving. Manager Joe Maddon said he expects Crawford to return to the lineup when the Rays play the Tigers on Friday.

By The Numbers...
Marlins right Josh Johnson improved to 19-2 against NL East teams. Johnson, who beat the Mets on Wednesday, improved to 7-0 against New York. Johnson also improved to 32-14 in his career. His .696 winning percentage ranks third among active pitchers with at least 40 decisions (Behind Tim Lincecum's .725 and Jon Lester's .712).

In Their Own Words...
"I don't believe in stats at a time like that. It's just you against him." -- Giants catcher Bengie Molina, who said he was unaware of the fact that he was 3-for-5 in his career against Diamondbacks closer Chad Qualls before hitting a pinch-hit three-run homer against him in the eighth inning. Molina, who came off the bench because he's out with a sore quad, helped the Giants to a 4-3 victory, their second comeback win in a row after Monday's gut-wrenching loss to the Rockies.

Advance Scouting...
The Dodgers and Rockies will play the rubber game of their series in Denver (3:10 PM ET), with Vicente Padilla getting his first start for Los Angeles. Padilla, who was released by the Rangers earlier this season, is 8-6 with a 4.92 ERA. Padilla hasn't pitched in Colorado since 2006. The only member of the Rockies with any significant numbers against him is Todd Helton, who is 4-for-9 with 3 doubles. Helton will probably get one in the ribs.

Starting Five: Cardinals' Pineiro Stays Hot originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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