Series Win?

The Fish have won just the middle game of their last three series. Time to close the deal. Chris Volstad and Trevor Cahill start this afternoon.

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Good News!

Josh is structurally sound, says the Good Doctor, and Johnson escapes with just a cortisone shot and a prescription for more rest.

Ricky needs a shot of something tonight, as he starts while Guillermo Moscoso pitches for the A's.

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Back Where it Began

The Fish return to the Bay area tonight, scene of the Marlins' last series win, scene of the Cousins-Posey collision, the point from where it all went downhill. They're on the other side of the Bay this time, in Oakland, where U2's vendetta against the Marlins continues. While Dr. Andrews sharpens his scalpels in anticipation of Josh's visit, tonight Javier starts against Gio Gonzalez.

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Monday's Scoreboards

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Pacific Rubber Match

The Marlins play tonight in the latest-starting Sunday game ever played in Safeco Field, their home park. Jack has LoMo sitting till Tuesday and Hanley permanently batting fourth. Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister go for the series win.

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Game 2 in Seattle

The Marlins must've felt like home at Safeco. They also have made baseball history again, unfortunately.

Jason Vargas finally faces his former team tonight, while Chris Volstad attempts another start.

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Step Aside, Pretenders!

To prove once and for all that the Marlins are truly America's team,...after tonight no other ballclub will have played its home games from one end of the country (Puerto Rico), through its middle (US Celluar in Chicago in 2004), and all the way to the other end (well, maybe Hawaii and the Aleutians had other engagements, and besides, who knows what day it is in American Samoa - but at least they made it out to Seattle).

Late games means later posts. Craig wonders if Billy and the Mermaids made the trip. If they did they're flying back tonight to be at Metro Ford in Miami with Jeff Conine tomorrow afternoon. Unless their evil twins are somwhow in the mix (or maybe there will be a rare appearance by Billy's little-known second cousin Smelly the Salmon). Ricky Nolasco and Felix Hernandez fling tonight. Jose Lopez is back.

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Something in the Air

You thought Edwin resigning and McKeon returning was strange? How about this? - Nationals manager Jim Riggleman quit today, just after his team finished winning 11 of their last 12 games. Time to put on that tinfoil hat.

Tonight the Fish are settling into their new home, while elsewhere in the world baseball will probably be played...

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Game 3 With Angels

Today's news has blather over whether the Marlins should or shouldn't trade Hanley, and about the goofy things Jack says/does.

It's the last game of the nightmarish-21-straight-game stretch. After last night's win, the Fish amazingly could win a series tonight. Brian Sanches and the entire bullpen goes against Joel Pineiro this evening.

By the way, good tickets remain for this weekend's Marlins home series in Seattle - if you're in the area, get a taste of 2012 by seeing a Fish home game under a retractable roof.

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Handling Hanley

LoMo reportedly gets into Hanley's face for missing a meeting that everyone else attended. Jack says that's not why Hanley was benched yesterday.

McKeon, who is just three degress of seperation from the beginnings of the National League, has been attracting news reports pointing out how 'experienced' he actually is. After surprisingly setting Hanley down last night, Jack surprisingly has Hanley hitting cleanup tonight for the first time in his career. Mike Stanton returns and is hitting sixth.

Fish had another one-run loss last night. That's two one-run losses in a row, which the way things are going is almost encouraging. The Marlins are headed for a club record in losses-in-a-row if a turnaround doesn't happen tonight. Javier Vazquez and Ervin Santana pitch.

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Back Home with LA of Anaheim

At least yesterday's game brought the Marlins back to losing by only one run, which they had done only once since June 11.

Knowing that Jack goes to Mass every morning it seems appropriate that the Angels will be in town to start his 2nd tour of duty as Fish leader. Much hay is made over McKeon benching Hanley tonight. Brad Hand was sent down, too. Anibal Sanchez and the Angels' Jered Weaver start.

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Trader Jack is Back

Edwin felt Hyde should've had a shot at managing, but all indications say Mr. Take-No-Crap Jack McKeon will be introduced as the Marlins' new skipper.

Adios Edwin

Rodriguez spares all of us the indignity of being sacked by management and resigned Sunday morning. Brandon Hyde will manage the team today. Trader Jack and Bobby V are being considered.

On the field it's Volstad and Shields.

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WooOOooOOoo

It seems a muted congratulations are in order. The Marlins have joined the ranks of many of the storied fabled MLB franchises of history like the Cubs and Red Sox, as they now apparently have their own curse.

Some commentators have been seeing the Marlins' dive in fortunes as metaphysical payback for Scott Cousins slamming into Buster Posey, as if the results of that collision were somehow nefariously planned out in advance.

They point out the Fish are now 3-20 since that Giants series, while SanFran is still in first in the NL West without Posey or Freddy Sanchez - true enough.

Personally, though, I think it was those In-N-Out burgers - it takes a great while to get the effects of those babies out of the system.

The curse idea may have some merit, though. Practicioners of the many esoteric religions that we have here in South Florida should be retained to help rid the ballclub of whatever boogeyman is hovering over them, be it Buster or burger.

The Fish, 6 games under .500, continue to soldier on. Tonight Ricky Nolasco and Alex Cobb do battle.

Before that, though, the Rays' wives play the Marlins' wives in a 5-inning softball game. Let's hope the Fish can pick up a few pointers, or players.

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Gasping Sealife

It's the stoppable force meeting the movable object tonight at Le Dome Du Tropicana as the Marlins take on the former Devil Rays.

Tampa Bay has a losing record at home, and lost their last series at Boston. Brad Hand and Wade Davis attempt to pitch tonight.

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Adios Chris

The Marlins have sent former ROY Coghlan to AAA and called up "career .222 hitter" Dewayne Wise.

Michael Jong shows how Cogz collapsed compared to McCutchen.

Fish Fight the Sweep

While Edwin stays stoic the Marlins try to eke out a win at Philly, which may be tough with Javy and Cliff on the mound.

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Double-Header Today

First game Elih Villanueva makes his debut vs. Kyle Kendrick. Second game Anibal Sanchez vs. Roy Halladay.

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MO-MOVES: After the first game drubbing and a long wait at the clubhouse door, the news is: Brad Davis was DFA'd to allow Jose Lopez to start tonight, Elih is sent to NO, and Mujica's day-to-day.

Fish in Philly for Four

MOVE-NEWS: Hanley's back, but Scott is down. Leo returned. Villanueva will be called up for double-header duty tomorrow, which May mean that Josh won't be back until after the All-Star break. And Jeffrey hates freedom of speech.

Chris Volstad and Cole Hamels pitch. Hamels is looking good lately. The money boys say stay with the streaks.

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Try to Tie

Now that the Marlins season is almost over (as some seem to think) we can sit back and just enjoy the games for their athletic excellence, or their enormous quantity of spitting, or whatever floats your boat.

Sure, there's been 'epic' amounts of frustration these last couple of weeks, but there's also at least one story of achievement amongst the mess.

Tonight the Fish strive to split the series before they split for Philly. Nolasco and Duke start.

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Hooray! No Sweep!

At least I didn't struggle with yesterday's post. Last night's game was frankly ludicrous.

Since the Snakes and Fish have gone back and forth for the last dozen games, today should be a day to go forth. Brad Hand will put down the Xbox long enough to start for the Marlins, and Daniel Hudson starts for Arizona.

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Saturday

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Friday With The Snakes

It seems nobody on the team has been fired today, so let's concentrate on tonight's game. The next team chomping at the bit to face the Marlins are the Diamondbacks. Anibal Sanchez and Joe Saunders will do the honors this evening.

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Good Grief, Stop the Sweep

Suspicions probably confirmed - that Jeffrey hissself fired beloved hitting coach John Mallee and replaced him with never-coached-before-ESPN-analyst-son-of-Tony Eduardo Perez.

For tonight's game, Chris Volstad and Jair Jurrjens will be the starters.

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Okay, Let's Try This Again

So, let's see, yesterday the Fish' pitchers give up only 2 hits and 1 walk, ...and they still lose.

Brad Hand was marvelous in garnering the distinction of being only the 2nd pitcher in the live-ball era to go at least 6 innings in his MLB debut and lose while giving up only 1 hit.

Maybe today the team will fling off the Funk. Ricky Nolasco and Derek Lowe start tonight. Stanton sits, and Dobbs hits third.

TRIVIA: Now that the Mavs beat the Heat last night, Miami-Dade County is assured to achieve an honor no other county in the US can claim.

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Braves For Three

First a couple FRONT-OFFICE-FARCES: Now that Mr. "Un-Called-For" Sabean has talked with Scott Cousins, and Mr. "Be-Careful-What-You-Say" Samson opens up his mouth again, it's time once again to concentrate on the games.

Facing the down-in-the-dumps Marlins, the lackluster Braves begin a roadtrip here in dried-out SoFla - Fredi and Danny return. Tonight Brad Hand makes his MLB debut vs. Tommy Hanson.

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Drain the Brewers

Hanley's finally officially on the DL, and Brad Hand pitches tomorrow. Now that that's been decided, tonight the Marlins' attentions are aimed to stop a Milwaukee sweep. The recently improved Javy Vazquez and the recently improved Zack Greinke will pitch.

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Sunday Collapse Correcting

The Marlins have lost 6 of their last 8 games. Luckily the Phillies have lost their last 4 in a row, so the Marlins are still only 2 games in back of them. Time to turn things around with our current top pitcher. Anibal Sanchez and Chris Narveson start.

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Saturday in the Park

I forgot that last night was the first Bark in the Park this year in Miami Gardens. At least one local writer does not like canines in the crowd. With last night's loss the Fish so far this year are now 2-1 when the dogs are allowed in.

Tonight a Beatles tribute band plays Super Saturday. Pitching tonight will be Chris Volstad and Yovani Gallardo.

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First Of Four With Brewers

Ricky against Randy tonight.

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Getting Rested

The Fish need their rest today as they start a 3-week stretch of 21 games tomorrow. Here's today's scores, though...

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Rubber Game In Progress

After 4 innings Javier and the Marlins lead the Snakes 4-0.

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