Gameless Monday

The only NL action will be Philly at Wrigley.

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PHOOEY: Philly wins. In fact Philly has won 9 of their last 10 games.

Sad Note

Former Marlins hitting coach Bill Robinson passes on. (MLB)

Many News Notes

Hermida learns from Bonds...Larry on trades? "We'll have a few ideas."...Visquel's advice to Hanley:"(S)tay focused to what you have to do on the field."...Jacobs' a dad...and Barry won't sign his balls. (MLB)

Mitre Against Matt Morris Today

Marlins trying to avoid being swept on the entire road trip. Bonds trying to avoid breaking the record away from SF.

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HOORAY: Fish win 8-5, and Barry has to relocate his carnival to Los Angeles. Everyone in the NL East besides Washington wins.

Next Big Stadium-Decision Date - Aug. 21?

I can't find a link to it on the web, but the Herald's Barry Jackson reports in the early Sunday edition of the paper that "U(niversity of )M(iami) officials are hopeful their stadium issue will be resolved by an Aug. 21 Board of Trustees meeting." (Remember, the powers that be are waiting for UM to decide before dealing with the Marlins.)

Willis Vs. Cain Tonight

He'll be pitching to his friend Barry.

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RESULTS?: No homer for Mr. Potato Head. Dontrelle pitched fine; Gregg pitched lousy - Marlins lose in the 9th 4-3. Mets and Nats both win and lose, Braves lose, Phillies win.

Jeffrey Likes Fredi, Still Hates Joe

'Loria believes (Josh) Johnson - who will be examined Thursday by orthopedic surgeon James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. - will need surgery and will be out until late next summer.

'Loria suggested Johnson's arm problems started Sept. 12 when then-manager Joe Girardi brought Johnson back into a game following an 82-minute rain delay. Shortly after, Johnson was shut down for the season.

'"He wasn't right the day he was put back in the ballgame after a rain delay. And enough said about that," said Loria, who fired Girardi after the season.'

Loria also supporting Scott, promoting Volstad, and won't say whether there'll be any trades...ALSO: Allison back on restricted list. (PalmBeachPost)

D-Train's Mechanics Examined

No, not the mechanics for his Bentley, but his Pitching mechanics. Carlos Gomez compares Dontrelle's pitching motion over the last 3 seasons and shows just how old and decrepit he has become. (HardballTimes)

Vanden Hurk Against Zito Tonight

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LIVING-UPDATE: The Hurk gives up Barry's non-historical 754th homer on Bonds' first at-bat in the series.

11:17 EDT: Bonds walks in his 2nd at-bat. No damage, though - Marlins lead Giants 5-2.

11:23 EDT: Make that 6-2.

12:03 EDT: Barry walks in the 5th with two out. Hurk also walks Klesko, Feliz homers them both in, and then Molina homers to tie the game 6-6. Lewis then grounds out.

12:04 EDT: Hanley homers to put Marlins up 7-6.

12:23 EDT: Visquel singles in Winn from 2nd to tie the game.

12:25 EDT: Durham homers to make it 9-7 Giants. Bonds up to bat.

12:27 EDT: Bonds walks on 4 straight pitches from Pinto.

12:40 EDT: Lindstrom replaces Pinto, and when the inning's finally over it's 12-7.

12:49 EDT: Hanley drives in Hermida from third to make it 12-8. (That's all they get in the 7th inning.)

1:15 EDT: Tankersley faces Bonds to lead off the 8th, and walks him.

1:20 EDT: Giants don't score.

1:26 EDT: Hermida hits a double off of Messenger to bring in Olivo and make it 12-9 in the 9th.

1:29 EDT: Hanley knocks in another run to make it 12-10.

1:30 EDT: That's the final score. Mets and Braves lose, Nats and Phils win.

Marlins Pitchers Itching to Be in History Books

'Not one Marlins pitcher said they would regret giving up the historic home run, even if it overshadowed anything else they accomplished in their careers, good or bad.' (MiamiHerald)

Pitching to Bonds is just like pitching to anybody, except for the numbered balls and flashbulbs. (SunSentinel)

But then, Barry's feeling the pressure to break the record in these 3 games in SF, and not on the road in LA. (PalmBeachPost)

Johnson Has Setback - Heading For Birmingham Chopping Block

(MiamiHerald)

Time For De-Sweeping Mode

Hanley misses 3 games, Marlins lose 3 games. Mr. Kim attempts to break the pattern against Micah Owings.

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ANOTHER-M.O.: Armando remains disturbingly consistent - Marlins lose in the 9th 7-4 and missed a chance to gain on the Mets, who lost earlier. Braves, Phillies lose; Nats win.

Brand New Blog

Aimee (with her dad's approval) starts up the 'Marlins Love' blog because, as she says, "the Marlins deserve some love...and respect!"

Conine Thinking of Retiring

(Enquirer.com)

Scott Against Brandon Webb Tonight

If Olsen can beat up on the Snakes the way he beats up on his teammates then we may have a good time tonight. His opponent has been no great shakes historically against the Marlins. Then again, Arizona is 14-5 against the NL East this year.

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TRIPLE-UGH!: It's was Olsen who got slapped around as the Fish lose 7-0 - Marlins are now 10 games behind the Mets but are still only 7 back in the Wild Card. Philly beat Washington, Atlanta loses.

Linden Performs Rare Feat (Unfortunately)

'According to Elias Sports Bureau, outfielder Todd Linden on Monday became the first position player in six years to strike out looking four times in one game.

'The last: second baseman Luis Castillo, who was called out on strikes four times in a 2001 game with the Marlins. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Carlos Villanueva, in 2006, was also the victim of an event that is rarer statistically than a no-hitter, at least in recent years.

'Since 1999, Elias found only four occurrences. There have been 13 no-hitters over the same period, and 36 instances of a player hitting for the cycle.' (MiamiHerald)

Our Real "Bartman' Moment

As opposed to last Friday, this one seems to fit the bill much closer...ALSO: Seattle scouts the D-Train. (PalmBeachPost)

Mitre Against Livan Tonight

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DOUBLE-UGH!: Fish lose again. Mets and Braves win. Philly beat the Nats.

Best Headline Today

(SunSentinel)

From the Steamer to the Oven

Fish fly from sweltering South Florida to Arid-zona. Dontrelle does duty against Doug Davis. Hanley's probably out of the lineup tonight.

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UGH!: Florida loses 4-3. Atlanta wins.

Getting Closer to *History

Will Barry be breaking Aaron's home-run record off a Marlins pitcher this week? Dontrelle seems to be relishing the idea...

'"I told him before that I will pitch to him," Willis said. "If he hits [the record-breaker] off me, I won't be the only person he has ever hit a home run off of. There were some others."

'Willis said he would rather Bonds break the record before the Marlins face him, "but if we win the game and he hits it, then I'll definitely have a good seat for it."' (MiamiHerald)

--------------------

The 'some others' Dontrelle refers to of course includes Marlins pitchers past and present. Which brings us to Trivia Time...

1. Which current Marlins pitcher gave up Bonds' Ruth-passing career homer No. 715 last year? (Answer in here)

2. Which former Marlins pitcher gave up Bonds' 73rd homer of the year 2001? (Answer in here)

Questions Concerning the Issue of Scott Olsen

Since the Marlins usually play better after an Olsen clubhouse incident, does an Olsen arrest mean we won't be losing for the rest of the season? Was Dontrelle there at the arrest, as police say - or not, as he says? Was Olsen Tasered because of his kicking, or in fact because of that outstanding littering fine? How do you pass a roadside sobriety test with a Tasered leg anyway? Do you think Fredi's now considering getting a Taser for the clubhouse?

Trying For Something Historic Today

The Marlins "have never had double-digit run totals in three straight games in their 15-year history." Bronson Arroyo against Rick Vanden Hurk today.

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JUST-MISSED: Marlins beat the Reds 9-3. Braves lose, rest of NL East wins.

Game 3

Livingston vs. Kim tonight.

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WIN: Fish drown the Reds 11-1. The NL East moves up a game on the Mets.

News and Views

Matt Lindstrom's back is acting up.

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The Marlins finally have their own 'Bartman' moment (they win the game, though).

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From the MarlinsNation Blog: "The lack of direction and the unwillingness to embrace confrontation when needed is keeping Fredi from growing as a manager and retarding the growth of this young Marlins ballclub."

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Adding to the usual Super Saturday, "Jeff Conine, now with the Reds, will be recognized in a pre-game ceremony tonight commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 1997 championship team."

Lohse Against Olsen Tonight

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AT-A-BOY: Scott starts the next great Marlins winning run, beating Cincy 10-2. Philly and the Mets win; Nats and Braves lose.

Re-Re-Verification

For those of you (including you, Bud) who consistently insist that it's the imminent threat of rain that keeps the South Florida fans away from the ballpark, I give you, WAA-LAA! (pulls back curtain) - Last Night's Game! On a evening that was arguably about as nice as it gets during a SoFla summer, with a sky so clear that Jeremy loses a fly ball in the setting sun, the crowd that shows up at JRS-PPS-DS-DS was officially the smallest one so far this season.

The Reds Invade

Cincinatti's road record looks pretty bad (20-29), until you look at the Marlins' home record (20-28). The Reds have just swept the Braves in Atlanta and want to make it 4-in-a-row tonight. Our best starter so far this year goes on the mound for the first time since the Olsen altercation. Cody should be reinstated today.

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NUMBER-FOUR: Armando returns to the form that got him kicked out of New York and San Francisco. Marlins lose 7-5. Phillies lose, all other NL East teams win; Fish drop to 8.5 games behind the Mets and 9 back in the Wild Card.

Wells vs. Willis In Rubber Game Tonight

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BOUNCED: Dontrelle devalues himself some more as the Cardinals win 6-0. Mets, Braves, Phillies lose, Nats win.

Marlins News

Nolasco and Johnson are throwing; the Auction pulled in over $50,000; Hanley is amazing; and Dan is playing through his struggla's at the plate. (MLB)
`

Feeling a Marlins Poem Coming On?

Inflame your muse and scribble some doggerel - the world is waiting. (FishStripes)

Brad Thompson Against the Hurk Tonight

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INCREDIBLE-HURK: Vanden Hurk keeps the Cards down for 5 innings, the bullpen does the same - Marlins win 4-0. Mets and Philly win, Atlanta and Washington loses.

Renyel Improves Justin Time

'It was another scoreless inning Sunday for left-handed reliever Renyel Pinto, who credits his improvement to a simple pregame ''flat ground'' throwing drill he performs with fellow reliever Justin Miller.

'When the two are throwing to each another, they lower their mitts to prompt lower throws.

'Leaving his pitches high in the strike zone often led to home runs and walks early on for the 25-year-old pitcher from Venezuela. But he has cut down on both as his workload has increased, and the Marlins have gained confidence in his ability to get outs.

'Pinto's ERA has dropped by nearly a full run since early June, when he gave up home runs in three consecutive relief outings. He has given up one since.' (MiamiHerald)

Olsen Displays $4,153 Worth of Temper

Scott scuffles with a sympathetic Sergio, starts serving suspension. (PalmBeachPost)

Blast From the Past

Braden Looper makes his first start against his old club tonight against Mr. Kim, who's looking for his first home win. Miggy's got his homer stroke back, but Pujols hit two last night.

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STILL-LOOKING: Cabrera gets a homer, but the Fish fall to the Cards 5-3. Washington is the only NL East winner last night.

Josh Johnson Felt Fine After Throwing on Sunday

Plan: to throw again on Tuesday, then on Thursday, then back into the rotation, then hopefully not back on the DL. (MLB)

Simontacchi Verses Scott Today

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POW!: Marlins win 5-3 - Marlins hit 9 homers in the series with the Nats. Mets and Braves win, Phillies lose their 10,000th game.

Marlins Sign Top Venezuelan

No, not Hugo Chavez, but 16-year-old Jose Miguel Torres, "one of Venezuela's top two amateur shortstops."...ALSO: Olivo's the MLB leader in a stat that he hasn't been keeping track of recently. (SunSentinel)

Tonight - Mitre vs. Chico on the Field,...

...and baseball fans vs. Smash Mouth fans in the stands.

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HOORAY!: Mitre gets his first home win as the Marlins beat the Nats 5-2. Washington was the only loser in the NL East on Saturday.

BOO!

Joining the smattering of D-Train booers at last night's game is Dave George of the Palm Beach Post who's pushing for a D-Train trade.

BOO-NE: Aaron suffers a setback - the 'little tweak' continues.

The Nats Fly Into South Florida

Jason Bergmann should be up against Dontrelle tonight. Good luck to all today!

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YUCK-LUCK: Marlins lose to Nats 14-10, but Mets lose. Atlanta and Philly wins.

Injury Update

Miguel, Scott, Hanley seem OK; Aaron and Cody are rehabbing; Josh is still a question mark. (MLB)

Only NL East Action Tonight? - Reds at Shea

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BOO!: Mets win.

Comment on The Comment on The Comments

Selig may be disappointed with government's response to his handout request, but he can't be surprised. Remember Joe Robbie, in this at-that-time football-exclusive town, had to build what's now Dolphin Stadium entirely with private financing - no (at least 'official') handouts for him , either.

It goes without saying, but don't believe the estimates given on how much the ballpark's going to cost. Miamians should have enough experience with the ever-continuing airport expansion and the brand new failing Carnival Center to believe the numbers that are doled out to us.

It's good that Selig announced that the Marlins are staying put for now. South Floridians, whose desire to be Marlins fans get thrashed over and over again by whatever ownership group happens to hold the reins, already showed last year that they'll give a hearty 'oh, well, so what else is new?' to any attempt at extortion by moving van.

Comment on Bud and Bob's Comments

The words of Selig and DuPuy last night pretty much re-verifies what I said over a year ago, that it's never really been a lack of funding for a stadium that's holding up this project (the Marlins in most of the various deals made with various governments have received sufficient funding necessary to start building a stadium) but it's that extra splash of dough, usually represented by that $60 million figure constantly sought after from the state, that is 'required' by baseball and the Marlins to help pay for that retractable roof that they desire to have floating over their new stadium. Without that 'requirement' they could have started building on a number of occasions.

The lack of inspirational innovation in this respect is disheartening. Baseball has been played professionally without a roof in this town for many years before MLB arrived (overhangs, yes, but no overall roof). The Devil Rays have a roof in similar climate and still draw less than we do. 3 million people attended games at Joe Robbie Stadium during the 1993 (EDIT)season and probably a similar amount would have showed up in 1994 if the strike didn't destroy the first and greatest bit of momentum that the Marlins ever had - as far as I recall our climate was much the same (EDIT)then as it is now. Minnesota is building a roof-less heated ballpark to replace their roofed home - will the heaters stop possible snow-outs?

Selig, Du Puy 'Very Disappointed' That State Of Florida Won't Pay For Roof

'"There still seems to be optimism. We're hopeful that something can be put back together," Selig said Tuesday during a question-and-answer session before the All-Star game.

'Legislation that would have provided a $60 million subsidy was approved by the Florida House in April, but the Senate never voted on it before its annual session ended. In 2006, the Senate approved a bill that died in the House.

'"It's, frankly, very discouraging at the moment. The commissioner is very upset about it. No one's very happy," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer. "We thought the stars were aligned. We thought that everything was in place to get that final piece. We were very disappointed when the legislature adjourned without passing (it)."...

'"I think south Florida, with right ballpark, could be an excellent major league franchise," Selig said. "There isn't a doubt in my mind."

'Baseball remains in contact with government officials in the Miami area.

'"We don't want to give up on the market," DuPuy said.

'Because of the constant threat of late-afternoon rain in Miami, Major League Baseball wants a new Marlins ballpark to have a retractable roof.' (USAToday)

EXPANDED-COVERAGE: 'Commissioner Bud Selig said he is not ready to tell the Marlins to look outside of South Florida. The club in recent years has looked into the possibility of moving to places like Las Vegas and San Antonio, Texas.

'"They still seem to be optimistic," Selig said of Marlins officials. "When you look at all the demographics, I really like South Florida. South Florida is a major league area but the ballpark is not conducive to baseball in any way, shape or form." Even if the Marlins secure funding, they still have no firm site. The club would like to be just outside of downtown Miami, but many political leaders in Miami-Dade County prefer an Orange Bowl site. The OB might be razed if the University of Miami decides to play its football games at Dolphin Stadium.

'DuPuy is frustrated that the Marlins have been put into a position of waiting for a decision from UM.

'"We had a great downtown site and all of a sudden the news developed that the Orange Bowl might be vacated and the commissioners got very concerned about a vacant Orange Bowl and a white elephant, so people turned their attention back to the Orange Bowl site," DuPuy said.

'One thing that MLB and Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria agree on: To attract fans from around South Florida, a new stadium would have to have a retractable roof because of the frequent threat of showers.

'"You're asking people to come an hour and hour and a half and they want to know the game is going to start at 7 o'clock and they want to know the game is going to be over at 9:30, 10," DuPuy said.' (PalmBeachPost)

Take That, ASG Voters - Hanley Named NL Player of the Week

(MLB)

All-Star Game Tonight

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Greg Cote Says Management Shouldn't Throw in the Towel

"Florida is somehow good enough (and healthy enough) to be the only one of 14 losing-record teams with a winning mark on the road; that's the positive spin. The ugly mirror of that is the worst home record (17-25) in the majors, bar none.

"The Marlins have had zero winning homestands this season. That's a plain embarrassment....

"Likewise, Florida somehow has managed a slightly better record against teams at .500 or better (.475) than against teams with losing records (.466). The Marlins are just 9-9 against the worst of the worst: division cellar-dwellers.

"That, like the home record, can't be pinned on injuries. That's indicative of a team that isn't taking care of business. A team wasting chances.

"The Marlins rank 17th (of 30 teams) in hitting, 21st in pitching and 29th in fielding. The fundamentals don't always seem so fundamental with these guys; nor has new manager Fredi Gonzalez been above second-guessing at times.

"The team isn't doing anything exceptionally well, except getting injured, and yet they are one strong month, maybe one decent winning streak, from being back in the playoff chase for real.

"If only by the benevolence of NL mediocrity the Marlins are close enough to contention that management should stick with the positive possibility when considering trades during the next month or so." (MiamiHerald)

Other Stadium News

My little trip this weekend was to Tampa. It was a surprise to see the newspaper hawkers at the roadway intersections holding up the Sunday editions of the Tampa Tribune imprinted with a big artist rendering of a new Rays stadium on the outside. Seems the paper has been drumming up support for a new stadium by seeking design ideas from readers.

Weekend Games

I'll be out of town this weekend so updates may be minimal. Here's Saturday's games...
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...and here's Sunday's games.
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MINIMAL-UPDATE: Marlins win by 5 on Saturday and lose by 6 on Sunday. At the break the Fish are 7 games behind the Mets, 5 games behind the Braves, 2.5 games behind the Phillies, and 5.5 games ahead of the Nats. They are also 7 games behind the wild-card-leading Dodgers. And they are 4 games ahead of themselves at this same time last year.

Let the Little Ones Come to Us

In a sad reflection on the rest of Major League Baseball, the Marlins and White Sox seem to be the only MLB teams that let kids join their fan clubs for free. (OrlandoSentinel)

Interesting

I listened to the Dodgers radio broadcast of the game last night (always like to check out old Vin). I was able to stay up through the whole game, for beyond the excitement was the indigestion (I'll never eat pepperoni-pineapple pizza again). Some points were made by those guys that I haven't heard elsewhere to verify. Rick Munday mentioned that Bobby Cox told him that in watching Dontrelle pitch this year he has noticed that Willis has been releasing the ball from a different arm slot than in the past. Munday also said that Eric Reed was able to benchpress 450 pounds in high school competitions. And Charley Steiner said that it has been 3 years since the Dodgers lost a game in Dodger Stadium after leading in the 8th inning, and that last time they lost was also to the Marlins.

Can't Dodge the Dodgers

Okay, so the Marlins, and specifically Dontrelle, haven't had much luck against the Dodgers in the past. But as they say, the past is past. Chad Billingsley is to start for L. A.. Take a early nap, East Coasters - game time is 10:40 PM.

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BYE BYE PAST: Hanley was the man as the Marlins squeak out a nailbiter win over the Dodgers 6-5 in the 10th inning. Gregg got Juan Pierre to pop up with the bases loaded and two outs to finish it. Mets and Nats and Phillies lose - Braves win.

Cabrera To Compete in Home Run Derby - Bonds, Griffey Flee in Fear

(Courant.com)

UPDATE: Ooops, Miggy's out too.

Happy Anniversary

Today is the 16th anniversary of the day both the Marlins and Rockies gained final approval by MLB owners to become part of the NL. In that spirit let's also celebrate the Rockies' just-completed sweep of the Mets, which marks the 1st time since 1956 that a team has swept two New York clubs during the regular season.

Kim goes against Peavy today.

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POP-THE-CORKS: Kim beats Peavy - Marlins win 3-2, splitting the series.

BOO!: Mets and Braves win, Nats lose.

Hot & Cold

Both of tonight's starters made the Covers.com list of tonight's hot and cold streaking pitchers. Time to turn the spigots in the other direction.

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OUCH!: Fish lose 1-0 in the 9th, and may lose Johnson. (Amezaga impressed with his performance last night.) Mets lose, but all other NL East teams win.

Let's Limbo Some More

Words like "exasperating" and "increasingly worried" are used to describe baseball's response to the Marlins stadium situation. The city's waiting for the UM Hurricanes to decide to stay in the Orange Bowl or not, Huizenga may or may not extend the lease, and MLB's not exploring any out-of-town solutions as of yet. (MiamiHerald)

Marlins Kick Fans out of Stadium

Fans of the presidential candidate Ron Paul, that is. Upset bloggers post video of the outrage. (GoogleBlogSearch)

Game 2

Radio Roxy called last night's 6th inning 'terrible' defensively. The San Diego paper called the Marlins 'defensively inept'. Can the Fish shake off that label and wiggle towards a win? The Marlins are 9-5 on Tuesdays so far this year, 6-2 on Tuesday away games. Some old guy named Maddux goes up against Scott tonight.

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GAME-UP!: Marlins beat the Padres 6-4, and all the other NL East teams lose.

People

Jeff Allison is back; Hanley is out and so is Armando; and Erasmo has arrived. (SunSentinel)

A Week in The Life Of Scott Olsen

(SunSentinel)

Marlins at San Diego Tonight

I won't say how good the Padres are doing at Petco lately. Carroll was sent back to AAA to make room for a pitcher. Washington is the only NL East team playing at home tonight.

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DAMN: Marlins and all other NL East teams lose.

Miguel in All-Star Game...

...but Hanley and Dan get snubbed. Seems fitting then, that our dramatic win on Sunday made the All-Star Game Selection Show almost two hours late.

Whole New Beginning

It's July 1st. Let's put that 11-16 month of June behind us, and start afresh. Carlyle aganist a revivified Dontrelle today.

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GREAT-START: Fish beat the Braves in 10 innings; Hammer gets five hits including the game winner; Mets lose; Phillies and Nats win.

Prayer Request

The Marlins have sucked on Sundays this year, losing their last 5 (and 8 of their last 9) Sunday games. Those of you attending houses of worship this morning, I hope you would spend just a second of your time in reflecting upon this situation. Thank you.

Cracked Fact

For the last seven Saturdays the Marlins have alternated wins-and-losses. If that pattern continues, and since the Marlins lost last Saturday, then we should be due for a win (jinx jinx). Hudson and Kim do the fling thing tonight. Foam Fish heads and Joan Jett spice up the evening's entertainment.

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JINXED: The Marlins fought back valiently, but the overwhelming power of those lousy umpiring calls were just too much. Fish lose to the Braves 6-5, Mets win, Phillies and Nats lose.

Fredi Not Replacing Johnson for Jason Anytime Soon

"We have to be patient with him. It would be a disservice to him to think that after not pitching for nine months, he would be back to his form." (MiamiHerald)

Back to the NL East

The Marlins haven't played against a division rival since their game against the Braves on June 6. So here it is the 29th and it's the Braves again. James against Johnson tonight.

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BLECH: Fish lose 12-3. Just seeing the final score may make you think, "Johnson blew it again". But Josh only gave up 2 of those runs in the 4 innings he struggled through. Obermueller and Tankersley gave up the bulk of the Atlanta scoring. (After the game Taylor was sent back to AAA and Lee Gardner brought back up.) Fredi's greatest move as manager so far was having Jason Wood pitch the ninth. Reynal Pinto pitched okay (hooray). For more fun, the Mets win two games, the Phillies lose two, and the Nats lose only one.

The Josh Report

Willingham has been playing with a hurt right knee since mid-May. ALSO: Johnson works to get his timing back. (Miami Herald)

Record-Smashing

Scott Olsen gets the most consecutive strikeouts at the start of a game in Marlins history, and Matt Treanor probably hit the shortest possible out-of-the-park home run ever at Joe-Pro-Phin. (SunSentinel)

Marketing Idea

The Marlins should take a cue from what's happening at their minor-league club the Greensboro Grasshoppers and install a stripper pole for between-innings entertainment. To quote their GM, it's "a quality-of-life enhancer."

Pirates Sweep in the Swamp?

Duke verses Olsen in today's early afternoon attempt at a game. There's an 80% chance of rain today. 21,000 kids are expected to show up and experience dampness.

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DAMP-PANTS: Marlins almost gave up a 6-run lead, hold on to win 9-7. Philly wins, Mets need a dome.

Game 2 in the Tropics

D-Rain sprinkled on D-Train last night. More rain's in the forecast for today. (Really, MLB and the Marlins should design with a ballpark/water flume ride combination instead of that retractable dungeon model that they're in love with.) Van Benschoten against Mitre is scheduled for tonight.

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TROPICAL-DEPRESSION: Marlins lose. Mets and Braves win, Phillies and Nats did the other thing.

The H. Wayne Landscaping Challenge

Since a new ballpark by 2011 is becoming a little less likely every day, Huizenga announces that, sure, if the Marlins want they can extend their stay at his stadium, but only if they can find some way to magically make the infield dirt disappear during football games. (SunSentinel)

Errin' on Aaron

Boone's little knee tweak ("Our people looked at it. I think it's not as bad as we first thought", said Fredi) develops into a stint on the DL. (PalmBeachPost)

Computer-Crash Edition

Pirates come to play tonight.

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CRASH!: Computer's up, Marlins down. The game lasts just 2-and-a-quarter hours. Willis tosses 114 pitches, gives up 3 runs, still loses. Mets and Nats lose. Phillies and Braves won.

Even More Reason to Heckle David Samson

Because, as even he admits, it would be 'poetic justice'. Can't stand in the way of poetry, now should we? (SunSentinel)

More Former Fish News

John Cangelosi is to be inducted into the Appleton (WI) Baseball Hall of Fame. (PostCrescent.com)

FORMER-FISH-TRIVIA: Which former Marlins exec now runs the world's largest music festival? (Here's the Answer)

Day of Rest

The Marlins (and Philly) get the day off. The Mets host the Cardinals tonight, while the Nats invade Atlanta.

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QUIK-CAP: Nats lose, Mets win.

More Sportswriter 'Grumblings' About Fredi's Game 'Management'

This time from Ethan J. Skolnick. (SunSentinel)

Interleague Results

Atlanta was the big loser of the NL East in interleague contests this year, ending up with a record of 4-11. After all the whining of the Mets faithful over their unfair interleague schedule, they end up with an winning 8-7 record. Philly also went 8-7. The Marlins and Nationals both ended up with a 9-9 interleague record.

Sunday's Games

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FOOEY: Marlins lose 7-4. Atlanta loses. Mets, Nats, and Phillies win.

Twins Game No. 2

Carlos Silva will be out there for the Twins. Josh Johnson will be out there for the Marlins. Jo Dee Messina will be out there after the game. And the fireworks will be out there in the air.

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GOSH-JOSH: Johnson gets hammered again as the Fish lose 11-1. All NL East teams except the Mets lose.

Player's Union Thinks Anibal May Have Been Screwed

They're checking "whether the Marlins knew the right-hander was injured before it sent him to Class AAA Albuquerque on May 4." Fredi says, "I had no idea," and Kranny says, "It took a lot of us by surprise." (PalmBeachPost)

BUT: The fact that FishStripes' Craig figured out that something was wrong with Anibal back on May 5 and that something was fishy about Fredi and Kranny's explanations about Sanchez's demotion, suggests either that his injury wasn't as unobvious as it was being portrayed, or that the Marlins staff are oblivious to what's right in front of them.

"My Arm Is On My Shoulder; That's All That Matters."

Mr. Willis puts to rest all of our concerns, as his next start has been pushed back to Tuesday. (MiamiHerald)

I've Been Wondering Also...

...about what happened to the New Stadium talks. Earlier this year there were suggestions that some announcement needed to be made around May, for the Marlins to have enough time to construct a ballpark before their self-imposed deadline. It's near the end of June and still nothing. Capefish guesses the principal players may just be on vacation. The supposed 'point man', MLB Prez Bob DuPuy, has recently returned from a trip to China and brought back some players. (oh oh, hope we won't be hearing 'the Beijing Marlins' anytime soon.)

The Twins Arrive

It's the first time ever that the Twins have played in SoFla - Luis Castillo and Mike Redmond return to their old stomping grounds. The Twins have almost half the amount of errors this year than the Marlins do. Mr. Boof Bonser will fling the spheroid against the Marlins, whilst Mr. Scott Olsen will attempt the same against the Twins.

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OOF!: Morneau should be okay after a hard collision with Olivo at the plate. Marlins pull out a win on Hanley's homer. All NL East teams won except Atlanta.

See Ya Next Year, Anibal

The exploratory surgery turned into a repair job; hopefully Sanchez will be ready for spring training....ALSO: Vanden Hurk and Coghlan are chosen for the Futures Game. (SunSentinel)

Why Tonight's Game Won't Be On FSN Florida/SunSports

Tom Jicha explains the thought process, such as it is, behind the decisions made on which games will not be telecast. (SunSentinel)

NL East Takes a Breather Today

You can check to see if Sammy hits that elusive No. 601, or if Roger fares well in Colorado.

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In the News...

Doctors will be taking an excursion into Anibal's shoulder today. Meanwhile, Dontrelle's arm hasn't fallen off yet, so he still expects to make his next start. (And Kranitz and the pitchers expound on the value of bad bullpen sessions.)

Afternoon Rubber Game

Fish are again over .500 on the road. Florida "has scored 26 runs in its last four games." But don't get too excited, though.

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OKAY-NOW-YOU-CAN-GET-EXCITED: Marlins beat the White Sox 5-4,...And Every Other NL East Team Lost! Florida's now 4.5 games out of first.

Dontrelle's Next Start Iffy

(PalmBeachPost)

Buyers or Sellers?

'"It's a little early," Beinfest said when asked if the Marlins will be buyers or sellers. "Generally, decisions are made for you. I'm not sure this team has played its best baseball. Hopefully it hasn't. I don't really know exactly what's going to happen 51/2 weeks from now. We'll see."' (PalmBeachPost)

'"When you're talking about buyers and sellers, I think you're always a buyer. You're always trading for something and buying something.

'"We're trying to win. We're not hoping to get [to a certain] mark. We're hoping to get to October."' (MiamiHerald)

Game 2 in the South Side

D-Train against Danks tonight.

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OW!-YAY!: Willis pulled after one inning, but the bullpen contains the Sox - Marlins win 7-5. Mets, Braves and Nats lose. Phillies win

Ozzie Does the Tough Love Thing on El Gordo

'Guillen -- one of baseball's most outspoken figures -- pulled no punches. He told Cabrera he needed to lose weight.

'"I'm a little upset with him," Guillen said. "You're still young. He knows he has a problem with that. When you are young and good, you can get away with it. But when you're older and you're not hitting home runs, then they will call you a fat boy from Venezuela.

'"I saw him in the spring and he was [skinny], and then I saw him again later and said, "You've been eating a lot of arepas," he joked. "When your mother is Venezuelan and your wife is Venezuelan, you are going to get fat. If he keeps getting bigger, his future is in the Mexican League."' (MiamiHerald)

MORE: Ozzie on the state of the Marlins...

'"When I was there the first playoff (series) in San Francisco (in 2003), you see McCovey Cove and everything orange and black. Then you go to Chicago and it's Ron Santo and the Ivy. Then we went to New York and they got all those (plaques honoring Yankees) players," he said.

'"Then we go to our place and it's Don Shula and the 1972 team. That's depressing. I mean, that's bad. ... I'd like to know what the Dolphins have done better than the Marlins over the years?"

'Guillen was reminded about the mystique of the '72 Dolphins and their perfect season.

'"That's a hundred years ago," he said. "The Marlins win in 2003. That's five years ago and nobody talks about it. That's (wrong). The Dolphins haven't had a winning season in years and everything's 'Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins.' The Marlins put a good product out there and they don't think about that."

'Guillen said the market and government should do more to help build a ballpark for a Marlins team that has won two titles - in 1997 and 2003.

'"All of a sudden the Heat are better than the Marlins? What did they do? They won one (championship)," he said.

'He did say that the South Florida media might treat him better than what he's received in Chicago during the 4-17 skid the White Sox took into Monday's game.

'"I wish I could be with the Marlins today because nobody would talk about me like they do here," he said.

'"But the thing is, why don't they put more attention on the team? They should appreciate what they did in the past. Don't keep blaming the owners. They're going to regret it."

'Asked whether he would try to move the Marlins out of Florida if he owned the team, Guillen replied: "Of course, I'd leave. You don't support me?"

'Then he praised owner Jeffrey Loria for building competitive teams despite low payroll and small attendance.

'"Believe me, because I watch those games: It's fun to watch those kids," he said.

'"I tip my hat to the Marlins' organization every day. They don't have the support from the fans They don't have the support from investors. They play in the wrong park. ...People criticize the owners, but meanwhile they don't support the ballclub."

'Part of the problem, he said, is that the Marlins began play in just 1993, so they're fan base is young compared with other markets.

'"The Marlins fans are still babies, still young kids,'' he said. "They're doing a tremendous job putting all those kids together. I think it's going to be not too far away they'll see a winning ballclub, a good ballclub."'(PalmBeachPost)

Fredi Embraces the Errors

"It annoys everybody, but errors are part of the game...You have to keep working at them. We're doing that. It's just one of those things. I think it will get better. It's got to get better." (Yahoo)

Our Yearly Alex Arias Report

The former Marlin starts his new career as manager of the Blufield (W.V.) Orioles. (bdtonline.com)

Needing Shelter

The Marlins return to their former emergency home stadium today. (They'll probably need an umbrella, though it may get blown away.) Tonight Josh Johnson makes his 2007 MLB debut against Jose Contreras.

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CAVE-IN: Marlins lose 10-6. Nats and Phillies lose - Mets and Braves win.