Josh Willingham's approval rating climbed Saturday when manager
Joe Girardi gave the catching candidate his strongest endorsement yet to take over the position on a regular basis.
''We believe . . . that he can catch in the big leagues every day,'' Girardi said of Willingham, who has received extra training at the position this spring -- ''Catching 101,'' as the manager put it -- so the Marlins can keep his bat in the lineup.
Although he stopped short of naming Willingham the team's No. 1 catcher, Girardi made it clear that Willingham has done nothing to end the experiment and move on to Plan B: shifting Willingham to left field.
Willingham hasn't played in the outfield this spring, and Girardi said there are no immediate plans to try him there, even though no left fielder has emerged and the position remains a large question mark with Opening Day approaching.
''I think they like what they see, or I would have spent some time there by now,'' Willingham said.
''He's still a viable everyday catching candidate, so if you're an everyday catching candidate, the chances of you playing in left field aren't real good,'' Girardi said of Willingham.
``If you're catching 130 games, you're usually not going to run a guy out there on his off day.''
Willingham is battling
Miguel Olivo for the catching job, with journeyman
Matt Treanor on the periphery.
The Marlins are satisfied with Olivo from a defensive standpoint but prefer Willingham's bat.