Random Marlins Notes

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News from the 22nd of March.

Marlins reassigned infielder Joe Dillon to minor league camp.
Dillon, who was vying for a bench spot after spending last year in Japan, was 3-for-13 this spring. He'll find himself in the middle of Triple-A Albuquerque's lineup at the beginning of the year.

Robert Andino returned to action Thursday and went 0-for-3.
Andino had been out since hurting his back in a collision with Alfredo Amezaga on March 10. He'll open the season in Triple-A.

Alejadro De Aza continued to make a case for a roster spot by going 3-for-4 with two doubles Thursday against the Cardinals.
De Aza is 12-for-31 with five doubles, a triple and four steals in six tries. It's doubtful that he'd be a decent regular for the Marlins, but the same can be said about Alex Sanchez and Eric Reed. He may have a shot to break camp with the team.

Dontrelle Willis shut out the Cardinals for 6 2/3 innings on Thursday to win for the first time after three losses this spring.
Willis had a 6.29 ERA before holding St. Louis to three singles today. He's bothered by a sore right wrist, but it's not a problem for him on the mound.

Jeremy Hermida, who fouled a ball off his knee on Saturday, returned to action in a minor league game on Thursday and went 1-for-5 with a home run.
Hermida will see his first action in the field tomorrow when he plays in another minor league game. He's still experiencing some swelling in the knee, but he's expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Taylor Tankersley will throw a bullpen session on Friday, and could see his first game action this spring on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Tankersley likely would have needed to see game action by now if he had any hopes of avoiding the disabled list or the minors. He's still a saves sleeper once he's healthy and productive, but he's more worth monitoring than owning at this point.

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News from the 23rd of March.

Hanley Ramirez (groin) sat out Thursday's game and remains day-to-day.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez indicated that Ramirez could have played Thursday, but the Marlins are being cautious with his recovery.

Alex Sanchez's average is down to .158 after he went 0-for-3 on Friday.
Also, he's walked just once in 38 at-bats. All indications were that the Marlins wanted to make Sanchez their center fielder. However, it'd be very hard to justify the move after what's happened this spring, and it's not like Sanchez has his 2006 performance to fall back on. The Marlins can either go with Eric Reed or make a trade.

Hanley Ramirez returned to action on Friday and had a double in three at-bats.
Ramirez missed a couple of games due to a strained right groin.

Matt Lindstrom and Kevin Gregg both pitched scoreless innings Friday, while Henry Owens gave up his first run of the spring in the loss to the Mets.
The three closer candidates have all pitched between nine and 10 innings this spring. Lindstrom has allowed three runs -- one earned -- and has a 4/2 K/BB ratio. Gregg has given up three runs -- two earned -- and has an 8/5 K/BB ratio. Owens has allowed one run and has a 9/2 K/BB ratio. The Marlins may name one of the three their closer prior to Opening Day -- Lindstrom would seem to have as good of a chance as any of them -- but there's no one in the group that can be counted on for more than a handful of saves. By May 1, Taylor Tankersley might have overtaken them all.

With his knee still bothering him, Jeremy Hermida went for an examination on Friday.
Hermida returned in a minor league game Thursday after fouling a ball off the knee Saturday, but he was still sore today. No word yet on what the examination turned up.

Taylor Tankersley threw another bullpen session on Friday and will throw batting practice either Sunday or Monday.
Tankersley threw 35 pitches off a mound -- 10 more than in his last bullpen session -- and said he "felt good" and "felt no pain." Tankersley is due to make his spring debut on Tuesday or Wednesday.

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News from the 24th of March.

After being evaluated on Friday, there is a chance Jeremy Hermida (knee) might be sidelined through Opening Day.
Hermida, who is 2-for-35 (.057) with seven walks and 11 strikeouts this spring, hasn't played a Grapefruit game since last Saturday when he fouled a pitch off his right knee. "It's disappointing for him not to be out on the field," said GM Larry Beinfest. "He's not playing right now. He's not available. The knee is sore." If he sits, Joe Borchard or Cody Ross would replace him in right field.

The Marlins are calling Jeremy Hermida out indefinitely with a bone bruise on his right kneecap.
Hermida might be ready to play as soon as the middle of next week, but as much as he's slumped this spring, the Marlins would probably want him on the DL to start the year even if he could get into a few games before Opening Day. Joe Borchard and Cody Ross figure to split time in right field while Hermida is out. Borchard could get the majority of the at-bats with Ross also ice cold this spring.

Joe Borchard doubled, walked and scored twice Saturday against the Mets.
Borchard is batting .282/.383/.385, compared to .095/.191/.119 for Cody Ross. Unless Ross can really turn things around next week, it's Borchard who would likely get most of the at-bats filling in for Jeremy Hermida should a replacement be needed early in the season.

Matt Lindstrom earned a save despite allowing an unearned run and walking two Saturday in the Marlins' 6-5 win over the Mets.
It's the fourth run Lindstrom has given up in 10 1/3 innings, though only one has been earned. He's struck out four and walked four. While Lindstrom has done enough to win a bullpen spot this spring, there's been little so far to suggest he's ready to close for a major league team.

Marlins assigned infielder Robert Andino to Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday.
"He's ready to play at the Major League level, but right now, he's behind a guy [Hanley Ramirez] who was the [National League] Rookie of the Year," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

[realmofotalk]

One more note: The Marlins hired Andy Fox, who was a member of their 2003 championship team, as a coach.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- Former major league infielder Andy Fox was hired as a coach Saturday by the Florida Marlins to replace Perry Hill, who retired this week.

Fox will coach first base and the infield. He's expected to join the Marlins on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old Fox was starting his second season as a minor league manager in the Texas Rangers' organization. He spent nine seasons in the majors and was with Florida from 2000-03.

"We're excited to bring Andy back," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He understands the system we have in place for our infielders, and he will provide a smooth transition as we start the regular season."

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News from the 25th of March.

Yusmeiro Petit pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs Sunday in a loss to the Red Sox.
Petit walked four and that's something he just can't afford to do when he's facing major league offenses. With Sergio Mitre likely to be stretched out enough to begin the season in the rotation, Petit figures to be optioned to Triple-A, assuming that he isn't traded for a center fielder or a reliever.

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News from the 26th of March.

Taylor Tankersley (shoulder) threw live batting practice Sunday.
Barring a setback, Tankersley will appear in a minor league game either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said he intends to name his closer and his starting center fielder on Wednesday.
Gonzalez, who said he already has someone in mind, will choose between Matt Lindstrom, Kevin Gregg and Henry Owens for the closer's role. He doesn't know who he'll pick for center field. Eric Reed, Alex Sanchez and Alejandro De Aza are the possibilities.

The Cardinals and Marlins are the clubs most interested in trading for Jorge Julio, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports.
The Pirates and Devil Rays are also in the mix. There will probably be better relievers than Julio on the waiver wire this week, but they won't have mid-90s fastballs. Julio has finished with ERAs of 4.57, 5.90 and 4.23 the last two years.

Marlins acquired RHP Jorge Julio and cash from the Diamondbacks for RHP Yusmeiro Petit.
We can't imagine the Marlins wanted Julio unless it was to close. He can't be trusted to come into games with men on base, so the ninth inning is the best situation for him. Still, he won't be any sort of lock to close all year long. With ERAs of 4.57, 5.90 and 4.23 the last three years, Julio has pretty firmly established himself as a below average reliever. He'll probably have a couple of good months for the Marlins, but when all is said and done, the team could realize it would have been better off without him.

Sergio Mitre pitched five innings of shutout ball Monday in his start against the Cardinals.
The Marlins traded away the competition today, but there was no doubt Mitre was going to be their fifth starter. He's given up one unearned run in nine innings since returning from his shoulder woes.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez confirmed that Jorge Julio would take over as Florida's closer after being acquired Monday.
With Julio getting the job, Matt Lindstom, Kevin Gregg and Henry Owens can all be dumped in NL-only leagues. Taylor Tankersley might still have a little value once healthy. Since Julio is hardly a sure thing, all of the potential setup men are worth watching. However, until one separates himself from the pack, none are going to be very good uses of a roster spot.

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News from the 27th of March.

Matt Lindstrom pitched two scoreless innings for a relief win Tuesday against the Orioles.
Lindstrom pitched the fifth and sixth innings. Henry Owens pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. Both former Mets prospects are out of the running for closing duties following the acquisition of Jorge Julio, but they're expected to occupy key roles in the pen and they remain worth watching.

Dan Uggla hit his first homer Tuesday to help the Marlins beat the Orioles 5-3.
It was a two-run shot off Brian Burres. Uggla also walked. He's still batting just .212/.274/.303 this spring, but he's getting better.

Taylor Tankersley (shoulder) will throw in a minor league game on Wednesday, keeping alive the chances that he'll begin the season on the DL.
If Tankersley pitches in a big league game, he won't be eligible for the DL retroactive to March 23, so he'll only pitch in minor league games until the season starts. "We're going to be real safe with him," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "But we'll see. We'll see what the medical people say."

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News from the 28th of March.

MLB.com reports that Alejandro De Aza has won the Marlins' starting job in center field.
De Aza is hitting .351 this spring, but played just 69 games at Double-A last season and is a poor bet to be productive at the plate. However, he has enough speed to be a fantasy asset. The move means that Eric Reed will begin the season at Triple-A.

Marlins optioned OF Eric Reed to Triple-A Albuquerque; reassigned C Paul Hoover, RHP Roy Corcoran and INF Zach Sorensen to minor league camp.
We almost feel bad for Reed, who entered camp well ahead and Alejandro De Aza on the depth chart and then hit .351 in 37 at-bats. He's also the superior defender of the two. There's little chance he would have been a productive hitter during the regular season, but the same can be said about De Aza. Reed probably should have gotten the nod.

Marlins released RHP Mike Koplove.
Despite 11 strikeouts, Koplove gave up nine runs -- seven earned -- in 7 2/3 innings.

Marlins released RHP Felix Rodriguez.
This leaves Lee Gardner and Nate Field competing for the last spot in the Florida pen. Rodriguez had a 1.64 ERA despite a 4/9 K/BB ratio in 11 innings.

Marlins released outfielder Alex Sanchez.
The Marlins wanted Sanchez to win a starting job, but he hit .163/.182/.256 in 43 at-bats. He'll have to head to Triple-A with another team if he wants to make it back to the majors for the first time since July 2005.

The Marlins told both Taylor Tankersley (shoulder) and Jeremy Hermida (knee) that they'll open the season on the disabled list.
No surprise. Either Lee Gardner or Nate Field will make the team in place of Tankersley, and Joe Borchard and Cody Ross can fill in for Hermida. The Marlins hope to have both back by mid-April.

Cody Ross went 0-for-3 on Wednesday and is just 4-for-51 this spring.
Ross has hurt his trade balue, but he is expected to make the Marlins and he'll probably start against lefties while Jeremy Hermida is out. Once Hermida gets back, Ross will be used mostly as a pinch-hitter.

Lee Gardner got a relief victory on Wednesday by pitching two scoreless innings against the Nationals.
Gardner has allowed just two unearned runs in 13 innings this spring to keep himself in the running for a bullpen spot. The 32-year-old's only major league experience came with the Rays in 2002 and 2005.

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News from the 29th of March.

Taylor Tankersley (shoulder) threw one inning in a minor league game Wednesday.
Tankersley, who allowed one run, could be ready to return as soon as April 7. ''I'm still going to be on the team the other 145 games,'' Tankersley said.

Jason Wood and Lee Gardner have won the last two spots on the Marlins, beating out John Gall and Nate Field, respectively.
The Marlins could send down both if Jeremy Hermida and Taylor Tankersley return in mid-April as hoped. Wood, 37, also spent last September with the Marlins, his first action in the majors since 1999.

Joe Borchard hit his first homer of the spring in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday as the Marlins and Cardinals tied 4-4.
Borchard is batting .275/.377/.431 in 51 at-bats. He probably won't have any long-term value in NL-only leagues, but since he's going to start against right-handers, he will be worth using while Jeremy Hermida is sidelined next month.

Marlins reassigned RHP Nate Field and OF John Gall to minor league camp.
Field was well ahead off Lee Gardner on the depth chart, but he gave up 10 runs -- four earned -- in 11 2/3 innings this spring. Gall lost out to Jason Wood after hitting .256/.341/.333 in 39 at-bats.

Jeremy Hermida (knee) still isn't participating in baseball-related activities.
The club hasn't provided an updated timetable for a return, but the previous mid-April return date is looking less likely if his knee is still bothering him a week after injuring it.

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News from the 30th of March.

Josh Johnson (elbow) played soft toss on Thursday, the first time he threw a baseball in weeks.
Johnson, who was set to become the Marlins' No. 2 starter, has remained idle to allow an irritated nerve in his right biceps area to calm. He will start the season on the disabled list and is optimistic he'll return sometime in June.

Jorge Julio made his Marlins spring debut Thursday, allowing one run on three hits on 25 pitches against the Cardinals.
The new Marlins closer will also pitch in Friday's Grapefruit League finale against the Mets.

Ricky Nolasco will pitch out of the bullpen until the Marlins need a fifth start on April 10.
The original plan was for the fifth starter to serve as a middle reliever in week one, but Sergio Mitre is coming back from a sore shoulder and the Marlins don't want to throw off his routine. As a result, Mitre will start April 6. Nolasco shouldn't have to worry about being skipped once the season gets going.

Marlins acquired catcher John Baker from the Athletics for first baseman Jason Stokes.
Baker was Marlins property for a few weeks in Dec. 2005, getting claimed off waivers from the A's. However, the A's got him back when the Marlins tried to get him through waivers and he hit .273/.361/.386 for Triple-A Sacramento last season. The 26-year-old is strictly insurance for Florida.

Marlins placed RHP Jose Garcia on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, with an inflamed right elbow.
Garcia's problems might be more serious than the Marlins have disclosed, as there doesn't appear to be any timetable for his return. He'll likely spend considerable time in Triple-A once healthy.

Marlins placed RHP Logan Kensing on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, following Tommy John surgery.
Kensing, who could be a closer candidate in 2008, hopes to make it back in July or August.

Marlins placed RHP Carlos Martinez on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, following Tommy John surgery.
Martinez isn't being counted on to pitch this year after undergoing surgery last July.

Marlins placed RHP Josh Johnson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, with an irritated ulnar nerve.
Johnson, who picked up a baseball Thursday for the first time since being diagnosed, will miss at least the first two months of the season.

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News from the 31st of March.

The Marlins announced that Sergio Mitre will be their No. 4 starter and will start their home opener Friday against Philadelphia.
The move that allows No. 5 starter Ricky Nolasco to work out of the bullpen before he makes his initial start April 10. Mitre is expected to pitch five or six innings Saturday in his final spring tune-up.

Miguel Cabrera hit his third home run Saturday in the Marlins' 6-2 win over the Reds.
Cabrera cooled off over the final two weeks, but he still finishes the spring at .303/.346/.526 in 76 at-bats.

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News from the 1st of April.

Marlins purchased the contracts of OF Alejandro De Aza, INF Jason Wood and RHP Lee Gardner.
The Marlins could have used the waiver wire to replace Wood or Gardner, but they've resisted the temptation so far. De Aza will be the regular center fielder to begin the year. He can't be counted on to do much more than Eric Reed and Reggie Abercrombie did last season.

Marlins placed outfielder Jeremy Hermida on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, with a bruised right knee.
Hermida is about two weeks away. Joe Borchard and Cody Ross will replace him in right field, with Borchard starting against right-handers.

Marlins placed LHP Taylor Tankersley on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, with left shoulder tendinitis.
Tankersley could come off the DL and replace Lee Gardner in the pen as soon as Saturday.

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News from the 2nd of April.

Alejandro De Aza tripled, singled, walked and scored two runs Monday in his major league debut.
A nice start to his major league career. De Aza is unlikely to be very good offensively, but he will steal the occasional base, giving him some value in NL-only leagues.

Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, a two-run double and two walks Monday against the Nationals.
Both extra-base hits came off John Patterson. If Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla are even close to as good this year as they were last year, Cabrera should be looking at a new career high in RBI this season. He drove in 116 runs in 2005.

Hanley Ramirez went 4-for-6 with two doubles, four runs scored and two stolen bases on Monday.
Ramirez got off to a very slow start this spring, but he ended up with a .303/.346/.526 line in 76 at-bats. We're not sure he'll get 74 extra-base hits like he did as a rookie, but since he's going to be allowed to attempt 60-70 steals again, he is likely to remain a fantasy stud.

Dontrelle Willis yielded two runs -- one earned -- in six innings Monday in a victory over the Nationals.
Willis has already equalled his win total from the first two months of last year. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that his first win of last season also came against the Nationals.

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News from the 3rd of April.

Taylor Tankersley (shoulder) threw 25 pitches in a simulated game on Tuesday.
Tankersley will pitch in a minor league game on Thursday. If that goes well, he could be activated when eligible on Saturday.

Josh Willingham went 3-for-5 with two RBI against the Nationals on Tuesday night.
Willingham had a tough spring and was about the only Marlin not to have fun during Monday's 9-2 rout, going 0-for-5 in that one. He originally figured to hit cleanup -- as he did most of last year -- but he's instead batting fifth behind Mike Jacobs, even though Jacobs also hit under .200 during March. Willingham is more likely to be a $15-$16 player this year if he resumes batting immediately behind Miguel Cabrera. He likely will do so against left-handers.

Despite five walks, Scott Olsen held the Nationals to two runs in 5 1/3 innings to win on Tuesday night.
Olsen allowed just two hits, a total he matched at the plate. He doubled, singled and drove in a run on a fielder's choice.

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News from the 1st of June.

The Marlins will be on the hook for just $333,333 of Armando Benitez's salary after acquiring him from the Giants on Thursday.
The Giants will pick up the remainder of the $5,076,666 he was due. That means they will have paid him about $21.17 million for 45 saves over the last three three years.

Sergio Mitre remains questionable for Monday's start against Atlanta due to a strained hamstring.
''Call it a mild strain, I guess,'' Mitre said. ``We'll see tomorrow. Tomorrow is my regular bullpen day, so we'll see how it feels, whether I can push off or not.'' If Mitre struggles during Saturday's session he will likely wind up on the disabled list.

Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez indicated that he doesn't intend to use Armando Benitez in the closer's role right away.
"We'll sit down and talk to him," Gonzalez said. "Right now, Kevin (Gregg) has earned that opportunity (to close) and we'll see." There just wasn't any point to acquiring Benitez unless he was going to close. Unlike Gregg, he's not someone a team ever wants entering game with men on base, and he's not going to be happy unless he's getting save chances. Expect him to get the job if he impresses over his first couple of appearances.

Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said Friday that he'll use Armando Benitez in the eighth inning for now and have him close when Kevin Gregg is unavailable.
The idea still seems silly to us, as Gregg is the one of the two who should be coming in with men on base, while Benitez should always enter games with none on. It's doubtful Benitez will last as the setup man. Either he'll be closing or mopping up in a couple of weeks. There's never been in between with him.

Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez each hit solo homers for the Marlins on Friday, but it wasn't enough as the club still lost to the Brewers 8-5.
Ramirez's homer was his eighth of the season, while Uggla's long ball was his 12th. Uggla's power is right in line with last year's numbers, and his batting average is back up to .266 after a dismal April in which he hit .219. The more he hits, the more he'll prove that last season's excellent debut wasn't as much of a fluke as originally thought.