MasterChief

The Marlins encountered the two biggest hazards between them and a sixth consecutive home victory in one inning on Monday. They artfully maneuvered through an injured shoulder and a flummoxed reliever to inch within spitting distance of the National League wild-card lead. Behind rookie Miguel Cabrera's two-hit, three-RBI night, the Marlins held off the Diamondbacks 3-2 at Pro Player Stadium. The victory pushed the Marlins to within one game of the wild-card leading Phillies. A 3-1 lead grew tenuous in the eighth, when ironman first baseman Derrek Lee suffered a partially dislocated joint in his right shoulder on a brilliant fielding play. Later that inning, animated reliever Ugeuth Urbina became upset with home plate umpire Mike DiMuro on a call that resulted in a bases-loaded walk. Lee left the game. Urbina stayed in. Ultimately, both were OK. The drama began with one out and two on. Lee made a great diving play down the line to spear a sharp Luis Gonzalez grounder. On his way to the bag, Lee lost the handle on the ball and landed on his extended right arm as he retrieved it. "The initial pain was the worst part when it popped out," said Lee, who played in his franchise-record 315th consecutive game. "It's hard to tell exactly what I did." Lee's shoulder popped back in. Unless he has any range of motion problems today, he'll be in the lineup. After Luis Gonzalez's infield hit, Marlins starter Mark Redman (9-4) gave way to Urbina with one out and the bases loaded. His team up 3-1, Urbina struck out former Red Sox teammate Shea Hillenbrand on four pitches before falling behind 3-0 to pinch-hitter Carlos Baerga. Urbina thought he caught Baerga looking at a 3-2 strike, but DiMuro called it a ball. Urbina was near the first-base line on the way to the dugout thinking he was out of the inning. He exchanged words with DiMuro, and Urbina needed a group therapy session with pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal, third baseman Mike Lowell, and catcher Pudge Rodriguez before settling down. Once he did, Urbina struck out Danny Bautista to end the inning and preserve the one-run lead. Closer Braden Looper pitched a scoreless ninth for his 19th save. "I'm glad [urbina] stayed in there," said McKeon, who sent out Rosenthal to help keep his pitcher from getting tossed. Barring a trade for a veteran left fielder, Cabrera won't be spending time on the bench soon. He started the scoring with a 406-foot, two-run homer to left off starter Miguel Batista (7-6), who struck out a career-high 11 batters. Two innings later, Cabrera's double to left-center knocked in Lee, who reached on the lone walk issued by Batista. The 20-year-old Cabrera is in the middle of a career-high six-game hitting streak. During that span he is 11 for 25 (.440) with two doubles, a triple, two homers and nine RBI. "I feel a little more relaxed," said Cabrera, who was in a 4-for-25 slump before his hitting streak. "I was putting too much pressure on myself. Now I'm trying to hit my pitches." The Diamondbacks didn't hit many of Redman's pitches well. Leadoff man Matt Kata accounted for four of his team's six hits off Redman through 71/3 innings. Kata opened the game with a double and added singles in the third, fifth, and eighth innings. Hillenbrand had one of the few good swings the Diamondbacks took against the left-hander. His 413-foot solo homer to start the fourth made it a 2-1 game. The crowd of 10,472 lauded Redman as much for his hitting as his pitching. Moving a runner over in the fourth prompted a standing ovation, as did getting his first base hit of the season and second of his career in the seventh. Redman is 2 for 8 lifetime against the Diamondbacks and 0 for 40 against the rest of the league. "I got a new bat today," said Redman, adding he wrote the words `Help, Need a Hit,' on the bottom of it. "I didn't find the ball. It found my bat." Winners of 13 of 16 at home, the Marlins have found just about everything they've sought lately.

20

19,000. hopefully more

Oh god, shes baaaaaaack! Here, Pudge07....C'mon boy. lmao.... you're on a roll with all the jokes!

Rasual Butler

isn't he also a compulsive gambler? :lol

Redman

encarnacion

TM PITCHERS IP H R ER BB K ERA FLA J.Beckett 4.0 4 2 2 0 7 4.50 - rehab; hit 97mph, K'd last six he faced FLA T.Hutchinson(W,1-0) 5.0 1 0 0 2 3 0.00 - AA debut nice to see beckett is back up to speed :thumbup and hutchinson is doing a great job down in the minors. looks like he is going to continue to pitch good in AA.

I'm subscribed to the Baseball America Prospect Report...if you guys want, every day I can post any Marlins-related news that comes up...let me know Here's todays: ------------------- AA Southern League ------------------- TM PLAYERS AB R H BI AVG FLA J.Wilson SS 5 3 3 1 .282 - 2B, 3B, K FLA A.Gonzalez 1B 5 0 3 1 .303 - 2 K; 12-for-22 in last 5 G TM PITCHERS IP H R ER BB K ERA FLA D.Bridges (W,6-1) 7.0 2 0 0 2 6 2.80 - Last 5 G: 3-0, 0.78, 30.1 IP, 12 H ----------------- A Florida State League ----------------- TM PLAYERS AB R H BI AVG FLA J.Stokes 1B 4 0 3 0 .274 - 2B, SB Should I do this every day? From time to time? What? That would be cool. You should probably do it every day or every other day so we can keep a close eye on the prospects.

I was not talking about Payton and Zo has being as good as ever when healthy. BTW: Rasual is injured thats why Riley may not keep him. No he is not injured where you get thta from?He is currently training... Yes Rasual is injured. Broke his left finger in a "freak accident" in the shower.

Caron Butler : 1.76 SPG -- first among rookies (8th in the NBA) 15.4 PPG -- first among rookies 2.7 APG -- 5th among rookies .827% FT -- second among rookies Amare Stadomire: 8.8 RPG -- first among rookies (13th in the NBA) 13.5 PPG -- second among rookies 25 Double-doubles -- second among rookies .472 FG% -- fourth among rookies What Amare did this year in phoenix got him a well deserved ROY award. But Butler also had great numbers. Butler won't be the next MJ, but he'll be a very good solid player in the NBA. Not just a roleplayer.

9

ESPN.com Kobe Bryant says he intends to become a free agent after next season, according to ESPN's Jim Gray.Bryant, drafted by Charlotte but traded to the Lakers less than a month later in 1996, has never played for another team. He has won three world championships with the Lakers, from 2000-2002. Bryant has hinted at wanting to leave the Lakers before, but this is the first time he's said he will indeed consider his options as a free agent. According to Gray, Bryant plans to opt out of his contract because he isn't sure what will happen to Lakers' coach Phil Jackson, he wants to see what the Lakers' plans for the future are and because he's never had the chance to test the free agent market. Bryant averaged 30 points per game last season for the Lakers, who lost to San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals. He's averaged 21.5 points per game for his career.

Heat Line Up : C - Morning PF - Grant SF - Bulter SG - Jones PG - Wade I believe Wade's a SG, so we'll probably see either a FA (Arenas?) or Butler at PG.

GREAT throw by Cabs

Dontrelle Willis

If Toronto gets Bosh I would like the heat to get Lampe and get a PG in the 2nd round, because this draft is deep at that PG so I feel they could still get a good PG in the 2nd round. BTW: Denver is going to be awsome in the near future. They got Hilerio and Nikoloz and now carmelo. WOW Lampe would be a project for the heat, Would Pat Riley really use the#5 pick on a project. But lampe would be a nice pick for them. wouldn't be surprised if they took Hinrich.

Can I take a claim to Indiana and Washington? i had washington yesterday and i'd like to have them for the second round

Mark Redman

I'm in for the second round

Gonzalez is in the second year of his $24 million, two-year deal he signed to return to Texas before the 2002 season. The Rangers would likely pay most of Gonzalez's remaining salary. makes u wonder what they are giving up....

Wasn't Juan's contract heavily Backloaded? Or is he making 12 million this year? would seem nearly impossible that MLB would let them add half that much payroll.

how can the Expos take on payroll? what pitching are they giving in return? i have no idea. I don't think they can announce the other players until juan approves the deal

gammons believes it's the expos..... others in texas believe it's oakland...... we'll have to wait and see... ESPNEWS now saying it's the expos (first reliable source)