gomarlins9703

Shadez goes deep Uggla K's Jacobs grounds out to 2b, first pitch swinging Willingham Walks Herimda K's

Watson ground out to 2b, 1 out Vidro Lines out Church walks on 4 pitches Zimmerman gets hit Ward Pops out to 1B

Lineups: Nationals: 1) Watson-CF 2) Vidro-2B 3) Church-RF 4) Zimmerman- 3B 5) Ward-1B 6) Clayton-SS 7) Anderson-DH 8) Gonzalez-C 9) Godwin-LF Marlins: 1) Ramirez-SS 2) Uggla-2B 3) Jacobs-1B 4) Willingham-C 5) Hermida-RF 6) Stokes-DH 7) Helms-3B 8) Aguila-LF 9) Reed-CF

It came down to Galbizo, Mobley, or Martinez....Tough Choice, I'll take Cuban Defectee Rafael Galbizo in honor of the WBC.

perisho in for mets

perisho warming up 4 the muts :lol

he's better than Bump though, right? no

Stokes K's

Hemida walks, shocking

Lineups: Marlins 1) Andino- SS 2) Olivo- C 3) Hermida- RF 4) Stokes- DH 5) Jacobs- 1B 6) Cepicky- LF 7) Seabol- 3B 8) Abercrombie- CF 9) Lopez- 2B METS: 1) Matsui-2B 2) Lo Duca- C 3) Wright- 3B 4) Floyd- LF 5) Nady- RF 6) Franco- DH 7) Woodward- SS 8) Self- 1B 9) Redman- CF

Behind left-hander Jason Vargas, the Marlins look to ride the momentum of Friday's win over Baltimore on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET, when they take on the New York Mets at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla. MARLINS PITCHING: Jason Vargas, Travis Bowyer, Randy Messenger, Carlos Martinez, Mike Megrew, Buddy Carlyle METS: Joe Lima Radio: WQAM(560) and 1140 WQBA (Spanish)

Clontz with the save. It's a Split Squad Sweep for the Fish!!!

According to his agent, Pokey Reese has no plans to return to baseball following his release from the Marlins. The 32-year-old Reese lost his passion for baseball, agent Mike Nicotera told FOXSports.com. A comeback at some later date hasn't been ruled out, but it's unlikely that he'll join another team this year. Reese heads into retirement with a career line of .248/.307/.352 in 2,833 at-bats over eight seasons. Mar. 8 - 3:27 am et Source: FOXSports.com

Marlins minor league C Brett Hayes underwent surgery on his left wrist and will miss the rest of spring training. He was hurt Wednesday. source

Marlins minor league C Brett Hayes underwent surgery on his left wrist and will miss the rest of spring training. He was hurt Wednesday. source

Every year, a few reports end up on the cutting-room floor. Players get bumped out of the book for a variety of reasons, such as trades or injuries. Then there's a case like the Marlins, who spent the offseason trading veterans for prospects, leading us to revise their top 30 list several times. Below are 42 players, listed alphabetically, who were in the Handbook at one point but didn't make the final cut. We like to call them "The 31st Team." Remember, these are not the next-best players left out of the Handbook. They're a somewhat random collection of talent with a wide variance in quality. Chris Aguila, of, Marlins Born: Feb. 23, 1979. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 180. Drafted: HS--Reno, Nev., 1997 (3rd round). Signed by: Wally Walker. Aguila tied the national high school single-season home run record with 29 in 1997 and won the Double-A Southern League batting championship in 2003, but his career has been more about perseverance than highlights. He's still waiting for his first real opportunity in the majors, which may finally come after Florida decided to trade Juan Pierre during the offseason. He offers some of the best bat speed in the Marlins organization, outstanding makeup and the ability to play all three outfield spots. Aguila entered pro ball with an extreme inside-out swing, but he has abandoned that and shown more power as his career has progressed. He has learned to turn on pitches and can handle even the best fastballs, but he still tends to struggle with quality breaking pitches. He runs well and shows good instincts and jumps in the outfield. He's probably best suited for right field, but that spot is earmarked for Jeremy Hermida. Allen Baxter, rhp, Marlins Born: July 6, 1983. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 215. Drafted: HS--Sandston, Va., 2001 (3rd round). Signed by: Ty Brown. After an encouraging pro debut in 2001, Baxter ranked fifth on Baseball America's Marlins prospect list. He has gone just 1-14 since, but on potential alone he remains a prospect. In 2005, his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, Baxter showed a 92-94 mph fastball that topped out at 98 mph. He has great natural movement on both his two- and four-seam fastballs. He has a hard-breaking curve he can throw for strikes and a developing changeup that he isn't afraid to use. A groin pull robbed him of mound time for a stretch, but he continues to tantalize on certain nights. His biggest weakness remains a tendency to throw harder when he gets in trouble. Some Marlins officials believe he profiles best as a short reliever, and he made several appearances out of the bullpen at high Class A Jupiter. But others will fight to let him keep developing as a starter, where his prototypical pitcher's frame has drawn comparisons to that of a young Curt Schilling or Kerry Wood. Baxter probably will return to high Class A in to start the season. Adam Bostick, lhp, Marlins Born: March 17, 1983. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 220. Drafted: HS--Greensburg, Pa., 2001 (6th round). Signed by: Steve Mondile. Since missing the entire 2002 season following surgery to transpose a nerve in his elbow, Bostick has steadily established himself as a prospect. Signed for $150,000 out of a Pittsburgh high school, he passed on a scholarship to play quarterback for NCAA Division II Slippery Rock (Pa.). He has a smooth delivery that seems to add to the late hop on his fastball, allowing him to miss bats. He pitches at 88-90 mph and tops out at 93 mph, sort of like another lefty with above-average deception, Dontrelle Willis. Bostick needs to trust his offspeed stuff more and not get so fastball-happy, especially when he's in trouble. He has shown a plus curveball at times but his changeup needs work. Repeating his delivery is another area that requires improvement. Bostick figures to return to Double-A Carolina to begin this season. His best big league role may be as a reliever, and it's possible he could get a look from the rebuilding Marlins at some point in 2006. Greg Burns, of, Marlins Born: Nov. 7, 1986. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 185. Drafted: HS--West Covina, Calif., 2004 (3rd round). Signed by: Robby Corsaro. Burns is one of the fastest players in baseball, with comparisons ranging from a young Kenny Lofton to Devon White. An 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale, Burns is regularly timed at 3.9 seconds to first from the left side. He needs to learn how to use his speed as a weapon. With limited baseball experience, he's still learning how to get better jumps and leads on the bases. He has been caught in 18 of his 42 pro steal attempts. One of the youngest players in the short-season New York-Penn League in 2005, he showed an ability to get on base. He has strong hands and more pop than his .307 slugging percentage would indicate, but he won't show it until he adds loft to his swing. He's a willing and improving bunter, but his grasp of situations could use work. He's a plus defender in center field because of his range and closing speed, which allow him to outrun poor routes. He has an average arm in terms of strength and accuracy despite an unusual arm action. Burns needs to become more aggressive, but his ceiling is one of the highest in the Marlins system. He'll get his first taste of full-season ball at low Class A Greensboro this year. Jose Campusano, ss, Marlins Born: Dec. 19, 1983. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 160. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2003. Signed by: Jesus Campos. Not many players skip two levels to reach the high Class A Florida State League at age 21, but the Marlins felt Campusano could handle the challenge last year. He did for the most part, flashing 80 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale and a glove that might only be exceeded in the Marlins system by fellow shortstop Robert Andino. A switch-hitter who has drawn comparisons to a young Tony Fernandez, Campusano showed better maturity and judgmentas the year wore on, especially in the field. Most of his errors came to his backhand side, but he learned to eat the ball and avoid wild throws from the hole. He has been timed at 3.35 seconds to first on a bunt from the left side. He has learned to drive the ball at times from the left side, but mostly hit at the bottom of the order for Jupiter. Though he's thin, he has wiry strength and could develop gap power as he progresses. He'll need to, as well as to refine his approach at the plate. A hard worker who loves to play, Campusano stayed with his Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team in 2004 rather than return home for his father's funeral. Cristian Guzman, Neifi Perez and Miguel Tejada are among his mentors back home in the Dominican. Campusano probably will repeat high Class A this year. Brett Hayes, c, Marlins Born: Feb. 13, 1984. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 190. Drafted: Nevada, 2005 (2nd round supplemental). Hayes loves to play and has the bloodlines to prove it. His father Tim was a fourth-round pick of the Royals in the January 1975 draft, and one of his great-grandfathers once played for the Indians. Hayes has great versatility and athletic ability, playing seven positions for Team USA in 2004. Some compare him to a young Mike Lieberthal or Craig Biggio in terms of stature and body type. Signed for $450,000 as supplemental second-round pick last June, Hayes struggled early on as he recovered from a broken left thumb. As he got healthy, his performance improved. Smart and savvy, he handled all aspects of game-calling at short-season Jamestown. More often that not, Hayes' instincts were on the mark. His catch-and-throw skills are evident, as he regularly gets the ball down to second base in 1.9 seconds when challenged. At season's end, he headed to the Arizona Fall League even though he wasn't eligible to play. He caught bullpens and spent mornings working with Marlins hitting coordinator John Mallee. Hayes improved his rhythm and stance at the plate, and he did a better job of using his lower half. In a Marlins system without much in the way of catching prospects, Hayes is already the best. He'll probably begin 2006 at low Class A Greensboro but could finish the season at high Class A Jupiter. Lincoln Holdzkom, rhp, Marlins Born: March 23, 1982. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 240. Drafted: Arizona Western JC, 2001 (7th round). Signed by: David Finley. When he returned last July from reconstructive elbow surgery, Holdzkom pitched at 90-92 mph and topped out at 94 mph at high Class A Jupiter. This was a couple of ticks below the 97 mph he reached pre-surgery, but he showed signs of a successful recovery. He worked multiple innings, pitched back-to-back twice and the ball came out of his hand with ease. His slurvy breaking ball was inconsistent, but his fastball showed both cut and run at times, making him an uncomfortable matchup for hitters. Holdzkom is physically imposing and has a glowering mound presence. He projects as a top-quality set-up man and figures to return to high Class A for 2006. Drafted in the seventh round in 2001, Holdzkom signed for $105,000 after getting kicked off the baseball team at Arizona Western Junior College. He believes he would have gone much higher if not for clashing with his college coach. While his nipple rings and seven tattoos sometimes give people the wrong impression, Holdzkom is devoted to his craft. His brother John was a 15th-round pick of the Mariners last June but went to Salt Lake Community College, though he could still sign as a draft-and-follow. Carlos Martinez, rhp, Marlins Born: May 26, 1982. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 170. Signed: Venezuela, 2004. Signed by: Cesar Santiago. Martinez made tremendous strides in his first crack at high Class A last year. He showed a long, loose, easy three-quarters delivery reminiscent of Julian Tavarez and the mindset to close games. He began the year in a funk but took off after extensive bullpen work with Jupiter pitching coach Reid Cornelius and minor league pitching coordinator Wayne Rosenthal. Once he got rolling, Martinez showed good arm speed and a 90-92 mph fastball with heavy sink. His four-seamer topped out at 95 mph and his slider showed great improvement as well. He was dominant for long stretches after taking over the closer role in mid-May. At times he tends to drop his arm slot, causing his stuff to flatten out. Adding strength to his thin frame is another priority. He projects more as a set-up man than a closer, but he has the confidence to do either job. Martinez figures to begin the year at Double-A Carolina, where he again will be among the youngest pitchers in his league. Mike Megrew, lhp, Marlins Born: Jan. 29, 1984. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-6. Wt.: 210. Drafted: HS--Hope Valley, R.I., 2002 (5th round). Signed by: John Kosciak (Dodgers). Megrew appeared on his way to blossoming into a savvy lefty with a live arm. The lone negative was elbow trouble that first cropped up during his 2002 pro debut, and he needed Tommy John surgery following the 2004 season. Some Dodgers officials thought he was rushed back too quickly last year, and his stuff wasn't close to what it was before the operation. As a result, Los Angeles thought it could get by without protecting him on its 40-man roster. But the Marlins pounced on him in the second round of the major league Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings in December. Now he'll have to stay on Florida's big league roster all season, or he has to clear waivers and be offered back to the Dodgers for half his $50,000 draft price. Megrew should regain more strength in 2006, giving hope that he'll reclaim his 87-91 mph fastball, hard slider and fading changeup. His tall, lean frame could yield more velocity if he recovers as well as most Tommy John survivors have in recent years. He showed feel for pitching and command of all three of his pitches before he got hurt. Megrew's arm works well and he repeats his delivery. Randy Messenger, rhp, Marlins Born: Aug. 13, 1981. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-6. Wt.: 256. Drafted: HS--Sparks, Nev., 1999 (11th round). Signed by: Wally Walker. Any questions about the Albuquerque Shuttle? Messenger is your man after getting recalled four times from Triple-A last season. He handled the treatment as well as could be expected, contributing at the front end of an injury-riddled Marlins bullpen. He was a part-time closer for the Isotopes as well, limiting his walks and keeping the ball in the park, which isn't easy in the Pacific Coast League. He did this mostly with a fastball that ranges from 92-95 mph. His slider isn't as dependable. His command was an issue in the majors, although seven of the 30 walks he issued in 37 innings were intentional. The best thing about Messenger is his durability and willingness to take the ball. Once considered immature, he has grown up a lot in recent years. He's a physical presence at 256 pounds, though Florida would like to see him drop down to 235-240 pounds. He's a decent athlete and a pretty good fielder for his size, which earned him basketball attention out of high school from programs such as Arizona and North Carolina State. The Marlins bullpen is even more unsettled this year, and Messenger should claim a spot if he throws strikes in spring training. Jai Miller, of, Marlins Born: Jan. 17, 1985. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 195. Drafted: HS--Selma, Ala, 2003 (4th round). Signed by: Dave Dangler. The first three-sport, all-state athlete in Alabama prep history, Miller could have gone to Stanford as a football wide receiver and basketball guard. Instead, he decided to sign with the Marlins for $250,000. His mother and grandmother were killed in a car crash when he was younger, but that tragedy only made him stronger. His resolve has been tested through consecutive years at low Class A Greensboro, where he has hit a combined .306. He led the South Atlantic League with 163 strikeouts in 2004 and finished second with 139 a year ago. Nevertheless, Florida stills like his athleticism and intelligence and insists he could become a Preston Wilson type of high-risk, high-reward offensive threat. Working closely with hitting instructor John Mallee, Miller increased his walk total as he spread out his stance, moved closer to the plate and eliminated a lot of the excess movement in his swing. He did a better job of keeping his hands inside the ball as a result. Miller has a strong arm but needs to improve his accuracy and routes in the outfield. His jumps and leads need work on the bases, but he has been timed at 4.1 seconds to first base from the right side. A third straight year at Greensboro is possible, but once things start to click he could move fast. Grant Psomas, 3b, Marlins Born: Sept. 2, 1983. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 195. Drafted: West Virginia, 2004 (15th round). Signed by: Matt Wondolowski (Mets). Psomas looked more like an organizational player after his pro debut. Then he came to spring training last year and blew the Mets away with his performance and effort. He continued to do so in the low Class A South Atlantic League, where he was one of the more complete hitters before earning a promotion to high Class A when Shawn Bowman went down with a fracture in his lower back. Psomas also impressed the Marlins, who requested his inclusion in the Carlos Delgado trade in November. Mainly a gap-to-gap hitter, Psomas gets most of his power when he pulls the ball. He still has trouble recognizing breaking balls and often fails to sit on hangers, but he doesn't chase balls out of the zone. A shortstop in college, Psomas is an average third baseman with a good arm. He played briefly at second base in 2005 and could see more time there this year as Florida tries to figure out where his future lies. He should get a shot at starting for Double-A Carolina this year. Gaby Sanchez, inf/c, Marlins Born: Sept. 2, 1983. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 225. Drafted: Miami, 2005 (4th round). After a suspension cost him his junior year at the University of Miami, Sanchez signed with the Marlins for $250,000 as a fourth-round pick. East Coast scouting supervisor Mike Cadahia vouched for a player he had known for years. Sanchez then scraped off the rust and lit up the short-season New York-Penn League with his bat, claiming the batting title with a .355 average, 11 points better than his closest rival. He did so despite an excess of hand movement in his swing that some scouts believe will have to be eliminated as he climbs the ladder. Hitting the ball the other way is no problem for him, but he didn't show much power despite good natural strength. Some scouts think he'll add power as he progresses, especially if he smoothes out his swing mechanics. He played both corner infield spots and also saw action behind the plate, where he wasn't as comfortable but showed enough to make it an option. Sanchez showed a plus arm and has better speed than his large lower half might indicate. He has solid makeup and good baseball instincts, which allowed him to pull off a straight steal of home. Given his strong debut, he could jump to high Class A Jupiter this year. Scott Tyler, rhp, Marlins Born: Aug. 20, 1982. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 240. Drafted: HS--Downingtown, Pa., 2001 (2nd round). Signed by: John Wilson (Twins). The doubts are starting to pile up about Tyler, yet the Marlins still asked for him when they traded Luis Castillo to the Twins. Though he was one of the more effective pitchers in a talented high Class A Fort Myers rotation last year, he had knee problems, which raised further questions about his durability. He never has pitched more than 118 innings in a full season. Some Minnesota officials were disappointed with his work ethic after he was added to the 40-man roster for the first time after the 2004 season. Physically imposing with a large, stiff body, Tyler continues to struggle with his delivery and command. He might be best suited for middle relief. At his best, Tyler pitches at 92-94 mph and shows a hard curve and a decent changeup. He releases all of them from a low three-quarters arm slot that doesn't seem to fit his frame. Tyler repeated low Class A in 2004 and Florida may have him spend a second year in high Class A in 2006. Rick Vanden Hurk, rhp, Marlins Born: May 22, 1985. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 190. Signed: Netherlands, 2002. Signed by: Fred Ferreira. Signed at 17 out of the Marlins' Dutch academy, Vanden Hurk was one of the better European finds for the club under former international scouting supervisor Fred Ferreira. A converted catcher, Vanden Hurk has pitched for just three years but is polished. He's also one of the hardest workers in the Florida system and has great makeup. Shoulder tendinitis slowed him early in the 2005 season, and an elbow problem caused him to be shut down in August. In between he made progress at two Class A stops. A strike-thrower, he pitches at 88-92 mph and tops out at 94 mph with his fastball, which has late life. He tightened up his curveball and used it more often, as he did with a developing changeup. Mound time is a must for Vanden Hurk, who still lapses into bad habits mechanically, such as throwing across his body. Though he figures to start out back at high Class Jupiter for the third straight year, he still projects as a No. 3 or 4 starter in the majors. The Complete List

Anyone know where I can find a box score on this game? http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/merge/tsnform....px?GAMEID=17855 NL Boxscore Miami-Fla vs. Florida Final 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Miami-Fla 0 0 0 2 2 0 4 0 0 8 11 2 Florida ? 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 3 9 9 1 Miami-Fla AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG Blake Tekotte LF 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 .333 Nick Freitas LF 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Jamile Weeks 2B 4 2 2 0 0 0 1 .500 John Jay CF 4 1 2 0 0 1 4 .500 Yonder Alonso 1B 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 .400 Danny Valencia 3B 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Gus Menendez 3B 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 .500 Tommy Giles RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .250 Eddy Rodriguez C 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Richard O`Brien C 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 .500 Dennis Raben DH 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 .500 Chris Gawenda PH-DH 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Roger Tomas SS 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Walter Diaz SS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 33 8 11 0 0 2 8 Florida AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG Robert Andino SS 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Hanley Ramirez SS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Jeremy Hermida RF 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 .500 Mark Little RF 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Dan Uggla 2B 3 1 2 1 0 0 1 .667 Alfredo Amezaga 2B 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Mike Jacobs 1B 3 0 1 1 0 0 2 .333 Jason Stokes 1B 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 .500 Josh Willingham C 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Brett Hayes C 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Ryan Jorgensen C 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 Wes Helms 3B 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Mike Kinkade 3B 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 .500 Miguel Olivo DH 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Mickey Lopez DH 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Matt Cepicky LF 2 1 1 1 0 0 2 .500 Chris Aguila LF 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Eric Reed CF 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 .333 Reggie Abercrombie CF 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 35 9 9 3 0 1 8 E_Y.Alonso, E.Rodriguez, A.Amezaga. LOB_Miami-Fla 8, Florida 9. 2B_, D.Uggla, M.Jacobs, M.Cepicky. SF_G.Menendez. S_W.DiazR.Andino. SB_M.Jacobs (1), M.Olivo 2 (2), C.Aguila (1). CS_J.Weeks, Y.Alonso. DP_Miami-Florida 1. Miami-Fla IP H R ER BB SO ERA Ricky Orta 3.0 3 2 2 2 2 6.00 Andrew Lane 1.0 2 3 3 3 0 27.00 Marcelo Albir 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0.00 Chris Perez 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0.00 Danny Gil 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0.00 Raudel Alfonso 1.0 0 1 0 1 1 0.00 Jason Santana (L 0-1) 0.2 4 3 3 0 0 40.50 Florida IP H R ER BB SO ERA Jason Vargas 2.0 1 0 0 1 4 0.00 Harvey Garcia 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0.00 Jose Garcia 0.2 3 2 2 0 0 27.00 Taylor Tankersley 1.1 1 2 2 1 1 13.50 Carlos Martinez 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Scott Tyler 0.1 1 4 4 3 0 108.00 Nic Ungs 1.1 3 0 0 0 1 0.00 Josh Stewart 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0.00 Jesus Delgado (W 1-0) 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0.00 HBP_by M.Albir (M.Lopez), by J.Garcia (R.Hollins), by N.Ungs (C.Gawenda), by J.Delgado (T.Giles). WP_R.Alfonso 2, S.Tyler. Umpires_Home,George Walsh; First, Bud Stuart.

carlos martinez Pitching Stokes 1B Amezaga at 2B Shadez @ SS Kinkade @3B Little in RF

lopez got hit

micky lopez hitting for olivo

Brett Hayes up for willy

they all will get the major league minimum (327,000) if they make the 25-man roster

If he's gonna be the everyday catcher, it's important he gets used to catching all of our pitchers.

? Girardi prefers to bat Miguel Cabrera third ``because you want him to hit in the first inning.'' i'd rather have hermida hit third, cabrera fourth, jacobs fifth this provides protection for a young player and also gives you a lefty, righty, lefty in the 3-5 spots. also, if Reed bats first, hanley second, and willy 6th, then in the 1-6 spots alternate lefty, righty

JUPITER, Fla. -- Always striving to become a complete player, Dontrelle Willis has made it one of his objectives this spring to improve his sliding. As part of his all-out hustle, the D-Train has created his share of nervous moments with the organization by sliding head-first. This spring, the 24-year-old left-hander hopes to do something about that. When the team works on base running, Willis plans on experimenting with a feet-first slide. "I'm going to try," said Willis, a 22-game winner last year. The fear of sliding head-first is injuring his hands or throwing arm. But as Willis notes, sliding feet-first has its share of risks, like turning an ankle or hurting his legs. "We will have discussions about that, especially a pitcher sliding head-first into first base," manager Joe Girardi said. The team wants Willis to be competitive and aggressive. They just want him to be more careful. "We'll just have to talk about it," Girardi said. "You have to guard against, first and foremost, injuries to your starting pitchers. They're the hardest guys to replace." While Willis is conscientious about his sliding, it obviously isn't his top priority in getting ready for the season. "I'd rather work on throwing first," Willis said. "When it's not in conflict with that, I'll work on sliding. It's not necessarily on the top of my totem pole. "Sometimes in the game, you're just going to react. But I'm not afraid to learn something new. I'm no Rickey Henderson."