DaGreatOne Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Posted on Sun, Mar. 21, 2004 MARLINS NOTEBOOK Enough 'humble pie' for Easley By CLARK SPENCER [email protected] The Marlins haven't tapped Damion Easley on the shoulder and told him he should start looking for summer housing in South Florida, but Easley hasn't given anyone reason to believe he won't end up on the opening-day roster. Easley homered for the third time this spring Saturday and is batting .400. ''He's hitting the ball good and he's playing well,'' manager Jack McKeon said. Easley is trying to rekindle his career with the Marlins after consecutive disappointing seasons with Detroit and Tampa Bay, this for a one-time All-Star with the Tigers who hit 27 home runs with 100 RBI in 1998. ''I ate the whole humble pie,'' Easley said of his decline. ``I didn't get a piece of it. I ate the whole thing.'' The Marlins have played Easley at four positions: shortstop, third, left field and his natural spot, second base. Assuming he makes the roster, Easley would serve as a utility infielder along with Mike Mordecai. ''Physically, I feel like I'm the same player [as in 1998],'' Easley said. A. FOX STILL REVELING Andy Fox has had a good time chiding Nick Johnson -- his new teammate with the Montreal Expos -- about the Marlins' World Series title. The New York Yankees traded Johnson to the Expos in the Javier Vazquez deal. Fox ended up in Montreal by way of the Rule 5 draft after initially signing with the Texas Rangers. Fox printed a photograph of the World Series ring that appeared on the Internet and showed it to Johnson, and the name tag above Fox's locker in the Expos' clubhouse says ``World Champ.'' After spending the past three seasons with the Marlins, including 2002 when he played full time in place of injured shortstop Alex Gonzalez, Fox is an Expo -- but not by design. After the World Series, Fox signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers with the idea of backing up Alex Rodriguez. But the Expos grabbed Fox in the Rule 5 draft, and Rodriguez ended up with the Yankees. Fox figured his days as a Marlin were over. ''I just felt [with Mordecai] playing as well as he did last year that there really wasn't a fit,'' Fox said. ``I just got the impression it was time to go.'' But Fox, who was popular among teammates, got together with them one last time in January when he joined them on their White House trip. ''I made it a point to fly down to Florida [from his home in California] and fly up to Washington D.C. with the team,'' he said. ``I think it was important for me after what we went through.'' McKEON THE HITTER: `AN AUTOMATIC OUT' McKeon's old baseball friends are crawling out of the woodwork. One from his minor-league playing days, pitcher Don Schultz, hooked up with McKeon before Saturday's game. McKeon caught a no-hitter thrown by Schultz when the two were batterymates in Burlington, N.C., in 1954. But Schultz let reporters in on a little secret about McKeon, who wasn't much of a hitter. ''He was an automatic out,'' Schultz said. WAYNE GETS A LOOK McKeon plans to start Carl Pavano in a minor-league game today so the manager can get a better look at Justin Wayne, who will start against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Wayne pitched three scoreless innings in his most recent outing. Article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBMarlin Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Easely is going to make the team. He is having a great spring. AB 30 R 8 H 12 RBI 6 HR 3 3B 1 2B 2 ERA .400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malman Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 His ERA looks a little high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMLinkinPark Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Is Wayne Finnaly learning to pitch well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Well Well Well. Looks like Wayne is starting to make some news. Just wait and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest markotsay7 Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Yay, Admin's a Justin Wayne fan. I used to like Justin Wayne just becasue he was Jewish and from Honolulu, when he was on the Expos. But when he came here I saw his potential and REALLY liked him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Been one since we got him and I keep supporting him even though people always question why I do. Well, in the 2004 outlook, I said he'd be our "Rick Helling" this season. Looking a little more possible now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuickGold Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Good thing McKeon's managing skills are nothing like his hitting skills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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