MIAMI GARDENS ? Marlins manager Jack McKeon said Al Leiter will make his next scheduled start Monday in Pittsburgh. But if the veteran lefty continues to struggle, General Manager Admin Beinfest said the Marlins will have to decide if he keeps his spot in the rotation.

 

Asked if it gets to the point where the Marlins have to be concerned about putting Leiter on the mound, Beinfest said, "It's early, but yeah. We want to win and we feel like we are a team that should be able to win consistently. We want to go out there every night with the best chance, so we're going to find the best person to do that.

 

"We think Al can help us, but at the same time, he needs to do what he's capable of, which is get us into the second part of games with the chance to win. He needs to be able to do that. That's why he was brought on."

 

Leiter, 39, is 2-5 with a 6.91 ERA in nine starts. He has a 10.44 ERA at home, with his latest home loss coming Wednesday against the Phillies when he lasted 21/3 innings, allowing five runs and seven hits.

 

"We're not dealing with a rookie," Beinfest said. "We're dealing with a 15-, 16-year veteran who knows how to make self-adjustments, knows the league very well and has pitched here before. I don't know if it's easy to put your finger on it, but he's had control problems going back to spring training, and hopefully we can get them fixed."

 

But Leiter, despite loads of advice and extra film work, is having trouble finding answers. He says he is fine physically.

 

"When a person struggles and isn't doing their job, you end up searching all different places, and as a result you end up becoming scattered and confused," Leiter said. "It's a constant adjustment, a constant battle. ... My stuff is the same. I'm just not making pitches when I need to."

 

McKeon said Leiter is not challenging hitters like he did in 1999 when McKeon managed the Reds.

 

"He had our players mesmerized," McKeon said. "... He keeps getting behind guys. You can't keep putting men on base all the time. Eventually it catches up to you. ... He wants to get out of this, but we can sit here and talk. There's only one guy who can do it, and it's him."

 

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basebal...-sports-marlins

He has until the point where Valdez is ready to come back to turn it around. Then it will be decision time.

I don't expect to see him give his spot to Valdez unless Al is playing hurt and not saying anything.

Marlins will have the most expensive Bull-Pen Coach/Middle Reliever in baseball.

You can't trade him for anything.

Unless you want to eat six million plus.

Who exactly are we replacing Al with? Valdez is done till All star break