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MIAMI (AP) _ They talked about adding an outfielder or some bullpen help, but Thursday's non-waiver trading deadline passed without the Florida Marlins making any deals.

 

Having baseball's best record over the past 10 weeks made that decision seem easy.

 

``We're quite pleased with the ballclub, obviously,'' said Marlins general manager Admin Beinfest. ``We don't see definitive holes on the team. We're always looking to upgrade, but this team has gone and shown that they can play with anybody in the National League.''

 

Florida's 40-20 record since May 23 has vaulted the Marlins into their first playoff race since their World Series year in 1997, but it's also convinced Beinfest that the team is good enough to win with what it has. And manager Jack McKeon agrees.

 

``I'm very happy with the performance of the guys,'' McKeon said Wednesday. ``Who wouldn't want to pick up a 20-game winner? But the players we've got have gotten us here. Let's make a run at it.''

 

Florida is 1 1/2 games behind Philadelphia in the NL wild-card race; the Phillies gained an extra half-game over the idle Marlins by beating Los Angeles 7-3 on Thursday night. Florida will carry a six-game winning streak _ the longest current run in the majors _ into Friday's home game with Houston.

 

``We have very good chemistry here,'' Beinfest said. ``These guys ... all feel very good about themselves and very good about this ballclub.''

 

Beinfest would not discuss specific deals that the Marlins had considered, but did acknowledge that the team was thinking about finding a left fielder who would have replaced rookie Miguel Cabrera.

 

On July 22, Cabrera was hitting .222 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. In eight games since, he's batted .394 with two homers and 11 RBIs _ raising his average to .268, helping the Marlins win seven of those games, and convincing management that he would remain their left fielder.

 

``We're 24-10 since we brought him up,'' Beinfest said. ``It's hard to turn your head away from that. ... He brings a certain enthusiasm and a certain confidence to the team. He will struggle at times. Rookies will. But this kid is making adjustments in a hurry.''

 

Beinfest said the Marlins' management team decided Monday that they were out of the outfielder market and focused instead on pitching help. They did make a significant pickup on July 11, acquiring Ugueth Urbina from Texas in exchange for three prospects.

 

``A little pressure was taken off, certainly, with the Urbina acquisition,'' Beinfest said. ``From here, what we need to do is ask if something is really an upgrade. And every indication on our evaluations is that we can play with anybody any day.''

 

Braden Looper, who kept his job as closer even though Urbina was leading the American League in saves before the trade, said the Marlins' confidence has never been higher.

 

``We feel like every time we come to the park we're going to put ourselves in a position to win,'' he said.

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