Pitching staff starts tilting to left

 

By Juan C. Rodriguez

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Posted March 21 2006

 

JUPITER ? It's rare, but not unheard of. A handful of teams typically have three left-handed starters. If Scott Olsen has his way, the Marlins will be among those in 2006.

 

Olsen allowed three hits over five scoreless innings Sunday against the Mets. He remains a candidate for the rotation, which already has lefties Dontrelle Willis and Jason Vargas. Olsen could move to the bullpen. He could start the year at Triple-A Albuquerque. He could get traded.

 

With less than two weeks before Opening Day, the Marlins soon will be pressed into a decision.

 

"Whatever they think is best for me is probably going to be best for me," Olsen said. "They know what they're doing. Everybody has been throwing well. It's still a crapshoot. It's going to go down to the last couple of days I think, so we'll see how it turns out."

 

Manager Joe Girardi said he wouldn't be opposed to three lefties in the rotation. At least four other teams could start the season with that many, most notably the Detroit Tigers with Kenny Rogers, Mike Maroth and Nate Robertson. The Devil Rays also have a left-handed slant with Scott Kazmir, Mark Hendrickson and Casey Fossum.

 

"I don't have a problem with that," Girardi said. "The idea is to go with your best pitchers, bring all our best pitchers with us. If that means having three lefties in the rotation that's what it means."

 

How much the Marlins will use a fifth starter in April also is speculative. Because of off days, they wouldn't need one until April 15.

 

"Something's got to be happening with me," Olsen said. "That's going to be their decision. Hopefully we can be successful with whatever they decide."

 

Not sold on S. Florida

 

Asked to share his vision of a stadium for the Marlins, Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga said Monday he isn't convinced South Florida can support a Major League Baseball team.

 

"I think a new baseball park in the center of the population is what's needed," said Huizenga, who owned the Marlins from 1993 to 1999. "I'm not so sure you have to have a retractable roof."

 

But Huizenga, who was asked by an audience member about a stadium for the Marlins during a session of "Nova Southeastern University's Life 100 ... Personally Speaking" series on the school's Davie campus, said attendance has not supported the two-time World Series champion the way it should.

 

Although a new stadium might help, he said, "Would it be the answer? ... I'm not 100 percent sure baseball is going to work in South Florida."

Is Uncle Wayne angry the Marlins aren't talking to him anymore? :lol :lol :lol

 

Yes Wayne, the stadium needs a roof. Not everyone can afford skyboxes like you.

Is Uncle Wayne angry the Marlins aren't talking to him anymore? :lol :lol :lol

 

Yes Wayne, the stadium needs a roof. Not everyone can afford skyboxes like you.

 

 

I think his point was more to the extent that the Marlins (if they think that South Florida is where they want to be) shouldn't allow a roof to be a deal breaker.

 

I happen to disagree, but I can understand the logic that it's better to have a new stadium without a roof instead of no stadium but demanding a roof.

Wayne I hate you like poison...stop trying to screw up baseball!

Wayne I hate you like poison...stop trying to screw up baseball!

 

Whether it was sabotaging chances in Tallahassee with Tom Lee or negotiating in bad faith, Huizenga wants more than anything to prove himself right when he said back in 1998 that baseball wouldn't work in South Florida. That and the fact that a stadium with a roof not part of Huizenga Holdings means he'll have to pay for his own just to keep up with the competition between venues.

Wayne I hate you like poison...stop trying to screw up baseball!

 

Whether it was sabotaging chances in Tallahassee with Tom Lee or negotiating in bad faith, Huizenga wants more than anything to prove himself right when he said back in 1998 that baseball wouldn't work in South Florida. That and the fact that a stadium with a roof not part of Huizenga Holdings means he'll have to pay for his own just to keep up with the competition between venues.

exactly...although dolphins stadium doesnt need a roof...football was meant to be played outside...but i can just see the snide way he probably answered that question as if the dolphins are the only team in town...im sorry mods...and im sure this has been expressed many time on this board...but f*ck huizenga, he is a poison like T.O. is and should rot in hades...but go dolphins...bring miami back that lombardi trophy...just dont let wayne touch it