Anibal to make another start

June 27, 200620 yr

Notes: Sanchez to make another start

Rookie threw 5 2/3 shutout innings against the Yankees

Anibal Sanchez is the sixth Marlins pitcher in history to win in his big-league debut.

MIAMI -- Rookie Anibal Sanchez's shutout win over the Yankees on Sunday night, his first Major League win, earned the young Venezuelan right-hander at least one more outing for the Marlins.

Sanchez was called up from Double-A Carolina on Saturday to make the emergency start in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader after Saturday's game at Yankee Stadium was rained out.

Sanchez looked outstanding in his appearance, throwing 5 2/3 shutout innings on seven hits and two strikeouts.

"I'm tired, but I'm happy today," Sanchez said on Monday.

With the addition of Sanchez to the roster, the Marlins made some adjustments to their rotation for the weekend. Dontrelle Willis will pitch Friday's opener against the Red Sox and Josh Johnson, who is starting Monday's game against the Devil Rays, will take the mound on Sunday.

In between, on Saturday, either Brian Moehler, who was originally scheduled to pitch Friday, or Sanchez will likely start the middle game against Boston.

Manager Joe Girardi said that decision depends on whether or not either pitcher will be used in long relief this week against Tampa Bay, though he doesn't expect Sanchez to pitch before the Red Sox come to town. Even then, he said Sanchez will likely only pitch in a relief situation.

"A lot depends on what we need in terms of relief this week," Girardi said. "He probably will not throw before the weekend. He probably will get a second start, I just don't know when it is. Right now, he'll probably have a side session [on Tuesday] and then be in long relief over the weekend"

Sanchez, who dealt with a right shoulder injury during Spring Training, struggled in Carolina to a 3-6 record but maintained a 3.15 ERA with a team-high 92 strikeouts.

Jacobs battling: Mike Jacobs was in the lineup for Monday's game in the cleanup spot behind Miguel Cabrera, but is still aggravated by a sprained right ankle that has hampered the first baseman for the past few weeks.

Girardi said that Jacobs' status hasn't changed in the past few days and that for now he will remain in the lineup.

We're just going day by day to see how he feels," Girardi said. "He wants to play every day, he's a tough kid. We want his bat in the lineup, so we just [have] to take it day by day."

During Sunday's Game 1 loss to the Yankees, Jacobs irritated the ankle while trying to score from first on a double by Miguel Cabrera but was thrown out on a relay from Robinson Cano to Yankees catcher Jorge Posada.

Though the injury is obviously still causing Jacobs problems, Girardi feels optimistic that the worst is behind him.

"The one thing about his injury is that it can't really get worse," Girardi said.

Uggla sitting: Dan Uggla was out of the lineup on Monday for the fifth straight game since aggravating his hamstring during Tuesday's game at Baltimore. Uggla strained the hamstring while trying to beat out a grounder to third base.

Girardi said on Monday that Uggla is improving, but was unsure when he would return to the lineup.

"Dan was better yesterday and we'll make an evaluation on him [Monday]," Girardi said. "We hope to get him back pretty soon."

While a trip to the disabled list seems unlikely at this point, Girardi thought there was a possibility of that if the injury continues to give Uggla problems.

"I think if he has a setback it's a possibility just because he hasn't played," Girardi said. "But right now we're not thinking DL."

Talk of the town: Dontrelle Mania certainly filled New York this past weekend when the Marlins visited Yankee Stadium.

The New York media swarmed Willis after Sunday's Game 1 loss, turning the conversation mostly to whether Willis someday will wind up in New York.

While sources have said Willis is not going to be dealt, trade speculation remains high in the Big Apple. So much so that on the streets of New York, fans were saying to Willis the other day: "We'll see you in a few weeks."

Even though the Marlins visit Shea Stadium and the Mets on July 7-9, Willis took the comments as a trade will be made with a New York team by the July 31 deadline.

"They said, 'You'd look good in pinstripes," Willis said. "I said, 'I'm already in pinstripes.'"

The Marlins home white jerseys are pinstripes.

Cabrera drops: Cabrera dropped one spot to fifth place in the All-Star voting for National League third basemen.

Cabrera, who's .347 batting average is fourth-best in the National League, has tallied 561,600 votes but was passed this week in the voting by Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez. He still trails the Mets' David Wright, the Cardinals' Scott Rolen and the Astros' Morgan Ensberg in the voting.

Online voting for the All-Star Game, which will be played in Pittsburgh on July 11, will end on June 28.

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