Posted April 22, 201312 yr MARLINS Juan Pierre was critical of himself and his performance in Saturday's game, calling it "the ugliest day of the season". Pierre was 0-6 with three strikeouts. Pierre has been awful this year, posting a .255 OBP through 17 games out of the lead off spot. He has never posted an OBP south of .330 in a full year's helping of ABs in his career, leading one to believe it's just an early season slump. However, at a soon to be 36-years-old, you never know. Pierre has been by far the worst lead off man in the majors, striking out ten times and only walking once On his play so far this year, Giancarlo Stanton said he "could not have played worse if he tried". An interesting comment coming from Stanton who's potential talent is sky high and who is getting paid league minimum to play for a Marlins team that has been hapless. Outwardly, the Marlins have said there is no way they will trade Stanton this year but as his and the team's struggles continue and the potential prospect outpouring that is likely in return for Stanton from teams like the Texas Rangers, one has to believe that the Marlins are giving the notion some thought. As a very small silver lining, Stanton did pick up his first RBI in Sunday's game against the Reds. Career journeyman Nick Green, who enjoyed a good start to his season in AAA hitting .293/.310/.488, has gotten off to a good start after being called up to fill in for the injured Adeiny Hechavarria at shortstop. Green is 4 for his first 11 (.364) with a run scored. Green enjoyed his best full season in AAA last year. He hit .344/.397/.499. It is doubtful this is any kind of career rebirth for the now 34-year-old and he will most definitely go back to the minors once Hechavarria is ready to return but it is nice to see a guy making the most of his time with the team. The coldest game ever played in Marlins history was a 29 degree affair against the Cubs in early April, 1997. That mark could be topped in this series against the Twins. A wintry mix of snow and rain lead to the postponement of this game and to the doubleheader today. More of the same is expected in Minnesota today. For the next three days, the forecast calls for highs in the low to mid 40s and lows in the high 20s in the Minneapolis as Winter Storm Zeus sweeps over the area. Minnesota experiences such weather for at least three months of the baseball season. All be it a beautiful one, it is ever so puzzling why the franchise decided to build an open air stadium. TWINS On Saturday, the Twins replaced Aaron Hicks with Brian Dozier at the top of their lineup. Dozier isn't exactly mashing but his .209 BA looks golden compared to the miserable .059 start Hicks has gotten off to. Hicks is just 3 for his first 51, He has walked six times but that has only pushed his OBP to .200, forcing Minnesota to replace him atop the lineup. Hicks is one of the Twins' best prospects in his first stint in the majors and Dozier is one of their middle to bottom tier prospects so it is only a matter of time before Hicks is back atop the Twins' order. For now, though, they will go with Dozier while Hicks hits near the bottom of the lineup. Minnesota's starters have had little to worry about when exiting the game with a lead this year. Relievers Glen Perkins, Jared Burton, Anthony Swarzak, and Josh Roenicke are spearheading a very solid bullpen. They are combining to hold down a 1.50 ERA (30.1 IP, 5 ER) so far this year. The entire pen's 12 holds rank fifth in all of baseball even though they have faced a leverage index of 1.095 (very high pressure), fourth highest in baseball. Perkins has been lights out closing games, converting all five of his save opportunities successfully. Mike Redmond, who some Twins players and personnel recall as a guy who once went streaking through the clubhouse at age 38, will reunite with some old friends in this series. Redmond ended his playing career in Minnesota as a backup catcher from 2005 to 2009. Old teammates remember Red as the class clown and as a guy who could always be counted on to heighten the mood. "It will be fun to see him," said Joe Mauer. The Marlins will reunite with an old friend as well: Josh Willingham, now the Twins' starting left fielder, was drafted by the Marlins in 2000 and spent eight years in the system. Justin Ruggiano was the hero in the Marlins' last win, homering in the 9th off of Aroldis Chapman. It was the first run Chapman has given up this year. Chapman is one of the premier closers in all of baseball. For his career, he has a HR/9 ratio of 0.44. So any homer against that guy has to be considered big, even if it doesn't win you the game in the clutch. The homer, Ruggiano's third, upped his slugging percentage to .500 at the time (it has since regressed back down to .444). Ruggiano is looking to prove that his 2012 campaign in which he hit .313/.374/.535 in limited action wasn't a fluke. Per his career averages in the month (.247/.313/.438), he's producing right where he usually does at the beginning of the year. If he does the same thing next month, the month in which he has hit the most in his career (.358/.392/.608), including a .400/.475/.740 June last year, Ruggiano will be well on his way to doing so.
April 22, 201311 yr This can be the thread for both games, if anything. Not if we lose game 1.Ok. I nominate you to start game 2 if we lose. You better do it or it's 24 hours in the slammer.
April 23, 201311 yr Game 1: Pierre, LF Pololanco, 3B Stanton, RF Dobbs, DH Ruggiano, CF Baloney, 1B Lolivo, C Green, SS Sololano, 2B
April 23, 201311 yr The first half sentence in Nolasco's little capsule is pretty much the story of his pitching career
April 23, 201311 yr If anyone is watching on Mlb.tv, is your florida feed as sh*tty as mine? yeah its fuzzy
April 23, 201311 yr Crap. We can never get a freaking break with this team Well Jose's third pitch that was called a strike on Hammer for K was a ball. There's a break
April 23, 201311 yr Whoever decided to put the main camera well in the upper deck center field is a moron. This view sucks.
April 23, 201311 yr Nice K. Inning woulda been over before that run scored with our real SS. Ohsie Wellsie.
April 23, 201311 yr WTF.... They just said on the Twins broadcast that Fernandez starting game 1 was a direct order from the Marlins ownership and that it really pissed off Mike Redmond. THIS SHYTE HAS TO STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!
