MLB Team Report – Miami Marlins – INSIDE PITCH
The Marlins opened the season with the youngest starting rotation in the National League at 26 years and 62 days. No other rotation lacks as much depth as Miami’s, either.
Not including Ricky Nolasco’s 12 wins in 2012, the rest of the Marlins rotation in the first week of the 2013 season has just one pitcher who won a game as a starter last year — Wade LeBlanc, who went 1-4 in nine starts.
Kevin Slowey was supposed to be the Marlins’ No. 5 starter. But he was elevated to the No. 2 guy because of injuries to Nathan Eovaldi and Henderson Alvarez.
“To have two starters (out) makes it tough. That’s why we had to do what we had to do,” manager Mike Redmond said.
LeBlanc goes Thursday as the No. 3 starter, followed on Friday by Alex Sanabia, who made just 17 appearances last year at Class AAA New Orleans because of injuries. Ricky Nolasco comes back Saturday on regular rest. The Marlins were off Tuesday after Nolasco allowed two runs on three hits in six innings in a 2-0 Opening Day loss in Washington.
On Sunday, 20-year-old prospect Jose Fernandez makes his debut as the Marlins’ No. 5 starter. He started the 2012 season at low-Class A Greensboro and ended at high-Class A Jupiter.
Eovaldi and Henderson were put on the disabled list Sunday because of shoulder injuries. They will start throwing next week with a goal of returning to the starting rotation no later than May 1.
“Injuries plague every team. We’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves about guys being banged up,” Redmond said.
“What we’re going to do is we’re going to look for somebody to step up and fill those roles and establish themselves.”
NEXT GAME: Slowey will face Washington lefty Gio Gonzalez in the second game of the Nationals series on Wednesday. Slowey is back in the majors after going 3-3, 5.14 in eight starts with Class AAA Columbus last year in the Cleveland system. He last pitched in the big leagues in 2011 with the Twins and was 0-8, 6.67 in 14 games.
Eovaldi was originally slated to start the second game of the year for Redmond but was placed on the DL Sunday along with Alvarez. “For me it has been a long road the last couple of years, kind of marred by injuries,” Slowey said Monday. “There are opportunities that arise from a lot of different reasons. Sometimes you find yourself in the right spot at the right time. There is a lot of honesty here with Mike and his staff. For me, that is something I cherish very much.”
“I am not going to dwell that we have two starters (pitchers) down,” said Redmond. “Slowey will get a chance to pitch in the big leagues. We want to see who steps up.”
Gonzalez, facing his hometown Marlins, was 21-8, 2.89 in his first season with the Nationals in 2012 as he came to the National League in a trade with Oakland after the 2011 season. He was linked to the Biogenesis drug lab in Florida during spring training but passed a drug test in February, according to reports. He pitched for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic in March.
“Gio hasn’t changed a lick,” said Washington manager Davey Johnson, who was born in Orlando in 1943. “Every time I see him he is grinning ear-to-ear. He enjoys life.”
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MLB Team Report – Miami Marlins – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 0-1
STREAK: Lost opener.
–INF Chris Valaika was one of nine Marlins on the Opening Day roster for the first time. “This is incredible. I am just trying to take it all in,” he said Monday. “Spring training was the first step. Hopefully I can stay around.” Miami has the seventh-youngest roster (29.23) in the National League. The Marlins placed four players on the 15-day DL on Sunday: RHP Henderson Alvarez (mild right shoulder inflammation, retro to March 27); RHP Nathan Eovaldi (mild shoulder inflammation, retro to March 24), INF Joe Mahoney (intercostal strain, retro to March 22) and C Jeff Mathis (fracture right clavicle, retro to March 22).
–RHP Steve Cishek, who grew on Cape Cod and played at Division II Carson-Newman in Tennessee, came out of nowhere to become the team’s closer in 2012. He was 5-2, 2.69 in 68 outings with 15 saves last year and enters this season knowing he will be the closer. “Closing is something I have always dreamed of doing,” said Cishek, who made the Opening Day roster last year. “I am glad I have a spot on this team.”
–OF Giancarlo Stanton was held to one hit in four at-bats on Monday at Nationals Park against Washington. He now has a hit in 19 of 21 career games at Nationals Park with 11 homers. Monday was the first time in four games in the nation’s capital he did not go deep against Washington.
–RHP John Maine grew up in Hartwood, Va., about 40 miles south of Nationals Park and made his big league debut with the Orioles. He is back in the major leagues after pitching in the minor leagues with the Yankees in 2012 and with the Rockies in 2011. “It is cool,” Maine said of playing the opener in the nation’s capital. “It could have been Toronto. I am just glad to be back.” He won 15 games for the Mets as a starter in 2007 and last pitched in the big leagues in 2010, when he was 1-3, 6.13 in 10 starts for the Mets. Maine said family and friends could not get off work for the day game on Monday but he hopes to have family in the stands Wednesday night for Game 2 of the series.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I think the guys will learn from it. Learn it’s just one game. We’ve got 161 more to go. We don’t need to push the panic button just yet. But the guys just want to do well, especially the young guys. We’ll be all right.” — LF Juan Pierre, after the season-opening shutout loss to Washington.
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MLB Team Report – Miami Marlins – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 24. He will start throwing again sometime the week of April 8-14.
–RHP Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He will start throwing again the week of April 8-14.
–1B/LF Logan Morrison (right knee surgery in September 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 31. He hoped to run on flat ground for the first time April 1. He hoped to play in rehab games by mid-April, but there was no timetable for his return.
–RHP Jose Ceda (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 31 after suffering a setback in spring training.
–C Jeff Mathis (broken collarbone) was hurt Feb. 23, and he went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He is out until early May.
–OF Alfredo Silverio (Tommy John surgery in May 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 31.
ROTATION:
RHP Ricky Nolasco
RHP Kevin Slowey
LHP Wade LeBlanc
RHP Alex Sanabia
RHP Jose Fernandez
BULLPEN:
RHP Steve Cishek (closer)
RHP Jon Rauch
RHP Ryan Webb
LHP Mike Dunn
RHP AJ Ramos
RHP Chad Qualls
RHP John Maine
CATCHERS:
Rob Brantly
Miguel Olivo
INFIELDERS:
1B Casey Kotchman
2B Donovan Solano
SS Adeiny Hechavarria
3B Placido Polanco
INF Greg Dobbs
INF Chris Valaika
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Juan Pierre
CF Chris Coghlan/Justin Ruggiano
RF Giancarlo Stanton
OF Austin Kearns
