The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Miami Marlins – INSIDE PITCH
Not much has gone right for the Marlins this year, but one pleasant surprise has been right-fielder Marcell Ozuna.
Ozuna, 22, has hit in seven of nine games for the Marlins since being called up from Double-A Jacksonville on April 30 when Giancarlo Stanton went on the disabled list.
No one is expecting Ozuna to make fans forget about Stanton, but he is making an impression with his fast start. He’s batting .371 with five RBIs and has had four multi-hit games.
“He’s making the game look too easy right now,” said center fielder Justin Ruggiano with a laugh. “Maybe that is the slap in the face some of us needed. This guy comes in here, he came from Double-A and now he’s hitting like this?”
Stanton is expected to be out at least through May with a strained right hamstring.
Ozuna could move to left field once Stanton returns, even though many in the organization think he has shown an ability to play better defense in right field than Stanton.
That move would force Juan Pierre, the Marlins’ respected 35-year-old veteran, to a bench role. There’s also speculation Stanton could get traded some time this season.
Two other top outfield prospects also have a chance to play for the Marlins this year — Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick. Both are ranked higher (two and four) than Ozuna (five) in Marlins’ prospect rankings by Baseball America.
One reason Ozuna got the call was because Yelich and Marisnick were slowed last month by injuries.
The Marlins don’t expect Ozuna to continue his torrid pace all year. He played just 10 games in Double-A when he was called up.
“He’s got a lot of power and I think he’ll always have to work on getting good pitches to hit like everyone does,” manager Mike Redmond said. “But he has that ability to swing the bat. The way he plays, he’s got nothing to lose. He just goes out there and plays with this nothing-to-lose attitude. He’s an energy machine.”
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MLB Team Report – Miami Marlins – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 10-25
STREAK: Lost three
PAST 10 GAMES: 4-6
NEXT: Marlins (Jose Fernandez, 1-2, 3.48) at Dodgers (Matt Magill, 0-0, 7.88)
PLAYER NOTES:
–INF Derek Dietrich, one of the Marlins’ prized prospects, was summoned from Double-A Jacksonville. The left-handed-hitting Dietrich made his major league debut Wednesday, playing second base and batting seventh. He went 1-for-3
–INF Chris Valaika, according to manager Mike Redmond, is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after fracturing his wrist in Tuesday’s game. Valaika will go on the DL and he’ll have plenty of company. Valaika is the 11th Marlin to land on the DL this year, which ties the Yankees for the most players in the majors.
–RHP Alex Sanabia, who left Tuesday night’s game with a right groin strain, is confident he will be able to make his next start. That quest gets a boost in that the Marlins have an off day before his turn comes around again. Manager Mike Redmond wasn’t as confident as Sanabia on his prospects to make his next start.
–INF Casey Kotchman, who was to be a rare veteran presence in the Marlins’ youthful lineup, was transferred to the 60-day DL with Dietrich being brought up. Kotchman’s DL stint dates to April 4 with a hamstring strain.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We pretty much got shut down. After coming off a series with Philadelphia, where I thought we had pretty much turned the corner, it’s definitely disappointing.” — manager Mike Redmond, after the Marlins managed one run on 17 hits in their three losses to the San Diego Padres.
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MLB Team Report – Miami Marlins – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–INF Chris Valaika (broken left wrist) is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after fracturing his wrist May 6. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list May 8.
–2B Donovan Solano (strained left intercostal muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 4.
–RF Giancarlo Stanton (strained right hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list April 30.
–1B Joe Mahoney (strained right hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 28.
–RHP Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 7. He threw bullpen sessions April 12 and 17 and threw 30 pitches in a batting-practice session April 23 in Jupiter, Fla. He threw 45 pitches on April 28 and was shut down after feeling soreness. He resumed playing catch in early May.
–C Jeff Mathis (broken collarbone) was hurt Feb. 23, and he went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He played catch from 45 feet April 6. He started a rehab assignment with Class A Jupiter on May 2, and his rehab assignment was moved to Double-A Jacksonville on May 7.
–1B Casey Kotchman (left hamstring strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 4. He was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 8.
–1B/LF Logan Morrison (surgery to repair a torn right patella tendon in September 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 31. As of April 7, Morrison was already participating in batting practice and taking grounders. He began running April 12 after being previously restricted to anti-gravity treadmill running. He is expected to start a rehab assignment on May 10.
–RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 24, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 18.
–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.
–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 Tom Koehler
CATCHERS:
Rob Brantly
Miguel Olivo
Kyle Skipworth
INFIELDERS:
1B Greg Dobbs
2B Derek Dietrich
SS Adeiny Hechavarria
3B Placido Polanco
INF Nick Green
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Juan Pierre
CF Chris Coghlan/Justin Ruggiano
RF Marcell Ozuna
OF Matt Diaz
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