Valiant Volstad Pitches Gem in Debut

For a split second, Kevin Gregg looked like he may become public enemy #1. But when Jeff Kent's long fly ball fell into Jeremy Hermida's glove for the final out of the game, Gregg earned his 3rd straight save, and Chris Volstad earned the win after surely breathing a giant sigh of relief. In the first major league start of his career, Volstad came within one inning of a shutout, and one out of a complete game. He pitched 8.2 outstanding innings, allowing only 1 run on 5 hits and threw just 100 pitches.

With his family in the stands, the 21 year old Volstad got early help with 3 runs on the board before he even toed the rubber, thanks to Hermida and Jorge Cantu home runs. It was lights out all night for the Gardens High grad. Volstad recorded 6 strike outs, and faced the minimum number of batters in innings 5 through 8. He also got his first major league hit in the game. Big Chris is now 2-0 for the Marlins, who have bounced back after a rough start to the road trip to win to win 3 in a row, and 5 of the last 6.

This start shows so much promise for the Marlins rookie. Drafted 16th overall in 2005, the Marlins have been looking forward to this day almost as much as Chris. Tonight made the wait worthwhile. Congratulations, Chris!

What a Difference a Day Makes...

Following the 3rd game of the Marlins-Rockies series, it felt as though things were starting to come apart. Our starting rotation, with Ryan Tucker and Mark Hendrickson, couldn't get out of the 4th inning of a game and was looking extremely hittable. The Marlins blew a 9-run lead, and closer Kevin Gregg blew consecutive saves. The Marlins fell to 3.5 games back and were falling fast.

Turn the page to game 4 on Sunday. Chris Volstad gets called up from Carolina and enters the game down 4-3. Two scoreless, well pitched innings later, the Marlins have the lead, Volstad goes on to get the win and is promptly inserted into the starting rotation. Kevin Gregg pitched a solid inning Sunday, albeit with a 5-run lead. We also learn that Josh Johnson will be joining Volstad in the starting five. Johnson gets the start Thursday, Volstad on Friday.

Now, we come to tonight's game in San Diego. Emerging staff ace Ricky Nolasco pitches an 8 inning gem, giving up just 5 hits and 1 run. Due to the way the batting order fell in the top of the 9th, Nolasco came up just an inning short of the Marlins first complete game in 264 games. Kevin Gregg comes in and retires the Padres in order, recording the save.

Just to touch on it, the umpiring call made on Hanley's potential RBI double in the 7th was questionable, at best, although if you were listening to the Padres radio crew, they saw it as "the crew coming together, and they got the call right." Even the Marlins crew thought it was the right call, but it was more of an issue of overturning the original call. No one had a better view than the 3rd base ump who made the call.

Anyways, we'll never know what was said in the umpire conference, or who said they saw what, but whether it was fair or foul turned out to be a non-issue, thanks to Nolasco and Gregg. Nolasco threw like the staff veteran he is (despite being just 25, he is currently the oldest starting pitcher on the Marlins). He bested Greg Maddux, who still has not won since his 350th win came May 10th. With the new rotation, hopes are high. And thanks to the floundering Phillies, the Marlins are now just 1.5 games back of the division lead.

What a difference a day makes...

Opposite Coasts, Opposite Direction

On the Atlantic side of things, the Marlins are struggling like, well, like fish out of water. Florida was once again rocked by the Rockies (I'm full of the obvious puns tonight!), this time by the score of 12-6. A common thread in many of these recent losses is a lack of longevity in starting pitching. Tonight's starter, Ryan Tucker, last just 4 innings. He gave up 8 runs on 7 hits, with 6 of those runs coming in his final inning. This marks a Major League record 263rd straight game without a complete game pitched. To make matters worse, one of the Marlins more reliable relievers, Justin Miller, was put on the 15 day DL earlier today. Closer Kevin Gregg has had a rough stretch, failing in his last 2 attempts to record a save. On the season, Gregg is 15 of 21. The Marlins are going to have to find longer starts from someone in the rotation if they hope to keep pace.

Meanwhile, on the other coast (of Florida), the Rays have the best record in baseball. With their win over the Royals tonight, Tampa extended its winning streak to 6, and its lead in the AL East is at 4 games. The Rays are 9-1 in their last 10. Perhaps the most telling stat is their home record, 35-13. The friendly confines of the Trop have been... devilish... to their opponents. The Rays, as opposed to their Floridian counterparts, have 3 pitchers who have complete games this season, including 3 time CG-er, James Shields. Closer Troy Percival, although currently on the DL, is saving games at a much better clip (19 of 21). Quality pitching = wins.

The Marlins are still only 3.5 games back of the Phils, but now sit just one game over .500. To make things worse, the Mets are starting to play well. They are just one game behind the Fish after their win against the Phillies. The Fish continue their tour of the NL west with 1 more against the Rockies tomorrow, and then a trip to lowly San Diego where they need to make a statement. A 4 game series against the struggling Dodgers offers more opportunities to turn things around before the All-Star break. Oh yeah, the first series after the break is at home against the Phillies.

The Rays lead the highly financed AL East by 4 games, and are playing like a team that will be there in October. Tampa still has 2 more against the Royals, then a quick 2 game set with at Yankee Stadium, followed by a 3 game series in Cleveland against another surprisingly wallowing team in the Indians. They won't see Boston or New York again until the first week in September.

With one week to go before the break, both clubs have opportunities against lesser opponents to show that they are planning to play meaningful baseball well into September. Hopefully, Florida will have multiple representation in October.

Simply Unbelievable

It was just one of those nights. The Marlins have reached a new level of incredulous-osity. The final score was 18-17. That is only the tip of this mile-high iceberg.

The Fish had a 9 run, 13-4 lead going to the bottom of the 4th inning. Then the Rockies started launching the rockets. The Rocks scored 12 straight runs via the long ball. Colorado hit 6 home runs in the game. And guess how the Rockies won the game in the 9th... an error and a 2nd Kevin Gregg blown save in the last 24 hours. After Gregg gave up 3 straight singles to start the 9th and lose the lead, Hanley Ramirez had a chance to turn a double play that would have put a runner on 3rd but with 2 outs, but instead dropped the flip from Amezga to allow the Rockies to load the bases with no outs, and eventually get the win.

Not to be lost in this catastrophic collapse, the Marlins did score 17 runs on 22 hits. Ramirez was a triple short of the cycle, Cody Ross had a 5 RBI night, and Mike Jacobs went 4-4 and reached base all 6 times he came to the plate.

Unfortunately, the Rockies scored in every inning but the 8th. Simply put, the 2 teams combined for 35 runs on 43 hits, 21 of those hits were for extra bases. The All-star break needs to hurry up and get here, because the Marlins can't seem to do anything right of late, and the Phillies are starting to get hot. Obviously there is lots of baseball left to play, but after tonight's action, the Marlins are 3.5 games back of the Phils in the East, and 4 back in the wild card.

Marlins Give One Away (again)

Add another one to the "remember-these-losses-in-October" file. Despite Jorge Cantu's 2-run, lead claiming home run in the 8th, despite Wes Helms' game-saving play in the 10th, and even despite Cody Ross' RBI double in the 11th, the Marlins lost the opening game to the Rockies, 6-5.

A well pitched start from Andrew Miller will be forgotten (6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 K), as it was the Fish-pen that lost this one. Relievers gave up lead off walks in the 9th, 10th, and 11th innings. While able to wriggle out of trouble in the 9th and 10th, the Marlins came up just short of a miraculous escape in the 11th to fall 2.5 games back of the Phils. Kevin Gregg was the actual culprit who earned the loss, and I do mean earned. Following a leadoff walk, he follwed that up with a throwing error on a sac bunt attempt, a walk to load the bases, a grounder that was able to get the runner at home just to give us Fish fans a glimmer of hope, and then the game winning, 2 run single you knew was coming. If the Marlins hope to keep pace with the big boys, they're going to have to learn how to close games out. There have been far too many losses snatched from victory in the first half of the season.

An interesting side note; when Rockies' manager Clint Hurdle was asked on Tuesday how he would respond to increased criticism of the team, as expressed by e-mailers to newspapers, he responded with this: "Stop coming, then. That's the best statement you can make." How did the fans respond? They sold out the place tonight, 48,000+ ... against the Marlins.

Hey, Marlins fans, stop coming!

All-Star Projections: Hanley, Uggla Are Locks

The grand "Selection Show" for the MLB All-Star Game is Sunday at 2PM EST. Needless to say, this hardly carries the excitement of other selection shows, namely the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Still, I'm looking forward to hearing Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla announced. Hanley has an excellent chance of being the starter at shortstop. According to the last voting figures, the undeserving Miguel Tejada would need a strong push to match him in votes.

Uggla will be a reserve, barring injury to Chase Utley (whether you think Uggla is better than Utley or not, their numbers are comparable enough that we can't be upset). It's amazing how productive the Marlins' middle infield really is.

As for others...very little chance. Jorge Cantu and Kevin Gregg have the slimmest of chances. They would have to be manager's picks, and as far as I know, neither is all that close with Clint Hurdle. Ricky Nolasco has built a solid case, but not strong enough. At 9-4, 3.94 ERA, Nolasco is putting together a superb season, but he would have needed the ERA at least a run lower to get serious consideration.

So Hanley should start, Uggla a reserve, the rest get a nice break. Two All-Stars isn't bad, especially when they're both so good.

Redemption's Name? DAN UGGLA!

How noteworthy was Dan Uggla's walkoff grand slam against the Phillies? Important enough to merit its very own post from our good friend Rick at The South Florida Daily Blog. It seems rather fitting - in our eyes anyway - since Rick has been the MVP of the South Florida blogosphere, hands down.

You won't find a more interesting game. The Marlins scored twice on Jorge Cantu HRs, only to scuffle time and time again against Cole Hamels' commanding stuff. Fortunately, the Marlins had an ace of their own. Andrew Miller was unbelievable, stifling one of the top lineups with blazing velocity and pinpoint control.

Kevin Gregg, now in a shaky stage again, coughed up the 2-1 lead in the 9th with his wildness, but that just made the victory even more satisfying. Thank you Dan Uggla, thank you Andrew Miller, thank you Jorge Cantu, and most of all, thank you Rick of SFDB. You guys are all superstars in our book.

Day Off Doesn't Lessen the Wounds

The Marlins had a much-needed day off today, but it did little to ameliorate the pain from last night's jaw-dropping stomach-punching ball-busting loss. Yes, I'm still pissed.

Alfredo Amezaga put the Marlins ahead 6-5 in the twelfth on a startling HR, only to have Justin Miller blow it (and blow it in horrendous fashion, I might add). Both Miller and Gregg were guilty of blown saves in the same game...quite simply, the Marlins let one slip away.

It is, after all, one game, but it gave the resurgent Mets some new hope and put the Phillies within .5 games. This weekend's series in Philadelphia will decide the leaderboard for the NL East. Should be exciting!

We'll have much more on the upcoming series, so keep following our coverage.

Kevin Gregg is Back

Kevin Gregg was masterful last night, coming in with the bases loaded and 1 out...in the 8th inning. He struck out both Justin Upton and Eric Byrnes, then breezed through the 9th.

Every player is going to hit a rough stretch now and then, and that appears to be what the Dodgers series was for Gregg. I feared it foretold of his decline, but it was just a blip on the radar. I'm starting to feel more secure when he comes into games now, which is the desired sensation when a closer stomps to the mound.

More on Gregg:

I listened to Gregg on the Dan le Batard show today. He not only hates American Idol, but also implied that those who watch it in the Marlins clubhouse are short in manliness. He was kidding of course.

He also referred to celebrations as "garbage," citing Joba Chamberlain and Jose Valverde as examples. Gregg is a serious guy with a calm, collected outlook on the game. It's good to have confidence in him again.

As for Pinto...heart attacks are way up when he pitches these days.

What a Jinx!

Leave it to ASponge. Mere hours after posting some "street cred" for the Marlins' bullpen, reliever Kevin Gregg went out and blew one in the 9th.

After a solid start by 25-year-old Burke Badenhop (6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 K, 2 BB) and quality relief appearances by Tankersley and Pinto (both pitched 1 scoreless inning), Gregg entered a tie game in the 9th and promptly walked the leadoff man on 4 straight pitches. A sacrifice bunt and a single later, and the Dodgers had a 4-3 lead. They went on to complete the sweet of the Marlins in South Florida, 5-3. Gregg's final line: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB. The Marlins defense didn't help much either, with 3 errors in the game, 2 of those coming in the decisive 9th.

The Marlins were outscored 25-10 in the 3-game series and are now 15-13 overall and tied with the Mets and Phillies for the division lead. What started as a great April has slowly bled into a less than impressive May debut. Luckily, the Fish welcome in the lowly Padres (11-17) to Dolphins Stadium tomorrow. Hopefully the Marlins can bounce back against a lesser opponent.

Kevin Gregg = LVP of the Week

The Marlins were swept by the Dodgers today, their fragile grip on the NL East lead slipping. It was another close game, in which Badenhop pitched surprisingly well, but the bullpen (yes, that bullpen Buster Olney praised today) coughed up the second game of the series.

Actually, it would be unfair to lay the blame on the entire bullpen when there was one culprit: Kevin Gregg. For the second time in three games, Fredi Gonzalez chose Gregg for the top of the 9th in a tie game. He lost both attempts.

The control problems that have plagued him all season finally came back to bite him. He opened the inning by walking Rafael Furcal, a move the Dodgers announcers jubilantly described as the cardinal sin (especially for a player of Furcal's speed). A Juan Pierre sac bunt and Matt Kemp bloop single later, and it was 4-3 Dodgers. Misplays in the field made it 5-3, but Gregg had already done his damage.

Is it time to consider replacing Gregg? Renyel Pinto has probably been the most dependable, but his wildness is also disconcerting. Perhaps Matt Lindstrom or Justin Miller?

When I watched Saito hurl some filthy stuff by the Fish hitters to close the game, I knew the definition of a real closer. A real closer doesn't walk the leadoff hitter, that's for sure.

At 14-9, Who's All-Star Bound?

Riding the coattails of the newly immortalized Scott Olsen, the Marlins eeked out a 3-0 extra-inning win over Milwaukee. It was a victory in which the Marlins showed their versatility; we knew they could win the slugfests, but now we know they can take the pitchers' duels too. A truly superb win.

Olsen's magnificence got me to thinking about the All-Star game. Here's my list of potential all-stars, with a brief explanation and probability estimate:

Hitters:
1. Hanley Ramirez, SS - He won't be voted in as a starter, but he's destined for a spot. Probability: 90%
2. Dan Uggla, 2B - Even with his early struggles, 2B is the least competitive field. Utley's the certain starter, but Uggla should squeeze in behind. Probability: 55%
3. Josh Willingham, OF - He'll have to keep things up, but right now he stands a decent chance. Probability: 40%
4. Mike Jacobs, 1B - Too competitive a position for Big Jake, but his ridiculously hot start at least puts him in contention. Probability: 5%
5. Jorge Cantu, 3B - Chipper Jones and David Wright are locks, so Cantu would have to be good enough to earn a third spot. Probability: 2.5%

Pitchers:
1. Scott Olsen: At 3-0, 2.06, Olsen would make the team today, but his lack of name recognition and competition still make the odds steep. Probability: 25%
2. Kevin Gregg: He'll need to rack up more saves, but the 3-0 record should help too. Probability: 20%
3. Renyel Pinto: Rarely does a non-closer make the squad, but Pinto has been brilliant enough to deserve a mention. Probability: 1%
4. Mark Hendrickson: If Olsen goes, he certainly won't. Still, at 4-1, I had to list him. Probability: .25%

Total Odds: At least two should make it, with the third a 50/50 shot.

Broom Found

This time, the Marlins did complete the sweep, due in part to (gulp) Jorge Cantu. This guy is starting to haunt my dreams.

A few observations:

Mark Hendrickson has now rung off two impressive starts in a row. If the Marlins can get that consistently from him, this could be a surprisingly good season.

Hanley Ramirez is phenomenal. Not only did he go 2 for 5, but the error he reached on was the product of his own speed (which clearly rattled Guzman at SS). You had to admire the way he crushed that single to center in the 9th, which led to the winning run.

Kevin Gregg's wildness isn't going away. It may be a bit more in check, but it's a little disconcerting. I think we need the glasses back again.

Poor Cody Ross. I want him to do well, but he just isn't showing anything. Another 0-for day, this time with a horrid play in center. As Reader Tom astutely pointed out: "The miscommunication between Ross and Hermida was like Balthazar telling Romeo that Juliet was dead." (Note: That's the second Romeo & Juliet reference on this space. Points to the person who can find the first)

So the Marlins are 6-3 and leading the division. But to the earth some special good doth give.