Hanley Good to Go

For those of you concerned about Hanley's sore shoulder, be at ease. He's good to go tonight in the All-Star game, where he'll be leading off the game.

Considering how understated the injuries were to Sergio Mitre, Josh Willingham, Mike Jacobs, and Dan Uggla, I feared the worst. Day-to-day from the Marlins has become a synonym for week-to-week or month-to-month. Is Mitre even going to pitch this year?

I'm so excited for Hanley...let's hope he represents well!

Uggla Fails to Make 2nd Round. No Shame Whatsoever

If Dan Uggla had hit two home runs, then we might be dealing with a little humiliation. That's not what happened, though. He blasted six, which is usually enough in other years. Not this time, however. Certainly not with Josh Hamilton pummeling 28 homers in one sitting.

Uggla can go home feeling respectable. As for Josh Hamilton, he deserves the medal. The archaic rule system, which discounts earlier round performance, prevented him from beating Justin Morneau...a complete joke. Everyone knows Hamilton was the rightful winner.

So congratulations, Dan Uggla, on a solid showing.

Extra note: Grady Sizemore is half-black, but this was a pathetic display of minority representation by MLB. Not one Latino player could be found? Come on! This was as sure a meeting of the Old Boys Club as a Fuzzy Zeller private golf tournament. MLB, shame on you.

Uggla Goes for 6

Dan Uggla launched six homers in the first round. He had the disadvantage of going first, and Yankee Stadium isn't as kind to right-handed batters.

It was a pretty solid showing...we'll find out if it was enough to make the next round. Usually six is good enough, but the ball seems to be jumping tonight.

Good Luck Dan!

The South Florida Fan is not going to be secretive about its rooting interests. We very much want Dan Uggla to win the Home Run Derby, and to crush Chase Utley in the process.

I haven't been this enthused for a Derby in years. Even when the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera was in it, there wasn't as much excitement. Dan Uggla's rise to stardom is a heartwarming story, and he can cement his reputation with a strong showing tonight.

And of course...if he doesn't do all that well, his name will still be DAN UGGLA!

Home Run Derby Lacks All-Star Power

Tonight's Home Run Derby has a couple of Floridian interests, which is good for us. But for national viewers, there isn't much to be excited about. The line-up includes Florida Marlins slugger Dan Uggla and Tampa Bay Rays rookie Evan Longoria. Longoria was the "final vote" winner and was the last player added to the All-Star roster. Uggla is tied for 4th in the NL with 23 homers on the season.

The other participants in the dinger derby are Lance Berkman, Chase Utley, and Ryan Braun fro the NL, and Josh Hamilton, Justin Morneau, and Grady Sizemore for the American League. While all these players are having nice seasons, but they aren't reminiscent of the great mashers that are usually seen in this contest. We won't have a slug-off like we saw with Griffey vs. McGwire in Fenway Park. No Pujols or Giambi. The Yankees tried to get Alex Rodriguez to participate, but he declined. The defending champ, Vlad Guerrero, said he was going to be in it, and yet he's not. The top 2 HR hitters (Ryan Howard and Adam Dunn) this season didn't make it to New York, so they aren't in it. The only returner from last season's derby is Justin Morneau. This year's lineup just doesn't have that "it" factor that usually comes with this event.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. There will be 6 first-timers in the game tonight, including a true rookie (Evan Longoria) who wasn't even in the Bigs until the 2nd week of the season. Josh Hamilton's personal story is incredibly inspirational. Grady Sizemore is a leadoff hitter who also leads the American League in home runs. There are great stories here, just not the ones you might expect at a Home Run Derby. Is it the beginning of a post-steroid era? Are more superstars passing up on the event because of the fear that it might "ruin their swing"? Personally, I never understood how a 2 hour event could mess up something you've been perfecting since you were 8 years old in little league, but apparently it happens.

In any case, there is sure to be a show tonight. You just might not recognize the starting cast.

Uggla To Compete in HR Derby

Just a quick, informational post. Dan Uggla plans on competing in the Home Run Derby this year at Yankee Stadium. Unfortunatly, he won't be hitting it towards the short porch that the lefties in the lineup will have their eyes on. Uggla ranks 2nd in the NL in home runs with 23, and 4th in slugging percentage (.620).

5 of the 8 players have been announced. Joining Uggla will be Marlins fan-fav Chase Utley, along with Josh Hamilton, Lance Berkman, and Grady Sizemore. Defending champ Vlad Guerrero has told espn.com that he plans to compete as well, but that has yet to be confirmed by MLB.com.

The Home Run Derby is Monday, July 14 at 8 on ESPN.

Congratulations Hanley, Uggla

The Marlins will be represented by Hanley Ramirez (starting) and Dan Uggla (reserve) at the All-Star game. Both are extremely deserving, and this comes as no surprise.

The All-Star Game should be an exciting spectacle, a smorgasbord of a farewell to Yankee Stadium. I've been there a few times...it's sad to see it go.

Here's something that might interest you: Hanley Ramirez will probably bat leadoff, meaning he'll be the first hitter of the game. Aside from that being a pretty cool thing, it's also a warning to get the game on early. You won't want to miss the beginning.

As a representative of The South Florida Fan, let me extend a gracious congratulations to these two All-Stars, who comprise the greatest middle infield in all of baseball: Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla.

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.

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.

Marlins Like to Walk-Off

The Marlins have certainly been walking the walk the last two nights. Hanley Ramirez tied the game AGAIN with a 9th inning home run, and Josh Willingham finished it off with an exhilarating walk-off shot in the 10th. Pure bliss.

These were two games the Marlins could have lost, and if they had, they'd be .500. It's about time things turned their way, after every bounce seemed to go against them for a month. While 43-39 is not spectacular (see the first-place Rays for spectacular), it's certainly decent. The slumping Phillies are just .5 ahead, so the Marlins can regain the division lead tonight.

Note: Look for Hanley to be the All-Star starter at SS. That would be only the second time the Marlins have had a starter, the first being Gary Sheffield in 1993 (he wasn't even on the Marlins for part of the year). That is quite a statement for young Hanley Ramirez.

Vote Hanley, Uggla to All-Star Game

At this point, it's fairly evident that both Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla should and will be All-Stars. Hanley actually led the voting for shortstops at one point, until Miguel Tejada surpassed him. Dan Uggla is in 4th place, which is a complete joke.

Marlins fans have a reputation for fizzling in times of need. Let's prove them wrong!

Go HERE to vote Hanley and Uggla, and feel free to throw Jorge Cantu a vote too if you'd like (yes, Chipper is batting close to .400, but Cantu could use some love).

NO MORE EXCUSES. EVERYBODY GO VOTE NOW!

What Was His Name Again? DAN UGGLA!

Just when Phillies fans were gloating about how Chase Utley had pulled ahead again of Uggla in the NL second-baseman sweepstakes, that Uggla was in his return-to-Earth descent to normalcy, that he was a flash in the pan, incapable of sustaining success...well they've been proven wrong again.

If we've learned anything, it's that you should NEVER count out Dan Uggla, the player most deserving of the NL MVP award if it were handed out today. Here's a look at what's happening in his life of late:

1. Greg Cote openly campaigns for Uggla to get some All-Star votes. Please, EVERYONE GO VOTE 25 TIMES FOR DAN UGGLA (and throw in a nod for Hanley while you're at it).

2. As first reported on the radio, Dan Uggla will be featured in a Sports Illustrated piece. Wow.

3. Uggla now leads the Major Leagues in home runs with 23. Yes, that from a second baseman!

4. Uggla's defense continues to improve.

5. After hitting the game-tying HR off A's closer Huston Street Friday, Uggla launches a 3-run double the next day to win the game. Not only are his numbers astronomical, but they've been in clutch situations.

If you haven't given Dan Uggla his due yet, it's time to stop smoking the Philly crack and wake up.

Possible Adam Sandler sequel: You Don't Mess With The Uggla!

Hanley Leads in All-Star Voting!

On May 28th the first All-Star polls came out and Hanley Ramirez finds himself in a very slim lead at the NL Shortstop position. This is a rarity for Marlins players over the years, as South Florida is not the most popular market for baseball and ESPN consistently fails to give teams like the Marlins their fair due. That is why this is so remarkable.


1. Ramirez, H. Marlins 268,386
2. Tejada, M. Astros 256,613
3. Reyes, J. Mets 237,800
4. Theriot, R. Cubs 178,871
5. Rollins, J. Phillies 156,620

Why?

Well Hanley has been tearing up the league since his rookie year in 2006 (although he is majorly slumping right now), but that is not really why. He is likely in the lead because of the enormous amount of attention that was alloted to him a few weeks ago by not just the Florida media, but by the national media in his signing deal with the Marlins. His name was suddenly popping up all over the news and the internet in headlines from various sports sites.

Will at last?

It may...it may not. His largest obstacle over the next few months will be keeping ahead of Jimmy Rollins (defending NL MVP) and Jose Reyes who will gather up a ridiculous number of votes only because he plays in front of the New York fan base.

One thing is for sure - I would feel a lot better about his chances if he could stop striking out and start hitting again.

Other Notables:

Dan Uggla finds himself in 4th place in the NL 2nd Base Balloting. He trails the Phillies Chase Utley by 400,000 votes. I know ASponge will have something to say about that.

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.