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.

More on Last Night's Debacle

Now that my venom has been spewed adequately in the form of Roget's Thesaurus (or a comparable resource), I should acknowledge the fight in this Marlins team. This would be the second time they've come back from a big deficit, only to lose in startling fashion. Major credit should go to Fredi Gonzalez, Cody Ross, and company for putting together such a thrilling 9th inning barrage.

Let's address Fredi Gonzalez a little more now. Did he make a mistake by bringing Pinto out again for the 10th inning? Pinto already displayed some wildness in the 9th, and it was the two walks in the 10th that did him in.

Marlins Today puts the loss squarely on Fredi for that very reason. I give you Alex Carver's words:

"Renyel Pinto looked uncomfortable but still managed to wriggle out of trouble in the bottom of the 9th to send the game to extra innings. Despite his wildness, Fredi Gonzalez chose to send Pinto back out for another inning. That decision would prove to be the wrong one. Pinto got the first two outs in the 10th but then gave up two walks straight walks. With pinch runner Johnny Cueto standing at second, Janish smacked a tailing changeup to right. Game over.

For those keeping track, that’s three straight losses. Two of them can be blamed on ill advised decisions by Fredi. Hopefully he remembers to bring his brain with him to the yard tomorrow as the Marlins look to avoid the sweep in the finale of this four game set."

While I'm not as critical (after all, Pinto has been fantastic this year), I'm inclined to agree. Let's hope both Marlins Today and The South Florida Fan are singing some praises after tonight's game...where Fredi should bring his brain to the yard (better that than his milkshake).

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.

It Clearly Isn't Miller Time

As JSponge documented yesterday, the Marlins owe their first place standing not to starting pitching, but hitting. Jay Warman astutely pointed out that Mark Hendrickson turned in a couple good starts, but beyond that and Scott Olsen, the starters have been pretty suspect.

The worst among this not-so-fabled group has been Andrew Miller, and tonight he did little to make his case. Simply put, the guy is throwing watermelons. I'm not sure what he needs to work on, but he's not fooling hitters. When an arthritic Brad Ausmus is making high velocity pitches look like batting cage practice, you know there's a deception problem.

Examining Miller's line more closely, we see he gave up 5 ER in 5 innings, improving his season ERA to a bush league 11.37. Even more troubling are the 8 hits and 4 walks. Sure, the 6 K's suggest evidence of what makes him a top notch prospect, but there are glaring holes in his game.

Even with Sergio Mitre sidelined for a few more weeks, I think it's still time to send Miller down and have him work through his troubles. Why not give Renyel Pinto a rotation spot, or call up Chris Volstad for a couple starts? Either way, it's time to say goodbye to Miller Time. Right now, there isn't a worse pitcher in the big leagues.