Power outage has Marlins falling back
Sports Network | August 27, 2008
(Sports Network) - In baseball's first half, the Marlins were the biggest fish in the sea when it came to blasting home runs. However, since the break they have become mere minnows in a pond. Florida led the majors with 135 home runs in 95 games prior to the All-Star break, but have since connected on just 37 over 37 second-half contests. That ranks 11th in the league. And while the club wasn't hitting for average at a torrid pace in the first half -- .256 prior to the break -- its .235 second- half average is tied for the lowest in the National League. The Marlins trailed the first-place Phillies by 1 1/2 games heading into the All-Star game in the NL East, but are now six games back of Philadelphia heading into play on Wednesday. A 9-14 mark so far in August also has the club 10 games back in the wild card race. All this from a team that became the first NL squad in the history of baseball of have all four infield players connect on 20-or-more homers in a single season. On the other hand, Florida hasn't won consecutive games since July 30-31. "We are trying. Those guys in there are busting their butts trying to get that winning streak," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said after a six-run loss to the Diamondbacks on Saturday. "The pitching has been there, but we have to keep going. No one is going to feel sorry for us." All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla has been the poster boy for the Marlins slumping second half. Uggla hit .286 through 81 games before the Midsummer Classic, connecting on 23 homers while driving in 59 runs. However, in 36 games since, he is hitting just .190 with four homers and 13 RBI. Perhaps Uggla has yet to recover from his All-Star gaming showing, in which he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. OPEN LATE Closer Kevin Gregg has hard a hard time finishing off games as of late. He was tagged for four runs on five hits, getting a loss and a blown save on Tuesday in a 10-9 decision versus the Braves. It marked his third loss in his last six games. The right-hander is 6-7 on the season with a 3.26 earned run average, and is just one save shy of becoming the second player in club history to post more than one season of 30-plus saves. He had 32 last year and would join Rob Nen (35 saves in 1996 and 1997) as the only hurlers to accomplish the aforementioned feat for Florida. Gregg, though, has hardly been lights out as he has blown eight saves this year. He knows that the Marlins are starting to run out of time if they are to get back in the postseason race. "You're running out of games," he told Florida's official Web site after Tuesday's loss. "We've got to win. We've got to win some games; we can't be letting games like that get away." ROSTER MOVE The Marlins placed left-hander Renyel Pinto on the disabled list Tuesday, retroactive to August 24, while activating righty Doug Waechter from the 15- day DL. Pinto is sidelined with a left hamstring strain, while Waechter had been out due to right shoulder inflammation. Waechter is 3-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 39 games this year, while Pinto is 2-5 with a 4.50 ERA over 65 outings. WHO'S HOT Ricky Nolasco improved to 13-7 with a win over Arizona on Sunday and has allowed just three walks while fanning 51 over his last six starts. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since 1961 only six other hurlers have struck out at least 50 batters while issuing no more than three walks in a six-start span. Those pitchers are Jim Kaat, Ferguson Jenkins (twice), Pedro Martinez, Roy Oswalt, Curt Schilling (twice) and Ben Sheets. WHO'S NOT Jeremy Hermida is in the midst of a 4-for-34 (.118) slide, dropping his season average to .252. ON DECK The Marlins continue a nine-game road trip on Wednesday with the second part of a three-game series with the Braves. Florida is 3-4 so far on the trek. Josh Johnson (3-0, 3.51 ERA) goes against Mike Hampton (2-1, 6.47) on Wednesday, while Anibal Sanchez (2-2, 3.99) is slated to toss Thursday's finale versus Charlie Morton (3-8, 6.39). The Marlins then play six straight at home, starting with three against the Mets on Friday. Chris Volstad (4-3, 3.42) takes on Oliver Perez (9-7, 4.00) in the opener, followed by Nolasco (13-7, 3.62) against Mike Pelfrey (13-8, 3.70) on Saturday and Scott Olsen (6-8, 4.19) versus Pedro Martinez (4-3, 5.22) on Sunday.
