Leiter to begin bullpen stint

CHICAGO -- A day after contemplating whether to skip Al Leiter from the rotation, Marlins manager Jack McKeon made the decision official Monday.
Leiter, who is 2-6 with a 6.75 ERA in 14 starts, will work out of the bullpen until most likely the Marlins' series against the Devil Rays, June 24-26.

"With his experience, maybe he can help us out of the bullpen," McKeon said.

The 39-year-old Leiter last threw in relief in 1993, while he was with the Blue Jays. That year, he appeared in relief 22 times and made 12 starts.

Leiter has been a starter ever since, and has enjoyed an impressive career, compiling a 157-126 record.

The Marlins are in position to go with a four-man rotation through the Tampa Bay series because of off-days on Thursday and June 20.

Leiter's spot in the rotation was to come up Friday in Anaheim against the Angels. With the team off Thursday, Brian Moehler, who pitched Sunday, will fill in.

Until Leiter later this month, the rotation from Friday on will be Moehler, Dontrelle Willis, Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett.

"I think you take life as it is," Leiter said. "The mood I'm in right now is disappointed, pitching-wise. But I can't beat myself up over it. What I can do is think of things to make me better, so that I can win games, go deeper in games, and be an asset to this franchise."

In his second stint with the Marlins, Leiter was a hero on the club's 1997 World Series title team. He also threw the first no-hitter in Marlins history.

After spending the past seven seasons with the Mets, Leiter signed as a free agent with the Marlins in December, accepting an $8 million contract.

"Maybe it's like more of getting away from thinking about it," Leiter said of pitching in relief. "Clearing your mind. I feel fine."

General manager Larry Beinfest said: "The next two weeks, we'll look at it. You know Al. He's been a big winner for a long time. He needs to work through this."

As Leiter heads to the bullpen, starter Ismael Valdez continues to work back into playing shape. Out all season with a hairline fracture of his right fibula, Valdez has begun throwing bullpen sessions. He is several weeks away from being activated.

Picks expected to sign Thursday: All three of the Marlins' first-round draft picks are expected to officially sign on Thursday.

The Marlins used their three first-round picks on pitchers. Chris Volstad, a 6-foot-7 right-hander from Palm Beach Gardens, was taken 16th overall. He is signing a professional contract rather than attending the University of Miami.

Lefty Aaron Thompson, from Second Baptist High School in Houston, was taken with the 22nd overall pick. And with the 29th selection, the Marlins went with right-hander Jacob Marceaux from McNeese State.

Because the Marlins had so many high picks, being able to sign them was an issue that the team addressed and explored before the draft.

Thompson, who had the option of signing with Texas A&M, accepted a deal worth about $175,000 below what the No. 22 overall pick received in the 2004 draft.

Volstad and Thompson will start off in Jupiter, Fla., in the Gulf Coast League. Marceaux will join the Class A Short-Season Jamestown squad in the New York-Penn League.

As a general rule, the Marlins start off their high school signees in the Gulf Coast League, while college-groomed players begin in Jamestown.

Marceaux is a hard thrower who isn't afraid to challenge hitters inside. He is regarded as having the best chance of moving quickly in the system. He gives the option of starting and relieving.

Lee's kind of town: In 2003, Derrek Lee won the Gold Glove and was a key member of the Marlins' World Series team.

Now having a Triple Crown-caliber season with the Cubs, Lee has fond memories of his days with the Marlins.

"We kind of grew up together, that team," said Lee, who was part of the 1998 squad that lost 108 games but then saw the team improve to championship caliber. "We took our lumps, but then we fought through it and won the World Series. I have some great memories from there and some good friends. It will be good to see them."

Juan Pierre / CF
Born: 08/14/77
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L

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The Marlin Lee most keeps in touch with is Juan Pierre, although he hears from Mike Lowell on occasion.

Lee feels Pierre will battle through his slump.

"He's going to be fine," Lee said of Pierre. "He's too good of a player. He works too hard. He's going to be fine."

Lee is rising in popularity in Chicago, but he quickly notes that he isn't rivaling the aura of Mike Ditka or other Chicago sports legends.

"No," Lee laughed when asked if he is as big as Ditka in Chicago. "This is a good town. They love the Cubbies. They treat you well. Those guys [like Ditka] are on a different level."

Prostate cancer awareness: As part of a Major League Baseball initiative to battle prostate cancer, any home run hit in Monday's Marlins-Cubs game at Wrigley Field would result in a $25,000 donation to prostate cancer research. Luis Castillo belted the only home run of the game, a solo shot in the ninth inning.

The issue of prostate cancer is addressed every year around Father's Day.

Coming up: Josh Beckett, 7-3 with a 3.13 ERA, gets the nod for the Marlins on Tuesday in the second of three games with the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Beckett comes off his worst outing, based on runs allowed. In 6 2/3 innings, the Texas native gave up eight runs (seven earned). His ERA soared based on his allowing six runs in the seventh inning, all with two outs. Sergio Mitre, who is 1-1, 4.88 ERA in four starts, gets the call for the Cubs.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Fish fry Cubs behind Willis, big inning

CHICAGO -- With his bat and arm, Dontrelle Willis energized the Marlins on Monday night in a 9-1 win over the Cubs in front of 38,708 at Wrigley Field.
Becoming the first 11-game winner in the Major Leagues, Willis (11-2) gave up one run in seven innings. The D-Train lowered his ERA to 2.06 on a night he struck out five and didn't walk a batter, although he struck Derrek Lee with a pitch in the first inning.

At the plate, the 23-year-old collected two hits, including an RBI single in a seven-run fifth inning that broke open a 1-1 tie, and got the Marlins' season-long 12-game road trip off on a positive note.

Having a penchant of stepping up when the Marlins need him most, Willis not only appears a sure bet to be in the All-Star Game for the second time, he is making a strong argument to be the National League's starter.

Marlins manager Jack McKeon is pushing for his high-kicking left-hander.

"He's definitely All-Star material," McKeon said.

Pausing, the Marlins manager added Willis brings another dimension to the All-Star team.

"I don't care if you start him or DH him," McKeon said.

Since the All-Star Game is in Detroit, an American League park, there will be a designated hitter. In typical Willis fashion, he shrugs off the accolades, and says he is trying to help his team win.

Informed of McKeon's comments about him either being the starting pitcher or DH, Willis responded: "I don't know, man. We'll see. I'm having fun. We'll see."

With two singles in Florida's seven-run fifth inning, Willis becomes the first Marlins pitcher ever to have two hits in an inning. He's also the third pitcher this season to do it. Jason Marquis and Jason Schmidt are the others.

One reason Willis now has 35 career victories in less than three Major League seasons is because he does so many things to help himself.

"He's been our stopper, savior and everything else," McKeon said. "He's done a heck of a job this year."

Monday's win was the Marlins' third in four games, and comes at a time when the team is battling out of its worst slump of the season.

Seven times this season Willis has started after a Marlins' loss. Five times he has won.

Dontrelle Willis / P
Born: 01/12/82
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 240 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L

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"[Willis] is fun," said Carlos Delgado, who had an RBI single in the fifth inning. "He loves to hit. He's entertaining. Anything he can get after that is gravy."

The Marlins got to Cubs left-hander John Koronka (1-2) for six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. In the fifth, the Marlins tacked on two runs off reliever Joe Borowski.

The Marlins sent 11 men to the plate in the fifth inning, and pieced together seven hits. Willis' single opened the inning. Miguel Cabrera added a run-scoring single, while Paul Lo Duca and Alex Gonzalez each had two-run doubles.

With the game out of hand in the ninth inning, switch-hitting second baseman Luis Castillo belted his first home run of the season. Batting right-handed off lefty Cliff Bartosh, Castillo became the last Marlins regular position player to go deep.

Castillo now has 17 career home runs, with 16 coming when he bats right-handed.

The speed of Juan Pierre put the Marlins in front in the third inning. Pierre reached on a bunt single, went to second on a balk, and stole third. With one out, and the infield deep, Cabrera delivered an RBI groundout to short.

In the fourth inning, the Cubs tied it on back-to-back doubles from Lee and Aramis Ramirez.

The Cubs slapped out seven hits off Willis, and repeatedly fouled off pitches. On a muggy, 84-degree night, Willis threw 115 pitches.

Still, he was able to work out of trouble, getting two key double plays to end the second and fifth innings.

"It's big," Willis said. "Those are things we need to do. We need to do everything right to win ballgames. We have to defend, bunt, move guys over. Whatever it takes to win ballgames, that's what you want to do."

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Delgado proving All-Star worthy

He may not have the total votes, but Carlos Delgado certainly is providing the numbers that make him worthy of representing the Marlins in the All-Star Game.
Delgado's power is rapidly emerging as the left-handed hitting first baseman paces the club in home runs (13) and RBIs (45).

For yet another week, Delgado remains fifth among National League first basemen in fan voting for the All-Star Game.

The slugger is one of three Marlins in the top five of the popular vote at their position. Catcher Paul Lo Duca is staying steady at second, behind Mike Piazza of the Mets. This week, Miguel Cabrera moved up a notch to fourth, from fifth, in the vote for outfielders.

Voting continues on floridamarlins.com and MLB.com. Voting at Dolphins Stadium closes on June 26.

The Marlins promise to be well represented in the Midsummer Classic, scheduled for July 12 at Comerica Park in Detroit.

A year ago, the Marlins sent a team-most four players to the All-Star Game.

While fans don't vote for pitchers, it is extremely likely that Dontrelle Willis will make the club. The way the D-Train has pitched this season, there is a shot he could even start for the National League All-Stars.

All eight regular Marlins position players are on the All-Star ballot.

Manager Jack McKeon recently lobbied for shortstop Alex Gonzalez, a Gold Glove-caliber defender who is having a solid season at the plate, hitting in the difficult eighth spot.

"He is unsung," McKeon said of Gonzalez. "I think he should be in the top three of the fans' vote."

Gonzalez, at this stage, is not in the top five.

Cabrera made the All-Star Game as a reserve last season in his first full year in the Major Leagues. Considering he has ranked among the National League leaders in batting average all season improves his chance of again making the team.

Although Delgado is having a strong first season in the National League, he may face an uphill battle to make the All-Star squad because of stiff competition at the position. Albert Pujols of the Cardinals and former Marlin, Derrek Lee of the Cubs, are first and second, respectively, in the voting.

However, the way Delgado is emerging, he has increased his chance of being an All-Star for the third time. During his time with the Blue Jays, the Puerto Rico native was an American League All-Star.

Lo Duca also has been to the All-Star Game twice, including as a reserve while with the Dodgers last year.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Beckett leaves with blister in shutout loss

CHICAGO -- Aramis Ramirez had a pair of two-run homers and Derrek Lee added a solo shot, had four hits and three RBIs. But the real damaging news for the Marlins on Tuesday night was that Josh Beckett's blister troubles have returned.
While the Cubs rolled to a 14-0 win at Wrigley Field, the status of Beckett looms larger in the long term for the Marlins.

Beckett (7-5) gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old Texan, who has gone on the disabled list seven times in his career, with five stints blister-related, threw 81 pitches. Pitch No. 80 was the one where the skin ripped. Facing Jeromy Burnitz after yielding a home run to Lee, Beckett lost control of a fastball that barely missed hitting the Cubs outfielder on the leg.

Since the pitch came after Lee's homer made it 4-0, home plate umpire Bruce Froemming issued a warning, believing the errant pitch was intentional. But after Burnitz was sent sprawling, Beckett's next pitch was high for a ball. Immediately, he signaled to the dugout, prompting pitching coach Mark Wiley and trainer Sean Cunningham to come trotting to the mound.

"He lost a couple of pitches during those two hitters," Wiley said of the sequences with Lee and Burnitz. "I thought he was just calling me out there to ask me if I saw something he was doing grammatically. But it was his finger. He tried to get through it, but it just tore.

"We're going to just have to deal with it and find out what happened."

The Marlins have yet to determine if Beckett will go on the disabled list for the eighth time in his four-year career.

As the Marlins were confronted with the prospect of being without their Opening Day starter, Cubs right-hander Sergio Mitre was simply magnificent. The right-hander improved to 2-1 by tossing a five-hit, complete-game shutout. Mitre, who had two of Chicago's 18 hits, needed just 99 pitches to silence the Marlins.

"He had a good sinker," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "He had good control. I told somebody, he would get through this game with less than 100 pitches. Somebody told me he had 99."

The 14 runs allowed matches a season high by the Marlins. The Dodgers produced 14 runs on May 17 at Dodger Stadium, on a night they pounded out 19 hits.

Although Beckett left trailing 4-0, the Cubs pounded the Marlins bullpen for 10 runs on 12 hits in three innings.

The Cubs broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning. After Lee's 18th homer, Burnitz doubled off Travis Smith, who inherited the 2-1 count left by Beckett. Former Marlin Todd Hollandsworth added an RBI double.

In the eighth inning, Lee had an RBI single. He also finished with two doubles and was a triple shy of the cycle.

The Cubs also added five runs in the eighth inning. The key blow was Michael Barrett's three-run homer off Chad Bentz.

"Did you ever see so many hard-hit balls?" McKeon said. "They were flying all over the place. We wanted one of those guys to finish the game. I hated to see one of those guys getting embarrassed."

With the game out of reach, the Marlins were hopeful that Bentz would get out of the eighth inning, to preserve the rest of the bullpen.

But in one-third of an inning, the left-hander gave up five runs on six hits. Finally, John Riedling, who barely had time to warm up, was able to get the final two outs.

Ramirez's two-run homer in the fourth inning gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead. And off Smith, Ramirez smacked his second two-run shot of the game.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Lowell victimized by old friend

CHICAGO -- Mike Lowell recently left a phone message for Derrek Lee and asked, "How is Superman doing?"
Still a close friend of Lowell's, Lee again made a super play for the Cubs in the Marlins' 9-1 win Monday night.

It just so happened that Lowell was the victim of Lee's defensive skills, and the play ended up with the Marlins third baseman turning his left ankle and gashing his right shin.

As a precaution, Lowell wasn't in the starting lineup Tuesday night. The Marlins' three-time All-Star third baseman tested the ankle in the batting cages, but he didn't feel comfortable. So Damion Easley got the start at third, and hit in Lowell's fifth slot.

The play in which Lowell turned his ankle came in the fourth inning. After singling and moving to second on a wild pitch, Lowell tried to advance to third on a chopped grounder by Paul Lo Duca. Charging the ball, Lee immediately went to third. While sliding, Lowell's left cleat caught in the dirt. He was tagged out easily. Making the slide even more damaging is the fact Lowell's shin scraped on his cleat, leaving a gash.

On Monday, Lowell remained in the game until the eighth inning. He drew a walk in his next at-bat. Turning to Lee, Lowell said: "Would you feel bad if you broke my knee?"

Lee responded: "I knew Lo Duca was trying to go the other way."

Lowell is all too familiar with Lee's ability to throw runners out at third. He saw it for years when the two were teammates.

"He's one of the few first basemen who will do that play," Lowell said. "As a baserunner, I can't imagine that anyone can wait to read if Derrek is going to make that play. If he makes that play, you have to give it to them.

"To me, he's the Gold Glover. He's the best there is. I know when he was with us, if there were no outs, man on second, we'd look at each other. He'd say, 'I'm coming on over there.' He's not scared to make that play."

Lowell's status is day-to-day.

Adding bullpen help? Now that the Phillies and Mets have added bullpen depth, are the Marlins exploring relief options?

Always exploring what might be available, the Marlins appear to be reviewing what is out there. Since so many teams are in the playoff mix, there is a small number of clubs actively shopping players in hopes of building for the future.

Some names to keep an eye on are Tampa Bay's closer Danys Baez, who is 4-2 with a 3.14 ERA plus eight saves in 14 opportunities.

Kansas City has some interesting relievers that may be available. Lefty Jeremy Affeldt, activated off the disabled list on April 15, is a promising left-hander who can close. Affeldt was out with a groin injury, and he has moved into a setup role for now. And his teammate, right-handed reliever Mike MacDougal has six saves in eight chances while posting a 2-3 record with a 4.50 ERA.

Colorado left-hander Brian Fuentes may also fit the profile of what the Marlins are looking at.

If the Marlins make a move for a reliever like Affeldt or the others, they would likely part with maturing solid prospects.

Hollandsworth on Marlins: Lee isn't the only former Marlin now making an impact on the Cubs. Outfielder Todd Hollandsworth, a member of the Marlins 2003 World Series championship team, is a contributor for the Cubs.

When informed of the Marlins' recent rough stretch where they dropped 12 of 15 games, Hollandsworth reminded that the 2003 season also had some down streaks.

"We were in a funk in August," Hollandsworth said, "losing eight of nine on the road. But we were able to come out of it and win the World Series. [The Marlins] are a good team. They will turn it around."

Reflecting on the 2003 season, manager Jack McKeon was impressed with how Hollandsworth accepted his role of becoming a bench player after he lost his starting left field job to Miguel Cabrera.

"After he settled down and became a bench player, he became very valuable to us," McKeon said. "Really in the last month, he was an excellent extra player. He accepted his role, like he's doing over here [with the Cubs].

"When you sign with a club, you are told this and that, and things don't work out, you get a little dejected. It took him a week or two to get over it. Then he became a real team player."

Miguel Cabrera / RF
Born: 04/18/83
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 210 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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Oz-fest for Cabrera, Gonzalez: Before Monday's game with the Cubs, a couple of Marlins paid a visit to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Cabrera and Alex Gonzalez were invited to Guillen's house.

This is one of the rare times where both the Cubs and White Sox are playing at home at the same time.

Guillen, formerly the Marlins third base coach, like Cabrera and Gonzalez, are Venezuelan natives who have been friends for years.

Coming up: The Marlins and Cubs conclude their three-game set on Wednesday with a matinee that features two standout pitchers. A.J. Burnett, 3-4 with a 3.09 ERA, seeks his first victory since April 29, in Philadelphia. Burnett was on the verge of his fourth win in his last start, leaving with a 5-1 lead in the eighth inning against the Rangers. Texas tied it in the eighth but the Marlins still won the game, although the right-hander was not involved in the decision. Veteran Greg Maddux, who is 5-3 with a 4.11 ERA, gets the nod for the Cubs.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Marlins pound Maddux in big win

CHICAGO -- A lopsided series ended as it started Wednesday afternoon, with the Marlins recording a blowout win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Powered by home runs from Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Delgado, Juan Encarnacion and Luis Castillo the Marlins rolled to a 15-5 victory, enabling them to take two of three in the series.

All three games were one-sided with the Marlins winning, 9-1, on Monday and losing, 14-0, on Tuesday. A.J. Burnett (4-4) was the beneficiary of the team's highest run output of the season, and the right-hander won for the first time since April 29 at Philadelphia.

The Marlins racked up season highs for runs scored and hits (20), jumping on Greg Maddux (5-4) early.

Juan Pierre and Paul Lo Duca each had four hits and Mike Lowell went 3-for-5.

"With our team, there is too much talent to just not compete," said Lowell, who has elevated his average to .237 after hovering around .200 much of the season. "We're getting consistent contributions up and down the lineup. When you're not going good, it seemed to be a couple of guys not swinging the bats well and they always seemed to be the guys up when you need it. I think this is a good sign."

Burnett held the Cubs scoreless through six innings. But in the seventh inning the Cubs scored five runs, highlighted by Jeromy Burnitz's three-run homer.

In 6 2/3 innings, Burnett gave up 11 hits and two strikeouts, matching a season low. And his five runs allowed are a high in 13 starts.

Rebounding from an embarrassing loss on Tuesday keeps the Marlins within striking range of the Nationals in the National League East.

"It's very important," Burnett said of taking the series in Chicago. "I think 4 1/2 games behind for this team is way, way under par. We're too good a club to be there. Hopefully, with a good road trip, we'll get back on track."

The four home runs for Florida match a franchise record done now 24 times. The feat was last achieved on June 8, 2004, at Cleveland. That day, Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez, Damion Easley and Abraham Nunez went deep.

Maddux was tagged for seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings, his shortest stint since April 12, 2004.

The 15 runs are the most by the Marlins since they set a franchise record with 20 runs off the Braves on July 1, 2003. Also that year, the Marlins beat the Braves, 17-1, in a game Maddux started on April 5.

Propelled by a six-run fourth inning, the Marlins went ahead, 8-0. Pierre had a two-run double. Cabrera added an RBI single and Delgado delivered a three-run homer on the first pitch he saw from reliever Todd Wellemeyer. It was the 15th time the Marlins have scored five or more runs in an inning, tops in the Major Leagues. In the fifth inning, Encarnacion snapped an 0-for-13 streak with a two-run homer.

"It was a good sign," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "We hit the ball two out of three days. We're getting fairly consistent. It's good to see Mike getting his hits. In this stretch we hadn't been getting the breaks. Even the bloops weren't going our way. Now we're starting to get a few."

Shut out by Sergio Mitre on Tuesday night, the Marlins struck early off Maddux using a combination of speed and power. In the span of five pitches, Pierre led off with a bunt single, stole second and went to third on Castillo's sacrifice bunt. Cabrera then blasted a first-pitch delivery into right-center field for his 11th home run of the season, a two-run shot. That set the tempo for the big lead.

Much of the Marlins success since they won the World Series in 2003 centers on Pierre starting rallies. He did so on Wednesday with two bunt singles.

"That's what I want to do, put pressure on their defense," Pierre said. "Maddux is a good fielder. I just wanted to keep the ball away from him. He fields bunts so well. I just wanted to put pressure on him, and the thick grass helped out a lot today."

A day like Wednesday, where the winds were swirling, created a favorable environment for hitters. That was reflected in Castillo homering for the second time in three games, his lone two home runs of the season.

"Two home runs in three days, maybe that's all you see the whole year," said the switch-hitting Castillo, who prior to this series in Chicago last went deep on June 12, 2004, at Detroit.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Beckett suffers finger blister, exits early

CHICAGO -- Once again, the nagging blister problems that have plagued Josh Beckett's Major League career have resurfaced.
In the sixth inning Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, Beckett experienced his latest blister battle. And once again, the skin irritation to his right middle finger may land him on the disabled list.

Exactly what is next for Beckett has yet to be determined.

The Marlins were routed, 14-0, by the Cubs on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. But the most damaging result could have a long-range impact if Beckett is out for an extended period.

"From talking to the trainer, I don't think it's as bad as it was last year," manager Jack McKeon said. "But you're still probably talking, 10 days, 12 days, 14 days, probably."

Beckett was lifted after 5 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits with three strikeouts. His fastball was clocked as high as 97 mph. And there was no indication that the blister was bothering him until the sixth inning.

Since his 2002 rookie season, Beckett has been on the disabled list seven times, with five being blister-related.

The problem was detected three pitches after Beckett served up a home run to Derrek Lee on a 3-0 fastball that was clocked at 88 mph. Two pitches later, Beckett was warned by home plate umpire Bruce Froemming when a fastball caused Jeromy Burnitz to bail out. It was on that pitch that got away that the skin broke on Beckett's finger.

Beckett then threw one more pitch, a ball, running the count to 2-1. At that point, he signaled to the Marlins dugout.

Pitching coach Mark Wiley and trainer Sean Cunningham trotted to the mound, as did catcher Paul Lo Duca. Beckett then left the game, and was relieved by Travis Smith. The Cubs rolled off 10 more runs, compounding a frustrating night for Florida.

"You lose a game, 2-1 or 28-0, it's a loss," Lo Duca said. "You come back tomorrow. But you lose one of the premier starters in the league for a little while. It's another obstacle that we're going to have to battle."

Beckett, now 7-5 with a 3.35 ERA, declined to talk to reporters after the game.

"I guess it's the same place that it was in the past, but not as big," Wiley said. "We're going to just have to wait and see how long it will take him."

The Marlins are in the midst of their longest road trip of the season, 12 games over 14 days. Before Beckett's injury, the team was planning on going with a four-man rotation of Dontrelle Willis, Beckett, A.J. Burnett and Brian Moehler. On Monday, the team announced left-hander Al Leiter was being skipped a couple of turns as he tries to regain his control. The 39-year-old Leiter is 2-6 with a 6.75 ERA.

The Marlins have yet to decide who will start in Beckett's place on Sunday at the Angels.

As a rookie in 2002, Beckett spent three stints on the DL because of the blister. After being blister-free in 2003, irritation on that finger landed him on the disabled list twice. On May 31, the Texas native went on the DL with a blister. He returned on June 17, but on June 24, he was placed on the DL again with a right intracostal strain.

The day after Beckett returned from that stint, he was back on the disabled list with a middle finger skin tear.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Willis enjoys success with a smile

MIAMI -- Dontrelle Willis likes what he does.
Joking around with teammates in the clubhouse, flashing his infectious smile during pregame warmups and rooting on his team from the dugout, the D-Train is an example of what it means to enjoy playing baseball.

He truly enjoys his job.

Ask Marlins pitching coach Mark Wiley, and he will tell you what makes the young southpaw special.

"He told me before the season even started. He said, 'Mark, even if I don't play real good in a game, I will still have fun doing it,' " Wiley said. "That's quite a thing to be able to say."

Off to an 11-2 start with a 2.06 ERA, Willis is having a blast. With each win, he is moving closer to securing his second All-Star appearance since being called up from Double-A Carolina in May 2003. Willis is not only a strong All-Star candidate, he is making a strong case for National League manager Tony La Russa to start him in the MidSummer Classic, to be played in Detroit.

"It's surreal to me," Willis says of being even mentioned as an All-Star.

Willis' affable personality has been on display since he posted a 14-6 record as a rookie and helped the Marlins win the 2003 World Series.

During the first three months of this year, Willis has received considerable national attention. He is making a case for the Cy Young Award, the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove.

"Why he wins is because he's good in [different] phases," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "He fields his position. He bunts. He's got a good pickoff move. He helps himself."

The praises don't seem to daunt the third-year star.

"I don't mind it," he said. "But to be honest, I'd rather the team be successful. Last year we were pretty much in the playoff run and people were saying I wasn't pitching as well, but I was enjoying things because the team was winning."

Willis' maturity and ability to adjust has impressed Wiley.

"He recognizes bat speeds and what hitters are trying to do, which is probably a little ahead of him for his age," Wiley said. "That surprises me more than anything. Usually the maturing process takes a little bit longer in your career than it has for him."

Following each start, the Willis spends most of his time on conditioning, which includes lifting weights, running and long-tossing with Juan Pierre, something the two have done since becoming teammates.

Willis intensely watches videos of previous games, dissecting his outings and looking for spots where he can improve.

"Whether I'm pitching well or I'm struggling, I don't try to change too much," Willis said. "I just try to stay consistent and just come in and get my work done and try to have the same attitude about everything, regardless of how I'm throwing the ball."

When it's time for his day to start, Willis is the most anxious player in the locker room. He arrives at the ballpark several hours before game time and does whatever he can to pass the time.

"I usually watch a movie the day I pitch just to pass time because I'm so anxious to get out there and play. I'm kind of a show-and-go guy," Willis said.

With Florida playing in arguably the most competitive division in baseball, the National League East, making a run at the pennant is going to likely come down to the final weeks of the season.

The taste of winning it all in 2003 has Willis even hungrier to get back to the playoffs and experience another magical run.

"I'll never forget being in the locker room when we won and clinched to go to the playoffs, that was a feeling that no self-accolades could compare to," Willis recalls. "I can't even say it was like Christmas, because it wasn't like any Christmas I've ever had. It was just a beautiful thing to see with the families and the kids, drinks, champagne, and everyone hugging and telling everyone they love each other.

"We're a family and we're together 180 days out of the year, which is a long time. That's half a year together. You spend a lot of time with everyone and you get to know these guys personally."

As for the rest of the season, Willis is not getting caught up with his personal successes, and continues to maintain a positive approach to the game.

"I just want to stay healthy, especially in this day in age of sorts where injuries occur," Willis said. "You can't take your health for granted because you can get injured doing anything. I can go out today and I might tweak something and miss my next two starts. It's just one of those things where I try to work hard in the offseason, and I just want to be out there for 35 starts each season and that's all you can really ask for."

While he has been one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball this season, his attitude and gregarious personality on and off the field is just as special as his left arm.

"He has terrific character and personal pride, but he's totally unselfish," Wiley said. "When you're in a high-profile sport and performing very well at it, he's taken his ability and has taken a one pitch at a time mentality, making quality pitches, helping himself with the bat and doing all those things that are necessary for the team to win.

"And if he gets a win out of that then I think that's secondary to him."

As long as he's having fun.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Beckett out with blister

CHICAGO -- About the only certainly regarding Josh Beckett's latest blister bout is the right-hander will not pitch Sunday against the Angels at Los Angeles.
The Marlins' hard-throwing right-hander came down with a blister to his right middle finger in the sixth inning of Tuesday's 14-0 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Placing the 25-year-old Texas native on the disabled list appears the likely option. As of Wednesday afternoon, general manager Larry Beinfest said the team may not make a decision on Beckett's status for another day or two. The team is off Thursday before opening a three-game set with the Angels on Friday.

No one has been named to fill Beckett's rotation spot on Sunday. Veteran Al Leiter is one option, but the team is weighing other possibilities. Struggling with a 2-6 record and 6.75 ERA, Leiter was being skipped in the rotation because the team has off days on Thursday and Monday.

If Leiter isn't the choice, several Minor Leaguers are in the mix. In Triple-A, Ariel Prieto is 4-2 with a 5.50 ERA, and left-hander Les Walrond is 3-5 with a 5.10 ERA.

In Double-A, lefty Scott Olsen, one of the prize prospects for the future, would be in line to pitch Sunday because he threw on Tuesday. Olsen is 5-4 with a 4.05 ERA. Josh Johnson, also at Carolina, is 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA.

While the Marlins aren't saying whether they are exploring trade options, based on Beinfest's past history of making bold deals, it's likely that at least preliminary calls for pitching help are being made.

"We're looking at everything," Beinfest said when asked if he could be checking into deals.

Added manager Jack McKeon: "Knowing Larry from Day 1, from January 1, he is always trying to improve the club."

Since his 2002 rookie season, Beckett has been on the disabled list seven times, with five blister-related. Two blister problems last season landed him on the DL.

The prospect of being without their Opening Day starter comes at a time the Marlins are 4 1/2 games behind the Nationals in the National League East.

"It's frustrating," said Beckett, who is 7-5 with a 3.35 ERA. "It would a lot easier if it was something I wasn't prepared for, or something I didn't take care of. But I do the same thing every day."

For years Beckett has treated the finger with various ointments. The skin broke on his 80th pitch on Tuesday, a two-seam fastball that got away from him and almost struck Jeromy Burnitz on the legs. Feeling the pitch was intentional, since it came after Derrek Lee homered, home plate umpire Bruce Froemming issued a warning. Beckett threw one more pitch, and his night was done after 81 pitches.

"Obviously he's got a problem," Beinfest said. "We've seen it before. At this point, he's not going to pitch Sunday.

"We're looking at a lot of different things. We have the off day tomorrow, so we're looking at a lot of things we can do. I would not rule out anything at this point.

"He's had so many different scenarios involving the blister. We don't think it's as bad as last year. But we have to let to the area refortify itself, and then we'll take a look at it. We don't know at this point, other than there is a problem."

Most likely Beckett will be out at least two weeks, and possibly more.

DH idea catching on: Maybe McKeon wasn't the first to dream up the idea, but he certainly has been selling it for a few seasons.

For several years now, McKeon has suggested a revision for Interleague games that would have the designated hitter being used in National League parks while the pitchers hit in the American League parks. Basically, McKeon favored flip-flopping how the DH is used in Interleague action. When the point was raised in 2003, none of the higher ups in baseball embraced it.

But recently Commissioner Bud Selig has proposed the same concept, which would add a new twist for the fans.

"Remember they turned it down," McKeon laughed on Wednesday. "They said they wanted to keep things as they are. That's one thing Johnny Sain used to say, 'If you have an idea, it may not work today. But file it because some day, they might need it.' "

Now that the league is embracing his DH idea, McKeon has another concept.

"I'm for instant replay on home runs," he said. "When you go down the foul line and you can't see [if it's fair or foul]."

Lowell back: The sprained ankle that kept Mike Lowell out of the lineup Tuesday didn't prevent the veteran third baseman from returning to action on Wednesday.

Lowell jammed his left ankle when his cleats jammed as he was sliding into third base on Monday night. He continued playing that game until being replaced in the eighth inning by Damion Easley, who started Tuesday.

Re-visiting Len Kasper: Cubs television voice Len Kasper, who broadcasted Marlins games from 2002-2004, keeps in touch regularly with TV analyst Tommy Hutton. And Kasper has spoken several times with his play-by-play replacement, Rich Waltz.

In a premier job, Kasper is enjoying all the day games at Wrigley Field and the passion of the Chicago fans.

"Doing day baseball here, even on a Wednesday afternoon in April when it's 47 degrees, there will be 38,000 people in the park," Kasper said. "It's a great place to work. The fans have been very welcoming. The organization has been great. It's been a lot of fun."

Coming up: Off on Thursday, the Marlins get back into Interleague action on Friday with the first of three games at the Angels. It will be the first time ever the Marlins travel to Los Angeles to face the Angels. Brian Moehler, who is 2-4 with a 2.90 ERA, starts for Florida, while left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who is 3-3 with a 3.67 ERA, goes for the Angels.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Marlins sign first-round picks

MIAMI -- The Marlins wasted no time signing their three first-round picks, coming to terms with high school pitchers Chris Volstad and Aaron Thompson, and McNeese State pitcher Jacob Marceaux on Thursday.
Volstad and Thompson will immediately start off in Jupiter in the Marlins' rookie Gulf Coast League, while Marceaux will report to Class A Jamestown in the New York-Penn League.

Volstad, a 6-foot-7 right-hander from Palm Beach Gardens High School, was the 16th overall pick in last week's amateur draft and signed a contract that includes a $1.6 million signing bonus.

This past season he went 7-2 with an 0.41 ERA, including 98 strikeouts to only eight walks in 69 innings. Volstad's best pitch is his 94 mph fastball, but he can also mix things up with an effective curveball and changeup.

The 18-year-old was in high spirits after signing quickly with the Marlins.

"This is a lot more exciting (than draft day)," Volstad said. "I signed the contract today, got to put on the jersey and hat for the first time, and I'm just looking forward to starting tomorrow and getting things going."

With the 22nd pick, Florida signed Aaron Thompson, a polished left-hander from Second Baptist High School in Houston, Texas. The southpaw's best pitch is a sweeping curveball, but he also throws an array of different pitches.

Thompson, who got a $1.225 million signing bonus, knows how successful the Marlins have been with producing young, talented pitchers.

"The main thing you think about when you think of the Marlins is that they have a history of developing pitchers," Thompson said. "You look at (Josh) Beckett, (Dontrelle) Willis, and how they came up to the big leagues at a young age and established themselves."

"This is a good place to be if you have a young arm."

Of the three pitchers, Marceaux is seen as the player most likely to move up quickly through the Minor Leagues. Marceaux, the 29th selection, is a hard-throwing right hander who has been clocked at 95 mph, and also throws a slider and changeup. The right-hander received a $1 million signing bonus and has the potential to be converted from a starter into a reliever.

As for the progress he hopes to make given his college experience, Marceaux knows it won't be easy to move up through the system.

"You can't put a time frame on that," Marceaux said. "You just have to go out there and work hard and the rest will take care of itself."

Florida has now agreed to terms with 23 of the 50 players it selected in the draft.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Delgado delivering deep

MIAMI -- Spacious Dolphins Stadium isn't holding back too many long drives from Carlos Delgado.
Delgado, who now has 12 homers, belted his fifth home run at Dolphins Stadium on Wednesday night against the Mariners.

The towering drive to right-center was estimated at 413 feet.

Pitcher Dontrelle Willis, who benefited by Delgado's blast, points out that the Marlins first baseman carries a heavy bat.

"I need all the help I can get," mused Delgado, who swings a 34-ounce bat.

A review of Delgado's hitting chart shows that he hasn't lost too many homers at home because of the deep dimensions. Arguably a handful of his drives to right and right center may have been out in other parks.

After driving in all five of the Marlins' runs in their 5-4 win, Delgado now has 42 RBIs on the season.

"He's a good hitter," manager Jack McKeon said. "Like I said, he's going to get warmed up once he knows the league a little bit better. He's seeing these pitchers now and getting an idea on all these guys."

Pick close to signing: The Marlins are close to finalizing a contract with left-handed pitcher Aaron Thompson, the 22nd pick of the First-Year Player Draft.

Thompson, the second of the Marlins' three first-round picks, is expected to sign sometime next week, after he completes his physical in Jupiter, Fla.

The Marlins are confident they will sign their top picks relatively quickly, getting them into their Minor League system before July.

Thompson was 8-3 with an 0.84 ERA at Second Baptist High School in Houston.

He expects to sign with the Marlins rather than attend Texas A&M.

Bentz delivers: After being called-up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, left-handed reliever Chad Bentz came into Wednesday night's game to face Seattle's left-handed hitting Raul Ibanez. In his first appearance as a Marlin, Bentz got the job done as he got Ibanez to ground out to Delgado at first to end the seventh inning.

It was a pivotal out in relief of Willis, preserving a 5-4 Marlins' lead with Richie Sexson on second base.

"It felt really, really good to get the first batter out of the way," Bentz said. "I really liked the challenge with a man on second, two outs in a one-run game. The last thing I wanted to do was let that guy score."

Bentz was brought up to be the guy to get out left-handed hitters in those pressure spots.

"I really like the challenge of those situations and hopefully I can keep on going, I want the team to feel confident when I go into the game that I can get the job done," Bentz said.

Ichiro factor: Even though he isn't as imposing as Barry Bonds, Ichiro Suzuki is dangerous in a number of ways.

"He's almost as big a threat in some cases as Bonds, for what he can do," McKeon said of the Mariners outfielder. "He can beat you in a lot of ways. He can hit a home run, if he needs to. He steals bases. He's a dangerous guy. In Bonds, you look for a home run. This guy can do a lot of other things."

Community service: On Friday, Delgado and mascot Billy the Marlin will visit Holtz Children's Hospital as part of the Marlins and MLB's commitment to the International Kids Fund.

Along with Delgado, Rangers pitcher Joaquin Benoit will visit the Miami-based hospital.

The IKF is committed to helping critically ill children, primarily from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Also, Al Leiter has been named the team's All-Heart Spotlight Player of the Month for June. Leiter pledged $10,000 to "Do the Right Thing," a non-profit organization that rewards for helping out in the communities.

For his contributions to the community, Leiter gets the honor. Willis was named the All-Heart Spotlight Player in May.

The spotlight player is honored for the community service he has done that particular month.

Coming up: The Marlins open a three-game series with the Rangers on Friday night with A.J. Burnett, 3-4 with a 3.03 ERA, going against Texas' Chan Ho Park. Last year, the Rangers swept three games at Dolphins Stadium. In 2003, the Marlins took two of three in Arlington.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

McKeon goes with first lineup

MIAMI -- Before Opening Day, Marlins manager Jack McKeon literally rang in the new season by ringing a bell provided by the local media.
Throughout Spring Training, McKeon often used the phrase "when the bell rings," that's when the players need to be better.

In the midst of the Marlins' worst slide of the season, McKeon on Friday night dusted off the bell and rang it again. The frustrated 74-year-old skipper also went back to the lineup he used on Opening Day, which pounded out a 9-0 win over the Braves.

The batting order for Friday's Interleague game with the Rangers was the one the Marlins hoped would rival the best in the league.

Two struggling hitters, Juan Pierre and Mike Lowell, returned to the slots where they began the season. Pierre led off and Lowell moved back to fifth, after spending much of the season hitting either seventh or occasionally sixth.

Friday's lineup was: Pierre, Luis Castillo, Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Delgado, Lowell, Paul Lo Duca, Juan Encarnacion, Alex Gonzalez and A.J. Burnett.

"The expectations were high," McKeon said about entering the season. "No question about it. We know we're a good team, and we're going to turn it around eventually. It's a fresh start now. I rang the bell. When the bell rings, we'll start over. We'll start over today."

Lowell, who is showing signs of snapping out of his slump, is batting .225 with two home runs and 20 RBIs. The irony with Lowell is, traditionally, he's a fast starter -- not thus far.

"I'm happy," said Lowell, who dropped in the order in mid-April. "From a selfish standpoint, when you're hitting seventh in the National League, they are always looking at that pitchers spot. You definitely don't get as many [RBI] opportunities. I like it. We thought from Day One it can work. It just seems we've had 12 different lineups the last 12 days. Maybe the best thing to do is keep it simple."

Lowell understands why McKeon scrambled the lineup in hopes of finding a spark.

"Jack is like everyone else," Lowell said. "We're trying to find a winning formula. ... I think the talent is still here to turn things around, win the division and make the playoffs."

Crucial stretch: For as poorly as the Marlins have played the past two weeks, they are pretty fortunate to enter Friday 3 1/2 games out of first place.

"It just seems like everything is not clicking for us, and it's very hard for us to score runs," Lowell said. "It just seems like it's easy for the other team, and it's really difficult for us to put runs on the board."

When McKeon became manager in May 2003, he introduced a motto of "winning is fun, and fun is winning."

After Thursday's 8-0 loss to Seattle, Pierre talked about a "negativity" in the clubhouse.

On the subject of having fun, Lowell said: "I think winning definitely brings the fun back to the game, because I don't know too many people who have fun losing. Everyone says it's a game. But when you're not doing well and you're losing, it's still a game, but you're not having fun. I kind of get a kick out of people who say, 'You should have fun.' I think if we start winning, we'll start having fun."

Over their dry spell, the Marlins have dealt with criticism from the media. Lowell said much of it is justified.

"I think it's been two weeks now where we've been playing terrible baseball," he said. "I don't think it's the end of the season. But I don't think it should be short-played. If we play like this for two more weeks, we might ruin our season. You don't want to dig yourself into a huge hole. We're already past the lucky part, where we went 2-8 and lost a game in the standings. Well, someone is bound to get hot in our division."

Dealing with dissension: A fallout from the two-week team slump is some players are starting to grumble, anonymously, to the press.

In Friday's Palm Beach Post, five unnamed players placed some of the blame on McKeon.

"There's obviously something wrong," one unidentified player said. "We don't have the same chemistry we had two years ago."

Reacting to the article on Friday, pitcher Al Leiter said: "You have to cut through all the [distractions] and analyze your job. When you're not doing well, you end up deflecting things; you justify things. And in the end, after you do your [griping] and justifying things, it comes back to if you are doing it -- the hit-the-rock-bottom thing. I've got to do some things to change."

Leiter, formerly with the Mets, Blue Jays and Yankees, has seen his share of clubhouse controversies. He said on Friday that such dealings should be addressed from within, not in the press.

"Every team I've been on, there is always a player or two who is not doing well [and gripes]," Leiter said. "I don't know who said it or feels that way. To me, it's not an issue until you see or hear it as an issue. I'm the new guy [here]."

Coming up: The Marlins will play the second of the three-game series with the Rangers on Saturday. Leiter, who is 2-6 with a 6.45 ERA, will take the mound for Florida against lefty Kenny Rogers, who is 8-2 with a 1.62 ERA.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Marlins unleash frustration on Rangers

MIAMI -- Weeks of pent up frustration were unleashed in a seven-run eighth inning that enabled the Marlins to pull away with a 12-5 victory over the Rangers on Friday night before 16,622 at Dolphins Stadium.
On a night where threatening weather put into question if the Interleague game would even be played, the Marlins turned in season-high totals for runs and hits (17).

The offensive outburst came at an opportune time, especially since the Rangers scored four runs in the top of the eighth to pull even at 5.

Highlighting the seven-run eighth was Mike Lowell's fourth career grand slam, a drive to left-center field off Brian Shouse. A three-time All-Star, Lowell snapped a drought of 45 games and 161 at-bats without a home run.

"It's been a while," said Lowell, who now has three homers on the season. "I didn't know if I was sure if I was supposed to keep running around the bases."

The win was the Marlins' fourth in 16 games and second in three nights.

The more than two-week slump has exasperated the club, causing some friction and tensions. Before Friday's game, a team meeting was called to smooth out some potential differences.

And to get back on track, manager Jack McKeon went back to the Opening Day lineup, which hadn't been used since mid-April.

Shut out, 8-0, on Thursday night by the Mariners, the Marlins strung together 14 straight innings without a run before they pushed across two runs in the fourth inning.

Carlos Delgado opened the inning with a double down the left-field line. With one out, Paul Lo Duca lined a run-scoring double to right. A single by Juan Encarnacion put runners on the corners, setting up Alex Gonzalez's RBI single to center.

The real fireworks came in the eighth inning, as the Marlins slapped out seven hits and sent 12 batters to the plate.

Walks by reliever Doug Brocail (3-1) started the Marlins' big inning. Gonzalez and pinch-hitter Lenny Harris each walked with one out. After Juan Pierre's single loaded the bases, Luis Castillo walked and Florida moved ahead, 6-5. Miguel Cabrera, who had two hits and two RBIs, laced an RBI single to left.

Two batters later, Lowell belted the fourth grand slam of his career and first since April 6, 2001, against Atlanta. It was the Marlins' third slam of the season. The previous two were by Encarnacion.

"It was huge for us to answer back in the eighth," Lowell said. "If we let this one go, it would have been a big jolt of negativity."

For a team that hasn't generated much scoring of late, blowing the game open late was a gigantic lift.

"We started a new season today," McKeon said. "We're going to play like we did in the past. It was nice to see us come back. It was a great character builder. We hadn't done that in a while. To see the guys come back after the Rangers tied the game, it was real special."

The Marlins tacked on three runs in the fifth inning. Pierre got the rally started with a double, and Castillo's single put runners on the corners. Cabrera drilled an RBI double, and with the bases loaded, Texas starter Chan Ho Park's wild pitch brought in another run. Lo Duca's sacrifice fly gave the Marlins a four-run lead.

A.J. Burnett / P
Born: 01/03/77
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 230 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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About the only downside on Friday was that A.J. Burnett didn't collect his first win since April 29 at Philadelphia. The hard-throwing right-hander gave up three runs in 7 1/3 innings, and his 10 strikeouts give him 635 for his career. That established a club record, moving ahead of the mark held by Ryan Dempster (628).

"We won the game, man, that's all that counts," Burnett said. "We needed a game where we ended up on top, no matter what happened. That's what happened. We came back. The hitters picked up the bullpen. We scored and got the 'W.'"

As for the team strikeout record, Burnett responded: "I guess that's cool. I take pride in my strikeouts. I wish I could have struck out Chan Ho, man. It was a good win for us. Hopefully, we can run with this."

Burnett's reference was to Park, who gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings and had two singles off Burnett.

In relief, Todd Jones (1-1) collected the win, although he was tagged with a missed save chance.

After holding the Rangers scoreless through four innings, Burnett was touched for a run in the fifth on David Dellucci's RBI single.

The Marlins were ahead, 5-1, going into the eighth inning. Burnett fanned Dellucci for his 10th strikeout to open the inning. But the Rangers responded, scoring four runs to tie the game. Richard Hidalgo had a two-out RBI single off reliever Guillermo Mota, and Laynce Nix followed with a two-run double. Jones relieved Mota and issued a single to Rod Barajas, tying the game and marking the reliever's second blown save.

Ultimately, the Marlins were able to stop the bleeding on what has been a difficult stretch. That eighth-inning rally by the Rangers, who swept the Marlins last year in Miami, created some anxiety in the Florida dugout.

"Blood started flowing again at the end," Burnett said. "My job was to set the tone. I didn't know about the weather. That's a good hitting team. That's like a bunch of lumberjacks out there swinging the bat. I went hard at them. It was a good game."

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/

Gonzalez blast caps Marlins' comeback

MIAMI -- When Carlos Delgado signed as a free agent in January, the Marlins envisioned that they had found the missing piece to make their lineup one of the most potent in the National League.
Delgado continues to live up to his end, and contributions from the rest of the lineup are starting to materialize.

Delgado belted a two-run homer and collected three RBIs Saturday night, and Alex Gonzalez's solo home run in the seventh inning lifted the Marlins to a 6-5 comeback win over the Rangers before a crowd of 25,557 at Dolphins Stadium.

Gonzalez's shot, his fourth on the season -- off Juan Dominguez to lead off the seventh -- was the shortstop's first home run since May 1 off Philadelphia's Cory Lidle.

The drive to left field completed the Marlins' biggest rally to victory of the season.

"You dream about it on paper and they go out and do it on the grass," Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said of how the team is coming together. "They are starting to do it. They're going to do it."

After laboring through their toughest stretch of the season, the Marlins have now won two straight and three of four. And they've won a series for the first time since taking two of three from the Phillies, from May 23-25.

Down, 5-0, and held without a baserunner until their half of the fourth inning, the Marlins mounted their best comeback of the season, tying the score at 5 on Mike Lowell's two-run double in the sixth inning. Until Saturday, the largest deficit the Marlins rallied to victory from was three runs.

"We know we can score runs," said Gonzalez, who is batting .283 from the eighth spot in the order. "We have a good offense. We have power. We have speed. We can make contact. You can't give up when you are losing, 5-0, because you know you can score a lot of runs, like tonight."

The mini-winning streak has the Marlins feeling less stressful. Saturday's rally was equally rewarding because it came off Texas left-hander Kenny Rogers, who entered with a Major League-best 1.62 ERA.

"This is a good win," Delgado said. "It comes at a good time. We're facing a tough guy who has been pitching well all year. We fell behind, 4-0, and eventually 5-0, but we kept working and working and eventually put together good at bats."

In relief of Al Leiter, who struggled in 4 1/3 innings, John Riedling (3-1) collected the win. Todd Jones struck out the side in order in the ninth inning for his 11th save in 13 opportunities.

"I don't know if [momentum] is building or not, but it's nice to win two in a row," manager Jack McKeon said. "We are kind of hoping it will be. Each night is a different story out there. But it was nice to see us come back after getting down five runs. It was nice to see Delgado give us that big lift with that two-run homer. It put us back within range."

The Marlins are striving to reverse a slide that resulted in them losing 12 of 16 heading into Saturday.

With morale dipping, a short team meeting took place before Friday's 12-5 win. General manager Larry Beinfest, Loria and McKeon each said a few words.

The past two nights the Marlins reverted back to their Opening Day lineup, which hasn't been used since mid-April.

"We had a meeting with our owner, our GM and our manager," Jones said. "He just said we're starting the season all over. We're going to go with our lineup and stick with them. It seems that after that meeting was over, it took a lot of relief off of guys. I don't know if it had anything to do with it or not. But then Delgado hits a home run. That's why he's our big guy. That's why he makes a lot of money and is a superstar player, because he hits the big home run and that gets everybody relaxed. He did a good job of that."

Carlos Delgado / 1B
Born: 06/25/72
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 230 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: R

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In their three-run sixth inning, the Marlins got back-to-back singles from Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo. With two outs, on a full-count delivery, Delgado ripped an RBI double to right field. Lowell followed with a two-run double to left-center, and Rogers was lifted after 5 2/3 innings.

The no-decision for Rogers snapped a string of eight consecutive starts with a win, as he gave up five runs. The left-hander's ERA rose to 2.02.

Rogers retired the first 11 batters he faced before Miguel Cabrera walked with two outs in the fourth. Delgado followed with his 13th homer of the season, a two-run shot that sailed 389 feet to right-center. It was the first time Delgado has gone deep off Rogers, and it came on his 40th at-bat.

"What can you say about Delgado?" Pierre said. "He's putting us on his shoulder right now. It's big in every situation, and he's coming through for us right now."

Again the second inning was troublesome for Leiter, who gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings but he wasn't not involved in the decision. After a perfect first inning, Kevin Mench tagged the veteran left-hander with his first career grand slam.

In all, Leiter threw 37 pitches in the inning, and now has allowed 26 of his 44 runs on the season in the second inning.

It also was the third grand slam of the season Leiter has surrendered. Doug Mientkiewicz of the Mets connected on May 21 (second inning), as did Aaron Miles of the Rockies on May 8 (fourth inning).

A key moment for the Marlins came in the fifth inning when Travis Smith relieved Leiter with the bases loaded and one out. The Rangers, leading, 5-2, at the time, could have broken the game open. But a first-pitch sinker to Richard Hidalgo was slapped to Lowell at third, who stepped on the bag, and threw to first base, completing a double play.

"I was trying to get a ball on the ground and try to get a double play," Smith said. "If not, then you try not to give up more than one run."

McKeon lobbies for Gonzalez

MIAMI -- Based on his often spectacular play in the field, Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez is a strong Gold Glove candidate.
Periodically, infield coach Perry Hill and manager Jack McKeon sing Gonzalez's praises for the top defensive honor.

On Saturday, McKeon again lobbied for Gonzalez. But this time to be an All-Star.

"He's got to be in the voting if anybody who votes knows anything about the game," McKeon said. "He's been slighted in the Gold Glove, too. He's a quiet guy."

All-Star voting is ongoing at floridamarlins.com and at Dolphins Stadium.

Defensively, Gonzalez's skills speak for themselves. McKeon is impressed at how the shortstop has improved at the plate, batting .283 with three home runs and 23 RBIs.

Gonzalez represented the Marlins in the 1999 All-Star Game, when he became the second rookie shortstop ever named to the National League All-Star team.

McKeon feels Gonzalez should be in the top three in the fan vote for shortstops.

Along with the fan vote for the starting position players, the Major League players have a vote in who makes the squad as reserves.

"I think he will do much better in the players' vote," McKeon said. "Maybe he needs to hug all his friends [before games]."

All-Star starter? As a rookie in 2003, McKeon was pumping Dontrelle Willis to make the National League All-Star team after the left-hander rolled off four or five wins.

Now that Willis is 10-2 with a 2.13 ERA, it would be shocking if he didn't make the All-Star squad.

"I don't think I have to campaign for him," McKeon said. "He's going to be in pretty good shape."

Actually, McKeon has already checked the Marlins' rotation through the All-Star break. And barring any rainouts, Willis is slated to pitch either Friday or Saturday before the All-Star Game on July 12 in Detroit.

McKeon foresees a scenario where Willis can actually be in line to start the All-Star Game, a decision that will be made by Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.

"He will not pitch on that Sunday," McKeon said of July 10. "He would be ready."

While Willis made the 2003 All-Star team, he didn't get into the game.

With the All-Star Game about a month away, McKeon also added that if the rotation shapes up so that Willis is needed by the Marlins on July 10, that will be the first priority.

Often times, managers will not want their top pitchers to start the All-Star Game so that they don't risk injury or wear and tear.

Bringing the heat: A.J. Burnett's blazing fastball touches 100 mph on occasion. What is eluding the hard-throwing right-hander of late are wins.

Without a win since April 29 against the Phillies, Burnett was in line for a victory Friday night when he left in the eighth inning with the Marlins leading the Rangers, 5-1. But the bullpen surrendered the lead, and Burnett was not involved in the decision in a game the Marlins eventually won, 12-5.

"You feel for him because he's pitched extremely well," McKeon said.

Burnett departed with 111 pitches after 7 1/3 innings and the Rangers tied it off Guillermo Mota.

"We thought maybe we'd give up a run, but we'll get him the win," McKeon said. "It didn't happen."

Burnett, bothered by elbow inflammation recently, is getting stronger with each outing.

"We want these guys to go seven or eight [innings]," McKeon said. "He was 112 [pitches], according to our count. I would say 120 would be the max with him."

Because Burnett has electrifying stuff, mixing in sweeping curveballs and tempting changeups, he has the potential for greatness.

"He's not as polished as he will be," McKeon said. "He's made a great deal of improvement. I said it last year that he's the one guy who can throw a no-hitter at any time. He's got good stuff. He can go out there and throw a no-hitter any game."

Coming up: The Marlins wrap up their six-game homestand and three-game series with the Rangers on Sunday, with Brian Moehler facing Ricardo Rodriguez, who will be making his season debut for the Rangers. Moehler, who is 2-3 with a 2.59 ERA, is 0-2 with a 1.77 ERA at home.

Source: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/