Streak BROKEN
Now thats how you start a road trip. Last night, Ricky Nolasco pitched a complete game shutout, the first for a Marlin starter in 301 attempts, a Major League record. Ricky only gave up two hits (should have been just one, but who cares) and struck out 10 batters on a chilly August night in San Francisco. Ricky had all of his pitches working for him last night, leaving the Giants batters looking like they wouldn’t even crack the starting lineup for the Jupiter Hammerheads. Ricky was absolutely filthy, without question this was the best start of his career so far. Maybe its because of the cold weather, I don’t know. But that might have been the best start by a Marlin pitcher in two years.
Might this be the spark we need to revitalize our fading NL East hopes? No way to know for sure. Lets just worry about tonight.
Marlins Getting Out of Town at the Right Time
Another series loss against a quality opponent and the Marlins are leaving town. With Fay bearing down on south Florida, there seems like no better time than now for the Fish to get out of the water.
The series loss to the Cubs crippled the Marlins a bit as they fell further back into the depths of the NL East now trailing 4.5 games in back of the re-surging Mets. Sporting a record that is just 3 games over .500, it remains to be seen how much longer the Marlins can hold on.
Their bullpen has been failing them. Reynel Pinto, who was arguably the Marlins most consistent reliever up until now, has been sliding. He faced 7 batters yesterday and 5 of them scored. He has not had much success of late, but still Fredi Gonzalez turns to him in the hopes that something will get worked out. Pinto has a 10.33 ERA since the All Star Break. Pitching coach Mark Wiley maintains that Pinto’s mechanics are still sound, but there seems to be some suggestion that he is tiring - Pinto has pitched 63 innings this year. Last year he lead relievers with a league high 58 2/3 innings pitched.
Maybe the Marlins will get everything firing on all cylinders on the road. They have 3 games against the Giants on the opposite coast, far away from bad weather, and then 4 games against the D’Backs. The Marlins will wind things up in Atlanta. Each series presents an opportunity for the Marlins to get back into this race, they will need to focus on themselves and trying to win each series in order to do that. Maybe Paul Lo Duca’s return can help?
It isn’t just the bullpen though - the offense has become anemic. Too many strikeouts and not putting the ball in play will do that to you. Gonzalez asserts the Marlins’ hitters are trying to hit home runs, but others just note the increase of K’s. When looking at the Cardinals series, the Marlins saw a team that can hit the long ball, but was hugely successful in putting the ball in play and limiting their strike outs. The Marlins still have not yet been able to consistently string hits together in bunches, instead relying on the big fly to garner most of their run support. The approach has worked for most of the year, but right now it is hurting the Marlins.
Tonight vs. Chicago: A MUST WIN
The Marlins are dangerously close to falling out of contention. We are now 3.5 back, and if the Mets win tonight and we lose we are looking at a 4.5 game deficit and only two games over .500. This is the biggest game of the season, and probably the most important start of Annibal Sanchez’s young career. This is when the true contenders step up.
So, if you don’t have any plans for tonight, now you do. GET YOUR BUTTS TO THE BALLPARK!!!!! NO EXCUSES, SOUTH FLORIDA!! I’ll be there, me and a couple of my buddies scored club level tickets last week. Keep in mind that this is a huge game against a big team with a huge out of town following, so if you do come arrive early and be prepared to wait in line for tickets. I’d definately reccomend that you pick up your tickets online at www.floridamarlins.com so you don’t have to wait on line at the booth surrounded by drunken Cubs fans talking smack.
LETS GO FISH!!!
VOTE FOR BILLY!!!!!
Billy the Marlin has been nominated for the Mascot Hall of Fame, and needs your support! Of all the changes that have occured during the 16 seasons that the Marlins have been in the majors, only two constants have remained: Dolphin Stadium and Billy the Marlin. So, show the big fish some love and go vote!
Matt Treanor: Pimp
I mean, who wouldn’t want to live this kind of lifestyle? You are a catcher for the Florida Marlins: sometimes you start, sometimes you don’t. But everyone in the clubhouse respects you and looks to you as a team leader. Your team is surprising a lot of people in the game and you are pushing for the playoffs. Your paycheck, too, isn’t all that bad.
Oh, and your wife happens to be the winningest female player in beach volleyball history. And she’s easy on the eyes.
It would be a difficult thing to swallow, I’d think, seeing your wife (and various parts of her) plastered on the internet. But I got to ask, how the hell did Matt Treanor land Misty May as his wife?
“We met in November 2003 at a sports therapy center in Orange, Calif. I was rehabbing my knee, and she was there training. I had no idea who she was. I went home and told my little brother, Markell, I was planning to ask out some volleyball player. I called her Missy May. He’s like, ‘What’s with you, man? You’ve got problems. She’s one of the most famous players in the world.’ We eventually went out in January, and we were engaged in March.” [Source: SI]
Started dating her in January and they were engaged by March? Three months? That is amor, my friends. But imagine how hard it would be that your wife is playing in the Olympics in Beijing at the same time you are working on the Mets in Shea Stadium? This is a huge event in your household, or any household for that matter - the Olympics. Yet you can’t be there to see your wife at her best going for gold. Its something to keep in mind as we fans tune in to watch the 4 year spectacle we call the Olympics; there is a story behind every athlete there.
Treanor admitted it is tough, that he actually had a friend hold up a cell phone and give him the play by play so he could somehow feel like he was there with his wife when she was playing in Athens in 2004. Seems like Treanor may have actually wanted his recent rehab stint to last a few more weeks so he could at least escape to Beijing to see his wife play. Who could disagree with that? Guess he will just have to watch like the rest of us.
It is an interesting story, though for us Marlin fans. Treanor is a likeable guy, the heart of a lion. He toiled in the minors for 10 years and almost gave up when the Marlins finally gave him his shot. In fact, it was Misty May who encouraged him to keep working at it as she knew how much he loved baseball. It’s also funny to note how Treanor gets teased in the clubhouse about his wife. She does play in a bathing suit, after all. Treanor recalled one year in Spring Training when Jeff Conine re-wrote Treanor’s name on the board as Matt May. To this day the rest of the clubhouse rags Treanor by calling him Mr. May.
But like they say, it takes a real man that will allow himself to take a backseat to his wife’s career ambitions and it doesn’t seem to bother him. May-Treanor, as her name has been changed since their marriage, admits that she sees her volleyball partner Kerri Walsh more than she does her husband these days. Seems like Treanor is the patient type, however, as he waited for his opportunity to finally play in the majors and he is waiting patiently for his wife as well. Of course, he is on the road most of the time, too.
Like they say, pimpin’ ain’t easy.
Read more about Misty May-Treanor and Matt Treanor.
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The Marlins have a bit of a history of players charming famous women. Carl Pavano was linked to Alyssa Milano while teammate Josh Beckett was dating model Leeann Tweeden back in 2004.
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