Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez has packed a dozen balls and a glove for the organization’s upcoming tour of Iraq and Kuwait.

“You never know. Maybe we’ll do a little scouting trip while we’re there,” Gonzalez said with a chuckle Friday.


The more serious goal is to spread some goodwill among the troops.

Joining Gonzalez will be NL Rookie of the Year Chris Coghlan, catcher John Baker, president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest and four members of the team’s Mermaids dance crew.

The group flies Sunday from Washington to Kuwait. The Marlins say the weeklong trip, sponsored by Armed Forces Entertainment, is the first of its kind for a major league club since the Iraq war began.

The Marlins said they’ll be ready to play catch, pass out souvenirs or share stories about life in the majors — whatever helps the troops take their minds off the war.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Chris Coghlan returned to his home in Tarpon Springs Monday empty handed from a two-week hunting trip to Kansas.

But the Marlins left fielder then bagged a trophy bigger than any potential deer on Tuesday when he was named the National League Rookie of the Year.

Coghlan, 24, beat out runner-up J.A. Happ of Philadelphia and third-place finisher Tommy Hanson of Atlanta, both pitchers, in becoming the third Marlins player to win the award. He joins pitcher Dontrelle Willis in 2003 and shortstop Hanley Ramirez in 2006.

Coghlan received 17 first place votes, six seconds and two thirds for 105 points. Happ had 94 points with 10 first place votes. Hanson had 37 points, followed by Pittsburgh center fielder Andrew McCutchen (25) and Milwaukee infielder Casey McGehee (18) in the voting conducted by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America


Click here to read the full article – By Tom D’angelo of Palm Beach Post

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By virtue of Albert Pujols going 0 for 4 Saturday and Hanley Ramirez going 1 for 2, the Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! will probably have their first batting champion.


Ramirez, who entered the game 11 for his past 62, hit an RBI double in the first and lined out in the third before exiting with a right knee contusion suffered on a steal of third in the first inning.

Ramirez raised his average to .342, 13 points ahead of Pujols. Pablo Sandoval began the day at .329. The Giant could finish 8 for 8 and still wouldn’t catch Ramirez.

“I know I was struggling, but I wasn’t looking on the computer to see what they were hitting,” Ramirez said. “I don’t think I did it myself. Everybody gave me little tips. I dedicate it for everybody in here.”


Click here to read the full article – By Juan C. Rodriguez of sun-sentinel.com

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The Marlins fell short of the playoffs despite a winning season, which is causing conflicting thoughts for second baseman Dan Uggla: He can’t wait to see how they fare next year, but he knows he might not return.

Uggla is not alone. It will cost at least $43 million to bring back the current 25-man roster, and players know that won’t happen.

The Marlins, who conclude the season with a three-game series in Philadelphia starting Friday, aren’t expected to spend much more in 2010 than the $36.8 million they spent on this year’s payroll.

That means the organization will have to make some hard decisions regarding 13 arbitration-eligible players and three free agents.

“Maybe one or two guys are gone. You’ve got to deal with that and move forward,” said veteran infielder Wes Helms, who is signed through next season. “This is a very promising organization. They’ve shown they can win with a low payroll, with different players every year.”


Click here to read the full article – By JOE CAPOZZI of palmbeachpost.com

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All the odds are still stacked against them, but until they are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the Marlins are going to enjoy the ride.


They did so on a soggy Wednesday night. Few victories this year felt as sweet as the walk-off effort against the first-place Phillies.

Brett Carroll’s two-out pinch-hit single off Brad Lidge capped a two-run ninth inning that rallied the Marlins to a 7-6 victory in front of 31,042 who sat through a 45-minute rain delay at Land Shark Stadium.

The game, carried nationally on ESPN, was thrilling and featured plenty of drama.

Jorge Cantu, who went 4-for-5, pulled Florida even with a two-out single in the ninth, setting up Carroll’s first career walk-off hit. It was Florida’s 10th walk-off victory and 40th comeback effort of the season.


Click here to read the full article – By Joe Frisaro of MLB.com

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To this day, Chris Coghlan and Evan Longoria still laugh about it.


As teammates in the Cape Cod League in summer 2005, Coghlan was primarily used at third base while batting cleanup. Longoria, meanwhile, played mostly second base and hit third.

“It’s funny because he hit third and I hit fourth,” said Coghlan, now a rookie left fielder for the Marlins. “Each time we’d run into each other back home, he lives in Tampa now, too, there is always that memory. We’d joke about it because, I mean, he’s got more power than I do.”

Back then, both players were striving to make names for themselves at the Cape Cod League, the premier wood-bat summer league for college players.


Click here to read the full article – By Joe Frisaro of MLB.com

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He has started back-to-back All-Star Games, put up early numbers comparable to some of the best ever at his position, is a popular No.1 pick in fantasy leagues and is having the season of his life

But what may be unnerving to some of history’s greatest shortstops is this: Hanley Ramirez is still getting better.

“Every time I see him, he does something that’s very impressive,” Hall of Famer Hank Aaron said. “He’s got all the tools — everything.”

In one 6-foot-3, 225-pound body, Ramirez can hit for average like Derek Jeter, drive the ball out of the park like Ernie Banks, run like Honus Wagner and play above-average defense — perhaps not Ozzie Smith-like, but very respectable, after some major improvements.


Click here to read the full article – By Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com

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At times, the Marlins see flashes of what made Anibal Sanchez so successful during his rookie season.


Then, at other times, the team watches the 25-year-old labor with his command. His pitch count tends to rise, and his outings become short.

Regaining the form of his 2006 rookie season remains a high priority for Sanchez, who has dealt with right shoulder issues since his first big league campaign.

When healthy, Sanchez has the potential to become an elite pitcher. The problem right now is not so much physically, but more mechanically.

Click here to read the full article – By Joe Frisaro of MLB.com

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The Marlins’ streak of consecutive games with double-digit hits survived Sunday’s doubleheader.


After John Baker extended the run to 12 games with a fourth-inning double in Game 1 of a doubleheader, it continued in Game 2 when Jorge Cantu smacked a one-out RBI single in the seventh.

The Marlins ended up losing the nightcap, 7-3, despite putting up 13 hits. But Florida has now notched 13 consecutive games with 10 or more hits. Its previous high in that category was six straight from June 26-July 1, 2003.

Click here to read the full article – By Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com

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Acquiring Nick Johnson minutes before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline has given the Marlins’ spirits an added boost for their playoff push.

In recent weeks, this young team — led by All-Stars Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson — has shown signs of maturity. They’re beginning to come of age, and clicking in time for the stretch run. After Florida took five of six on the road recently at San Diego and Los Angeles, management was determined to do their part to upgrade the roster.

Click here to read the full article – By Joe Frisaro of MLB.com

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