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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