Florida Marlins

You have to love that scroll at the bottom of the screen.

ESPN’s Bottom Line is one of my favorite things about the network. It gives me everything I need to know in bite-sized pieces, including breaking news.

Boy, am I am captivated by that breaking news red glow at the bottom. It gets my heart thumping and mind racing.

“Did LeBron just buy a house in Chicago?”

“Did the Raiders sign T.O.?”

“Did the Yankees just send a few prospects to Florida for the Marlins’ starting lineup?”

[Every day, stories spread throughout the sports world of another athlete or coach or team involving themselves in situations that inevitably need some PR spin.  Regardless of the severity of these issues, our very own Dr. Aaron Perlut will be there to analyze the situation and offer up some free professional advice.  Because if there is anything comparable to Dr. Aaron's knowledge of mustaches, it's his knowledge of public relations ]

We are all aware of the recent situation between Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez and Manager Fredi Gonzalez, and the good news is is that progress is being made as Hanley said to ESPNDeportes that he was willing to apologize to his team in order to move forward and get along with the season.

Henley's fight with Fredi left a lot of mixed feelings and confusion to the team and fans, and Hanley is doing what a true athlete and person should do and that is recognize their mistakes and move forward. 

So by now all you of you have heard or read of the terrible case of the Monday's Hanley Ramirez came down with during yesterday's game versus the Diamondbacks.

If not, read Dan's last post over at themarlinsblog.com . And appalled as I am that someone like Hanley would be perfectly fine with his public display of immaturity, I must say that I am not surprised.

By now, most baseball fans have seen the highlights of Hanley Ramirez lollygagging after a ball he literally booted down the left field line in Monday night's game between the Florida Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After Ramirez's snail-like retrieval of the baseball, during which he probably could have enjoyed a three-course meal, he was promptly benched by his manager, Fredi Gonzalez.

While last night's spectacle was as egregious as they come, it was only one glaring footnote in a growing trend around Major League Baseball.

The Mets lost their fifth straight game as the Marlins finished off a four-game sweep.

As it turns out, the Florida Marlins had suspected the Phillies were guilty of stealing signs long before the Philadelphia bullpen coach was caught gazing through binoculars at Coors Field earlier in the week, which has led to a reprimand from Major League Baseball.

"We've always had our suspicions," said Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Maybe you’ve started to hear the buzz surrounding Mike Stanton . In 23 games for the Marlins Double-A affiliate, the outfield prospect is hitting .354 with 12 home runs, a .505 OBP and an .866 SLG. Sounds like the Double-A equivalent to Barry Bonds if you ask me.

Stanton was ranked as baseball’s third best prospect by Baseball America , behind only Jason Heyward and Stephen Strasburg . If not for those once-in-a-decade type talents, Stanton would have easily been ranked first.

The Washington Nationals attempt at four-straight wins, and a tie for first place in the division, was stymied by Chris Volstad and the Florida Marlins lineup.

Combining for only five base runners on the night, the Nationals had no chance to match the seven runs the Marlins put up on the board, and fell to 13-11 in a 7-1 Saturday night.

Apart from Volstad imposing his 6' 8" self on the Nationals lineup, Washington fans found themselves disappointed as the Nationals club seemed to take a step backward on the night, allowing six earned runs and committing two errors.

After a day off on Thursday, the Washington Nationals (12-10) will continue their road trip with three games against the Florida Marlins (11-11). The Nationals are coming off an extremely competitive three-game series with the Chicago Cubs in which they took the last two after dropping the opener.