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With all these soft openings, the Marlins are starting to realize their interesting creation in left-center field might pose a problem for batters. 

Already, the batter’s eye in straight-away center field has been repainted black from the green color that is evident throughout the walls of the outfield. 

The home run feature, which goes off when a Marlins player launches one over the fences, was designed by renowned artist Red Grooms. The nearly 75′-tall structure has an abundance of color from aqua to pink to green and everything in between. It also features moving waves along the bottom and spin cycles of Marlins, seagulls and flamingos. 

Corner infielder Greg Dobbs, a left-handed batter, also already voiced his concern in an interview with the Miami Herald and what could await what most fans consider a “hideous” structure. 

“If it is an issue, it can no longer be there,” Dobbs said. “I won’t be the only left-handed hitter saying something. If other teams have a problem with it, they’re definitely going to voice their concern to the league.”

However on Tuesday night, Marlins prospect Christian Yelich, a left-handed batter, went 2-for-3 including a game-tying RBI in the ninth inning against the University of Miami.

For fans rejoicing that the sculpture is on life support please don’t keep your hopes up. The sculpture cost an estimated $2.5 million to build and won’t be torn down or moved as that would exceed costs and enter territory that David Samson and company vowed they wouldn’t enter. 

President David Samson voiced his opinion on the matter and stated it’s “not an issue whatsoever” after Major League Baseball inspected the ballpark, specifically on the batter’s eye last week. 

If it indeed becomes a problem, the only viable option would be to install a tinted retractable window to cover the sculpture, essentially dimming its characteristics and have it come down during the celebration. Furthermore, a window, especially one made with hurricane proof resistance could help against home run blasts by Giancarlo Stanton who seems like a perfect candidate to take apart the sculpture bit by bit with his majestic power. 

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The Miami Marlins have experienced plenty of changes this offseason, including new uniforms, a new stadium, a new manager and, most importantly, a new payroll.

Using the suddenly increased payroll, the Marlins didn’t waste any time before signing free agents Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell. They traded for Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano, and resigned familiar names such as Greg Dobbs.

The immediate success of the new-look Marlins will most likely depend on the leadership in the clubhouse. Bringing in Ozzie Guillen will not only appeal to the surrounding fan base, but will also lead to discipline.

Guillen is not afraid to speak his mind, which could be a good or bad thing in particular situations. Guillen, like left fielder Logan Morrison, often speaks to his fans on Twitter. If anybody can control Morrison’s tweeting obsession, it would be Ozzie.

Additionally, Guillen will have to focus on the work ethic of Hanley Ramirez. He was not pleased about having to move to third base, and may become frustrated at his new position as the season progresses.

By resigning Greg Dobbs—and bringing in Heath Bell and Mark Buehrle—the Marlins will have the most leadership in the clubhouse since the 2003 World Series team.

The additions the Marlins have made this offseason have made them, a team to respect in the upcoming season.

The first major addition, free agent shortstop Jose Reyes, may have angered fellow All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez, but will most likely prove to be a great move for the team. Reyes has above average speed, and will be able to play gold glove caliber defense.

Ramirez, who will most likely be slotted third in the lineup, will have many more RBI (Runs Batted In) chances with Reyes at the top of the lineup. With Reyes and Ramirez, the Marlins might have one of the best left sides of the infield in all of baseball.

Signing Mark Buehrle and trading for Carlos Zambrano were two moves that improved an already dominant rotation. Featuring Josh Johnson at the front, the Marlins’ rotation may be one to watch in 2012.

Proceeding Johnson are Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez. They are two young pitchers who, when at their best, have “no hit stuff.”

Adding Buehrle and Zambrano supplies depth to the rotation. Buehrle, a soft-tossing lefty who has pitched multiple no hitters, will be the piece the Fish needed in the NL East, a division full of left-handed hitters.

Zambrano can have a bad temper at times, but if he stays confident and consistent—a challenge for manager Ozzie Guillen—he can very easily have a 12 win season.

Although these are not huge signings, the Marlins made some minor moves that may help them at times throughout the season. Wade LeBlanc—acquired from the Padres in exchange for John Baker—will not be in the rotation to start the season.

However, if one of the primary five starters gets injured, he may be the first to receive a phone call.

Clearly, resigning Greg Dobbs was the right move. He had a great 2011 season off the bench, and is successful when called upon to start.

Signing Aaron Rowand to a minor league deal, with an invitation to spring training, may pay off for the Marlins in the future. Previously classified as a “Marlins killer,” Rowand will provide depth off the bench and in center field.

Although they might be considered the underdog in the NL East, once again, they will most certainly be an entertaining team to watch in 2012.

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The Marlins are clearly in a rough patch. These past few days they have been on a horrible losing streak, based mainly on the fact that they are not knocking in runs.

The pitching hasn’t been stellar, but it certainly hasn’t been bad. Statistically the Marlins have been strong in the pitching department, but lately their woes have had a lot to do with their offense.

Since their three-game sweep against the San Francisco Giants, the Marlins have gone 19-for-111 with runners in scoring position (RISP), for a .197 batting average. 

This offensive drought has motivated management to fire hitting coach John Mallee and replace him with former big-leaguer and ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez.

The hitting coach could be a solution to this problem, but there are many other factors that are causing this drought, and one of them is the third base position.

The Marlins have been in a very tough spot regarding their third base position. It was thought that young Matt Dominguez would take the hot corner, but due to a poor spring, the organization felt that he  needed more seasoning in the minors. All of the sudden Dominguez got injured, and the Marlins were left with a rotating third base between Emilio Bonifacio and Gregg Dobbs.

The Marlins are in need of a third baseman, not to discredit Boni or Dobbs. But Florida needs consistency in their lineup, and neither of these players are capable of that. 

In order to fill that gap, it was suggested that the Marlins dip into the trading block and possibly make a run for Aramis Ramirez or David Wright. Unfortunately neither of these players are viable options. Ramirez is having a very poor year and the asking price for him is very high. Meanwhile, Wright is also having a subpar year and the idea of acquiring him from a division rival would probably make this trade a lot less likely to happen.

Even If the Marlins are going to make trades, it’s important to recognize that the Marlins farm system is dry. There are no big prospects that can be used as trade bait, so don’t be expecting a big deal anytime soon.

So with the lack of third baseman in the Majors and a weak farm system, where does this leave the Marlins?

The answer to this question is harsh and people may not like to hear it; but the Marlins are going to be offensively subpar for the rest of the season. However, there is a bright side to this and its that Hanley Ramirez is coming off the disabled list soon.

Even so, the only thing that the Marlins can do right now is make amends with what they’ve got, and they do have a lot of talent. But they have an inconsistent lineup that needs to be addressed soon in order for the Marlins to continue what has been so far a strong season.

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In Friday night’s series opener against the Florida Marlins, Roy Oswalt pitched four innings of no-hit baseball and looked magnificent. After allowing a solo home run to Logan Morrison to lead off the fifth inning, he still pitched well, allowing only one more run through six innings of work.

However, at the start of the seventh inning, something was wrong.

Roy Oswalt was warming up when he called over trainer Marc Andersen and manager Charlie Manuel to tell them that something was wrong. After some brief discussion, Oswalt was taken out of the game and reliever J.C. Romero was called from the bullpen to take over.

From here, the game went downhill. Romero only pitched to one batter, Logan Morrison, and allowed a single before Danys Baez took over for him, and then the nightmare began.

To start, Baez walked Gaby Sanchez, which sent him to first and Morrison to second. Next, he allowed a single to John Buck, which loaded the bases. Although Daniel Murphy popped up in the next at-bat, a pinch hitter came up to the plate and gave the Marlins the lead.

That pinch hitter was none other than Greg Dobbs, one of the Phillies’ worst clutch hitters in recent memory. After the Phillies chose not to resign him this past offseason, the Marlins swooped in and signed him to a minor league contract.

The same Greg Dobbs, who more often than not failed to deliver when the Phillies needed him most, actually hit a two-run single to score Morrison and Sanchez.

The same Greg Dobbs gave the Marlins a 4-3 lead over the Phillies in the seventh inning.

The same Greg Dobbs won the game for the Marlins after neither team scored following his two-RBI single off Baez, who was given the loss.

There are two points to make here: one, that Greg Dobbs actually bothered to do something good for his team after he left the Phillies; and two, that Oswalt most likely would have won the game had he not left following his injury.

Oswalt’s injury was officially diagnosed as a lower back strain and he is currently day-to-day, but he hopes to make his next start. However, Oswalt himself said that it’s more a middle back injury and that he could have pitched the seventh, though he felt it was best to leave before he messed up the game himself. Ironically, it was his fill-ins who did just that.

In the past, Oswalt has spent time on the DL for lower back strains. In 2006 and 2008, Oswalt spent time on the DL due to hip and back problems, and he missed two starts in 2009 because of a lower back strain, which resulted in him being placed on the DL on September 16 of that year, causing him to miss the rest of the season.

Oswalt also said in the same interview mentioned above that he had suffered back spasms through the fifth and sixth innings and his back tightened up after he bunted a ball and ran to first in the bottom of the sixth, something he hadn’t experienced before.

This calls for an obvious question: should Phillies fans be worried about their “ace of clubs“?

Since he has been on the DL many times due to back issues, could this be an addition to an already-long list of DL stints for Oswalt?

Personally, I don’t think there is much to worry about. Since Oswalt has spent time on the DL for these back issues, I would like to think that he would know the severity of a back issue. Then again, there’s always a chance the issue could be more than meets the eye, especially since, as previously stated, Oswalt has not had back spasms nor a “middle back strain” as he claims.

However, Oswalt does expect to move past this quickly and make his next start Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Although there is a chance that this could be a long-term issue, I believe it is slim and that this is a more precautionary move than anything else. Then again, I could be wrong.

I believe, Phillies fans, that this is minor and will quickly pass. Oswalt will start on Wednesday and that is that.

Phillies fans, do not be alarmed.

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The Philadelphia Phillies lost another player from their World Series winning team when Greg Dobbs signed a minor-league contract with the Florida Marlins.

This loss will really hurt the Phillies in several ways.  Fans should not be dissuaded by Greg Dobbs’ bad year in 2010; many players have a down year now and then. 

Here are the top reasons the Phillies will miss having Greg Dobbs on their roster.

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It is quite obvious the Philadelphia Phillies are in a slump. A team riddled by injuries and inconsistency without an ignition towards change.

Despite getting an extra innings 2-0 win in St. Louis yesterday, where Cole Hamels shined, the team still showed the overwhelming stress that comes from being back-to-back National League Champions.

The Phillies have been plagued by non-existent bats that have turned consistent players like Jayson Werth searching for a way to right the ship.

The legendary preseason beard Werth was rocking during his early hot streaks has been reduced to a whimsical and mildly scary goatee in an attempt to fix his batter’s box issues.

We’ve seen things like Chase Utley using voodoo on his bat to ease his hitting struggles. Yet the hitting gods couldn’t keep him from a thumb injury that will have him sidelined till Labor Day.

When things like this happen to a team with so many expectations from the public, front offices usually try to ignite their lineups with a trade or the firing of a manager or bench coach.

The Phillies did just that last night firing hitting coach Milt Thompson. Thompson, a former Phillie and member of the 1993 NL Champions, was with the team for six seasons and was a main contributor to the team’s 2008 World Series run.

The rumors of a firing surfaced just weeks ago heading into the All-Star break. Manager Charlie Manuel vehemently supported Thomspon stating:

Many people in the Philadelphia media saw this move coming as most of the team’s struggles are coming from the batter’s box.

We all knew a firing was going to take place and getting rid of Thomspon is the easiest solution.

The real question is: are the Phillies using Milt Thompson as a scapegoat for other front office transgressions?

Right now the Phillies are sitting seven games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, which is good for second place. Not exactly where you’d like to sit heading into August, especially with the strength of the NL Wild Card Race.

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Philadelphia, PA—The injury woes for the Phillies grew today as it was announced that second baseman Chase Utley and third baseman Placido Polanco were both added to the 15-day disabled list.

Utley had an MRI on a strained right thumb ligament and may miss up to three weeks with the injury. Utley bruised the thumb in last nights 7-3 loss to the Reds.

Ploanco, who was innactive for two games in the recent Toronto series, was placed on the retroactive disabled list with inflammation in his left elbow. He received a cortisone shot in the elbow this afternoon with the hope that he would return to the lineup for tonight’s game. The bruised elbow did not respond well to the shot and the decision to move to the disabled list was made.

The Phillies have called up infielders Brian Bocock and recently assigned Greg Dobbs from Triple-A Lehigh Vallley.

Dobbs was hitting .152 in 42 games with the Phillies this season and was sent to Lehigh Valley just two weeks ago.

Neither is expected to start as the team will most likely go with bench players Wilson Valdez and Juan Castro to start in the meantime.

Complete Phillies Coverage On Eternal Mulligan

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(6/22/10)

(Philadelphia, PA) – Jamie Moyer went eight innings and only allowed one run on two hits to clinch his eighth win of the season as the Phillies topped the Cleveland Indians 2-1 in game one of their three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

Moyer (8-6) did break a non-flattering record in the process as Russell Branyan sent a two-out solo home run in the top of the second to put Moyer of the top off the all time home runs allowed list in the MLB.

Branyon’s shot allowed Moyer to pass Phillies legend Robin Roberts and put his career home runs allowed total to an astonishing 505.

Both teams got their scoring early as Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth both knocked in a run in the bottom of the first. Howard’s came on a one-out single that scored Placido Polanco and Werth’s on a sacrifice fly that scored Chase Utley.

The Indians halved the lead with Branyan’s solo shot in the second.

In his first game back from the DL Jimmy Rollins went 0-4 with two fly outs and two ground outs.

Mitch Talbot (7-6) took the loss for Cleveland but pitched well allowing only two runs on four hits in seven innings of work.

Despite the pitching duel there was some drama as Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was tossed in between the fourth and fifth innings for arguing a runner’s interference call with umpire Sam Holbrook.

Raul Ibanez was called out when Shane Victorino grounded into what would be a double play to end the inning after he slid into Cleveland shortstop Anderson Hernandez..

The Phils and Indians will play game two of their three-game set tomorrow as the Phillies will send Kyle Kendrick (4-2) to the mound, he will face Jake Westbrook (4-4).

Game Notes: Before today’s game the Philles designated Greg Dobbs for assignment and placed catcher Carlos Ruiz on the 15-day DL (concussion)… they also sent pitcher Scott Mathieson to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and called up pitcher Mike Zagurski… The win was Moyer’s 266th which puts him at 35th all time.

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