Post by jdawg3dx on Sept 2, 2009 19:24:11 GMT -7
florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090902&content_id=6757550&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
Hanley defensive after teammate dispute
MIAMI -- The Marlins lost Hanley Ramirez to a left-hamstring issue after four innings in Tuesday night's 4-3 loss to Atlanta, but they may have a bigger issue now.
No, it's not that Ramirez's injury may linger -- though despite originally being in the starting lineup, he was scratched for Wednesday's game and hinted he's not close to being at 100 percent.
Speaking at his locker before the third game of a four-game series against the Braves at Land Shark Stadium, Ramirez said the negative reaction after he left Tuesday's critical game early "hurt my feelings."
Clearly, Ramirez was upset, and it seems like the backlash may have come from his teammates -- though he never clarified that.
Now, he feels an obligation to play.
"I think I have to play, you know?" Ramirez said. "I have to. I can't explain myself right now how I feel, but I have to be in there. I have to. And I feel like I got to do it because you don't get the same respect from your teammates when you're not playing. I got people upset when I got out of the game last night. But I try to do the best I can, you know?"
Later during pregame activities, while Ramirez was talking to another reporter, he and second baseman Dan Uggla got into a shouting match about coming out of the game on Tuesday. Uggla told him, "If you really wanted to win, you would have never come out of the game." The Marlins' second baseman also suggested that Ramirez wanted to sit because of his recent slump and so he can maintain his lead for the race to win a batting title.
After that incident, the Marlins closed the clubhouse to the media.
There may have been speculation that Ramirez is just playing for his numbers. But while pointing out that he's got a guaranteed six-year, $70 million extension that kicked in this season, Ramirez said he has no reason to focus on his numbers.
"I got to sell my number for arbitration next year. You think?" Ramirez said sarcastically. "Do I need to, huh? You think I need to sell my numbers for arbitration next year? ... I know I'm a good hitter, I'm a good player, a good teammate."
Several players were asked whether or not there was any issue with Ramirez's early exit on Wednesday. But, speaking before the incident, Wes Helms, Cody Ross, John Baker and manager Fredi Gonzalez said they never heard of any issues postgame.
"Families get in arguments all the time," Baker said. "We'll handle it internally. People get beat up. It's happened to everybody here. That's the first I've heard of [Ramirez's frustrations], and I think that's definitely something we'll handle within the team.
"He's been in the lineup every single day, and he's been battling for us through successes and struggles. I don't question any of his toughness, and I think maybe what you heard is more frustration about how we've been playing lately than anything."
Despite being in an 0-for-14 funk, Ramirez easily leads the National League with a .355 batting average, along with 19 home runs, 85 RBIs and 24 steals.
Ramirez, who's been bothered by hamstring issues all year and missed five starts in early July because of a sore right hip flexor, said he feels "10 percent" healthy. And though that may be a bit of an exaggeration, he didn't back off when asked to clarify.
"It's really tight," said Ramirez, adding that the three-hour delayed start time on Tuesday may have set him back, and that he really felt it while grounding into a forceout in the third inning. "That's how I feel right now -- tight, tight, tight. In my calf, I have a little bit of a cramp, too, so it's not only the hamstring.
"But let's do it, you know? ... If it gets worse, out for the season. If it's not, it will get better out there."
Gonzalez said he talked to Ramirez about 10 minutes before speaking to reporters before the game and indicated that his shortstop was a bit more positive about his status.
As for any hurt feelings on Ramirez's part, or backlash with teammates, Gonzalez -- speaking before the incident with Uggla -- said he hadn't heard anything, saying, "I don't know about his feelings being hurt."
"I'll make sure that he can play with himself," Gonzalez added, regarding the injury. "And he's going to have to give me some of his feelings, too, you know? If he tells me he can go, then he can go. You have to take some of his words into it. It's his body."
After the meeting, Gonzalez said scratching Ramirez was strictly injury-related and did not want to comment any further.
"It's stuff that happens during the course of a season -- a long season -- and it's among teammates," Gonzalez said. "We'll keep it in house."
This could light the fire this team needs to make a final push for the playoffs, although the odds are against us. You figure the wild card is the better shot and it will probably take 90 wins to get there. To get there, the Marlins need to go 22-8 over their final 30 games and hope the teams above them struggle. The lone advantage the Marlins have is their schedule is favorable with 16 of the final 29 games (the 30 is counting tonights game) against teams with losing records. They also have 4 more with the Braves, who they are currently chasing. And the division is not totally dead, since the Marlins not only have the 4 against Atlanta, they have 6 against the Phillies as well..
Hanley defensive after teammate dispute
MIAMI -- The Marlins lost Hanley Ramirez to a left-hamstring issue after four innings in Tuesday night's 4-3 loss to Atlanta, but they may have a bigger issue now.
No, it's not that Ramirez's injury may linger -- though despite originally being in the starting lineup, he was scratched for Wednesday's game and hinted he's not close to being at 100 percent.
Speaking at his locker before the third game of a four-game series against the Braves at Land Shark Stadium, Ramirez said the negative reaction after he left Tuesday's critical game early "hurt my feelings."
Clearly, Ramirez was upset, and it seems like the backlash may have come from his teammates -- though he never clarified that.
Now, he feels an obligation to play.
"I think I have to play, you know?" Ramirez said. "I have to. I can't explain myself right now how I feel, but I have to be in there. I have to. And I feel like I got to do it because you don't get the same respect from your teammates when you're not playing. I got people upset when I got out of the game last night. But I try to do the best I can, you know?"
Later during pregame activities, while Ramirez was talking to another reporter, he and second baseman Dan Uggla got into a shouting match about coming out of the game on Tuesday. Uggla told him, "If you really wanted to win, you would have never come out of the game." The Marlins' second baseman also suggested that Ramirez wanted to sit because of his recent slump and so he can maintain his lead for the race to win a batting title.
After that incident, the Marlins closed the clubhouse to the media.
There may have been speculation that Ramirez is just playing for his numbers. But while pointing out that he's got a guaranteed six-year, $70 million extension that kicked in this season, Ramirez said he has no reason to focus on his numbers.
"I got to sell my number for arbitration next year. You think?" Ramirez said sarcastically. "Do I need to, huh? You think I need to sell my numbers for arbitration next year? ... I know I'm a good hitter, I'm a good player, a good teammate."
Several players were asked whether or not there was any issue with Ramirez's early exit on Wednesday. But, speaking before the incident, Wes Helms, Cody Ross, John Baker and manager Fredi Gonzalez said they never heard of any issues postgame.
"Families get in arguments all the time," Baker said. "We'll handle it internally. People get beat up. It's happened to everybody here. That's the first I've heard of [Ramirez's frustrations], and I think that's definitely something we'll handle within the team.
"He's been in the lineup every single day, and he's been battling for us through successes and struggles. I don't question any of his toughness, and I think maybe what you heard is more frustration about how we've been playing lately than anything."
Despite being in an 0-for-14 funk, Ramirez easily leads the National League with a .355 batting average, along with 19 home runs, 85 RBIs and 24 steals.
Ramirez, who's been bothered by hamstring issues all year and missed five starts in early July because of a sore right hip flexor, said he feels "10 percent" healthy. And though that may be a bit of an exaggeration, he didn't back off when asked to clarify.
"It's really tight," said Ramirez, adding that the three-hour delayed start time on Tuesday may have set him back, and that he really felt it while grounding into a forceout in the third inning. "That's how I feel right now -- tight, tight, tight. In my calf, I have a little bit of a cramp, too, so it's not only the hamstring.
"But let's do it, you know? ... If it gets worse, out for the season. If it's not, it will get better out there."
Gonzalez said he talked to Ramirez about 10 minutes before speaking to reporters before the game and indicated that his shortstop was a bit more positive about his status.
As for any hurt feelings on Ramirez's part, or backlash with teammates, Gonzalez -- speaking before the incident with Uggla -- said he hadn't heard anything, saying, "I don't know about his feelings being hurt."
"I'll make sure that he can play with himself," Gonzalez added, regarding the injury. "And he's going to have to give me some of his feelings, too, you know? If he tells me he can go, then he can go. You have to take some of his words into it. It's his body."
After the meeting, Gonzalez said scratching Ramirez was strictly injury-related and did not want to comment any further.
"It's stuff that happens during the course of a season -- a long season -- and it's among teammates," Gonzalez said. "We'll keep it in house."
This could light the fire this team needs to make a final push for the playoffs, although the odds are against us. You figure the wild card is the better shot and it will probably take 90 wins to get there. To get there, the Marlins need to go 22-8 over their final 30 games and hope the teams above them struggle. The lone advantage the Marlins have is their schedule is favorable with 16 of the final 29 games (the 30 is counting tonights game) against teams with losing records. They also have 4 more with the Braves, who they are currently chasing. And the division is not totally dead, since the Marlins not only have the 4 against Atlanta, they have 6 against the Phillies as well..