Time to start a thing.

Starting today...July 31st. Trade deadline day. I'm declaring in ten days for it to be a national, state, south florida, miami, Marlins park thing. August 10th is officially boo Hanley Ramirez day at Marlins Park.

A fellow poster initially asked the question. Would you cheer or boo Hanley Ramirez on his return August 10th and I thought the good of him albeit the bad moments I have well documented. Then things started going off on my twitter today and lately. Something I never used to see. Hanley Ramirez was tweeting!...from LA.

Back story. Some may know that Hanley has a new thing.
















Its a spin off of the Lo Viste which is the I see you... stupid yes but OK fine take your new show elsewhere. The problem is that now my twitter feed had to be lit up with this.

Thank you I want to see 40 different people doing the "I see you" from LA...yes we know you are in Hanleywood now but really. This all happened within a span of 20 minutes mind you. Retweet much?

Well thankfully Ryan Webb of your Miami Marlins felt the same way I did.

You are right...WTF Hanley wtf, I didnt notice any care or love in Miami but now in LA all we see is Hanley. Man another teammate calling out Hanley Ramirez and you all still defend him. One cheer for him on August 10th is one acknowledgement of enjoying the fact that he was here even though he didn't enjoy being here. Let him know that I see you isnt that exciting especially when the I see you looks like you are playing a half assed game of peek a boo with a toddler. 

Oh yeah the Marlins played and lost today. Murphy, Reyes, Lee and Ruggiano had a few hits. Everyone else thought they had an off day.

Turner Field Review

The Marlins play at Turner Field tonight in the first of a 4 game set and happened to be one of the stadiums that I visited on a recent 5 stadium adventure. Turner Field was my 16th on this 32 stadium tour.

Turner Field was built as the stadium used for the Olympics at the time of 1996 and redone to be the home of the Atlanta Braves as you can see the Olympic rings in the area but you also see the cars and Atlanta traffic. There is no public transit way that gets you to Turner Field and your best bet is a shuttle from Underground Atlanta, a few miles away so that began the frustration of the day. 

Their bullpens are famously hidden from field view and you really have to look hard to find it. What amused me was the fact that the power went out in the 2nd inning leading to a nice delay and wait until that power went back on. 

The sight lines to the city are atrocious. Meaning you have nothing to look at besides all there little trademarks which sadly are four things. Coca-Cola, Publix, Napa, and the controversially delicious Chick-Fil-A. The last one drew my nerves though.

The cow out in left field will join in on the tomahawk chop which goes off ALL THE TIME! You think Florida State is bad. Atlanta will make that thing go off all the time and nice and loud so you can get a drastic headache. The cow is funny doing the chop but it loses its luster quick when its all the time... 

Nice scoreboard but I've seen better out there and as you can see the Mets where on this field too so I was hoping for a nice spontaneous combustion of the two teams but I didn't get my wish as the Braves did win 7-6.

The Friday Night Fireworks were a nice touch for sure though.

They also acknowledge their old stadium as well and their vast history of choking in the playoffs and only winning one title in 1995.

All in all Turner Field is not a stadium you want to run and see. My traveling partner says that out of the ten stadiums she was been to, this is the worst of the ten. Not much going on for it and she has seen games in horrendous (for baseball) Sun Life Stadium. Its definitely on my bottom as well and I'll only go back when the Marlins are playing a series there.

Nice one Ruggiano...!

Makes you kinda not want to be the hero of a baseball game. Cold huh?

WALK OFF RUGGIANO STYLE!

So Ruggiano was a Solid 2-4 and here is the most exciting thing ever.

HIS FIRST EVER WALK OFF SINGLE!!!! AHHHH RUGGI!!!!

And of course the video version of it that you all want to see!!
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=23449395&topic_id=9781914&c_id=mlb

If you didn't notice the Marlins won. Baseball is fun again, but more fun when Ruggiano is around.

Oh hanley

So I come back after 3.5 weeks out there wanting to talk about the stadiums I saw and bring in a different baseball perspective. BUT then the shit really hit the (cooling) fan right hanley?

The Marlins amidst their shitty season that's going nowhere first trade away Infante and Sanchez for some nice top prospects. Then the one that somehow seems controversial....the trading away of Hanley Ramirez.

Amazingly people are defending Hanley now when weeks and months and years ago they were bashing the kid and wanting to get rid of him like Chris Bosh before he became important by getting hurt. So today I guess we have to chronicle the life of Hanley as a Marlin and see if some sense can be brought into people.

Hanley started out in a trade when the Marlins were doing their "market correction" of 2006. They were starting over but of course that means FIRESALE! (whatever) They received Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez from Boston for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, and Alex Gonzalez. (Didn't they win in 2003 and they stayed until 2006? you mean they TRIED to repeat! Yes people they did) And aww he looked so young there.

He was a stud with the Florida Marlins even winning the batting title by batting .342 one year and rookie of the year in 2006. That earned him the nice 6 year 70 million contract that would get him three years into the new stadium and become the face of the franchise. That of course gets into anyone's head. That or the orange hair?

You can see he finally had money for designer glasses and it went downhill from there. 

Then there was May 17th, 2010. The loafing incident. A ball is looped into the outfield for a single and Hanley accidentally kicks the ball 100 ft away. Instead of running hard after the ball, he "loafed after it" He promptly gets benched and is told to apologize and refuses for 3 days until he caves. He doesn't see the field until then and loses respect from his manager and teammates Dan Uggla and Josh Johnson who still to this day call him out for his lack of effort. Sept. 2, 2009: Former teammate and double-play partner Dan Uggla openly questioned Ramirez's desire to play in front of reporters in the clubhouse. The two became embroiled in a heated exchange. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5196674

2009 was when his decline started. He has batted a cold .240 since then but we all move on into the new Miami Marlins 

Wait I have to play 3rd base?? I dont like this no I like this? I want to be traded no Ill stay. Who does that? Prima donna hanley ramirez does. He bonds with his boy Jose Reyes and everything seems great.

Except for that average that's hovering in the low .200s and the lack of winning going on.

Then everyone may of heard how he decides to let out his anger on a cooling fan. http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2012/07/angry-hanley-ramirez-punches-cooling-fan-in-dugout-has-two-stitches-put-on-knuckle-but-expects-to-pl.html

But the best part of the story comes here

http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/ozzie_guillen_baby_hanley_ramirez_needs_to_remember_to_take_his_medication/11266267

He forgot to take his medication and his hand turns into an infection. Are you kidding me?!?! A professional making millions forgets to take his medication? Here is the timeline of his fails

May 17, 2010: Then manager Fredi Gonzalez removed Ramirez from a game for kicking a ball into the outfield and loafing after it.

May 18, 2010: Ramirez reacts to Gonzalez benching him, slamming the manager for never having played in the big leagues.

July 22, 2011: Special assistant Jeff Conine told a local radio station the Marlins might be better off without Ramirez. A few days later, Ramirez called Conine a chicken for not confronting him directly and said he would ultimately supplant him as "Mr. Marlin." (SO MUCH FOR THAT)

Aug. 18, 2011: Logan Morrison called out the struggling Ramirez in the clubhouse for his chronically late arrival time.

July 8, 2012: Ramirez punches a cooling fan in the first-half finale at St. Louis and cuts his right hand, prompting him to come out of the game.

July 20, 2012: Ramirez misses the first of four games after developing an infection in the hand he injured because he didn't take his prescribed antibiotics.

July 25, 2012: The Marlins trade Ramirez and left-hander Randy Choate to the Los Angeles Dodgers for right-hander Nate Eovaldi and a minor leaguer.

By Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

So when the chance to trade him and his 36 millions dollars that he is owed comes your way...and you get a starter that's coming to start Saturday night for you? You say peace out cancer that no one likes and everything we owe you. Enjoy Hanleywood (ahhh diva status reignited)

Ladies and gentlemen. Wait until opening day 2013 to judge if this is a "fire sale" or not. You all complained about Uggla and look at his .200 average now. This is a smart baseball decision. Get something great while the chance is there. Hanley good luck with the Dodgers. Dodgers....good luck with that.

All star game news?

 Let's fast forward to this weekend and news coming from Mark Buerhle! Apparently now Mark Buerhle wants you to party with these!

Maybe we can bring those in during his starts since they killed the souvenir cups half way through the year...when it was intended for year round!

Either way Mark Buerhle's walk up song is now red solo cup and for his commitment you can listen to it here and get ready for the nationals!

All star break time!

So it's the all star break! Finally a time to sit back watch the home run derby and all star game that decides home field advantage in the world series? Huh? So MLB has let you know that hey!

 Yes ladies and gentlemen it's NOT a break... So I can't wait to see our Marlins representative at the game. What we have none?

 Wait doesn't every team have to have at least one representative? Well since Giancarlo Stanton got hurt they don't have to replace him with a Marlin so when they call the players tomorrow the nation will not be able to see and recognize...hey look Miami Marlin! Yes there is a huge issue here so David Samson comes out up in arms and says hey why didn't you tab Greg Dobbs! Ummmm.... David? The obvious choice here was Justin Ruggiano! Batting over .400. 6 home runs! Fighting hard daily for the team. The choice was obvious here! Justin Ruggiano in 2012 ASG!

 What? It's too late for that? Oh well I guess baseball doesn't matter until Friday night when your Marlins return home to play the Nationals.

Oh the bellanator

So who wants Leo Nunez errr I mean Juan Carlos Oviedo? The Leocoaster errr I mean the JCoaster seemed like cloud nine!

I mean he was 36 of 42. 6 blown saves in a whole year. Heath Bell has 6 of those already not including the non blown save blown save on June 25th. Oh and it's July, oh and he wasn't the closer for a few weeks too.

But since we are playing Bell 9 million lets find things for him to close. There is always the refrigerator...

But why would he close that when there is food still there? Then there is a classic cooler especially with all this awesome Yager in it.

But if he keeps dressing like this he may simply close out the Clevelander.

Whatever Ozzie guillen decides to do...if he decides to keep him closing marlins game you may just get the same old...

4-6 weeks

So that's the prognostication for our very own Giancarlo Stanton as SCWS crumbles in pain. We here did investigative reporting and came up with the conversation Ruggiano and Stanton had after the game today.

Those keeping track that's 6 home runs for ruggiano and 4 this week! His home run today went 445 ft! Yeah Giancarlo there is another bomber on the team and it's Justin Ruggiano! And don't forget .410 batting average. Really Houston, you just gave him away just like Carlos Lee? Gracias!


Side note: with Stanton going on the DL. How messed up would it be if they bring up Petersen for todays game and then promptly send him down because Emilio comes off the DL right after break? The bitching on twitter would be endless from him...

Ruggi and lee

So apparently Lee and Ruggi have something to talk about...

Cows lots and lots of cows. Ruggiano owns a ranch in Texas. Yeah that's kinda cool.
I think we need to get Ruggiano a bobblehead like this though?

Marlins P.R. department.... get on it.

Marlins and Buerhle owned Milwaukee, and Lee did his best Heath Bell impersination when he ran those bases! Ahhhhhhhh ice cream! 4-0. Off to St. Louis

Yeah so.... 4th of July con Los marlins

So today seems like an epic day in Marlins history and looking at this series in Milwaukee. It's better to just watch the last few innings which was good since I woke up when it was 5-1 and thinking great...... Until the good news poured in.

We gained 300 lbs!!!!!!! Carlos Lee is a Miami Marlin for the price of nothing. Better said a third basemen we would never play and a pitcher who would never pitch for the marlins. Oh and his salary? Yeah Houston is picking up the tab too. Seem one had a little too much to drink in Houston on the 4th! Our on base percentage at 1st base just went up .100 points! Then the teasers start teasing...they come back with a LoMo blast which leaves our nemesis and ironically Gaby's nemesis pissed.

Of course I know better and sure enough Aramis Ramirez drives in a run. But then Gaby Sanchez acting as a desperate girlfriend...knowing he just got dumped "and let you go back door" first singles in his 2nd to last at bat and then does this as his last at bat as a Miami Marlin this year.

The Marlins eventually hold on as Heath bell was promised extra ice cream if he got the save and did! Epic 7-6 win. Ok back to Gaby...Ozzie said it clear after the game. We gave him the chances to succeed here and he didn't so cya. Enjoy the chicas on bourbon street. It was one of those nasty breakups but we all nodded our heads and said damn he is right. We love you Gaby but we found someone better. Oh and if you didn't notice...Justin Ruggiano who now has 868 followers on twitter at last check (Puto) went long again...

 Yeah Justin is awesome....

Story of the desert of the best/never mind marlins games in my history

So as some may or may not know I'm in the desert of New Mexico right now which makes it hard to follow the Marlins but with an iPad and a MLB at bat app, it comes close enough (15 bucks later) So it starts out great with a LoMo 2-run shot and hey we got this.

But then Anibal Sanchez sucks today and can't keep it together. I leave my loving app and get updates knowing its 9-2 Milwaukee and simply so...oh well just one of those games. And then I get the update that my boy Justin Ruggiano bombs and I think hey I have something to blog about!

Seriously who doesn't love Justin Ruggiano and btw @justinruggiano is him so go and add him. Them I laugh that it gets closer.... 9-5. Not enough to get the hopes up. I was justified. 11-5. I'm not watching and thus grateful and even suggestion to my source to not waste their time. Then of course strikeout king goes yard. That's John Buck of course.

And I'm like yeah okay still 11-9. No chance. Axford will close the door. Then it's Scott cousins...

WTF is going on! I'm missing an amazing game. Fuck the desert. Why am I here? Then within time Reyes is on third for the sac fly and tie ball game.

I'm back home for the ninth and following along. Figured that Axford would own the ninth and they held the ninth with Dunn saving the day. Then Reyes off Mr. I love you Miami!

All the Milwaukee bloggers were mad just like we were after the meltdown Monday against St. Louis. Who blows a 9-2 lead? Fuck, we do! But Marlins fans know better and we know about Heath Bell. We know to worry and he starts with a BB. I say screw it I'm going to dinner and not watching. He gets two outs and then this!

Speechless. Yes he is 17 of 22 in save situations. For 9 million you should be 22 of 22 but no one is perfect, but here I look at Ozzie. Dunn pitches and gets an out in the 9th and lefty righty bs... But how do you not see that hey I got no backup in the bullpen lets see Dunn finish it... (I bet he does). A game were we score 12 without Giancarlo and Hanley and don't win? I guess thank god I was in the desert and couldn't just punch a wall, but hey didn't ruggiano kick ass again?