Big Moe takes the hill again for the Fish tonight, and the Sun-Sentinel has a nice piece about him, including this gem:
Even now that he's regained some degree of prominence, Moehler doesn't anticipate umpires or opposing hitters asking to inspect the baseball.
Referencing Big Moe and "some degree of prominence" is at least a little funny. I laughed out loud. By this standard, I supposed most of us have garnered some "degree of prominence" at one time or another.
The Sentinel's line is, of course, in reference to Moehler's 10-game suspension in 1999 for doctoring a baseball (allegedly by rubbing it against a piece of sandpaper taped to his finger).
At the conclusion of that story, Jack McKeon is quoted as saying:
"We probably gave him a little direction, how to solve things, a couple of world problems and stuff," McKeon joked. "We talked, moved some troops here and there."
If you watched last night's game at all, you know that Jack and a few other folks from the team took a tour of the Pentagon yesterday. Jack's quote is in reference to the advice he gave to the folks they met with there. Apparently Jack is more comfortable moving troops around than he is shuffling pitchers.
Other notes:
- The Marlins have yet to homer on the road this year (through four games)
- Dating back through the end of last season, Juan Pierre hasn't struck out in 74 plate appearances
- Jeff Conine has now played in 44 major league baseball stadiums. That includes each of the current ballparks. One day I hope to have visited that many.
- If Todd Jones gets into tonight's game he'll have played in 42 stadiums, also including all 30 of the current parks.
- Despite leading the league in innings from their starters, Marlins starters are only 5th in the National League in pitches per start