Pink Bats

Players were given pink team T-shirts with "Mom" written on the back Monday. It's the same shirts the team is giving away as part of a Mother's Day promotion.

A number of players are taking the pink theme further by signing up to use pink bats in an effort to raise breast cancer awareness when the Marlins face the Nationals at RFK Stadium on Sunday.

Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, Miguel Olivo, Mike Jacobs, Joe Borchard, Aaron Boone, Alfredo Amezaga, Josh Willingham, Matt Treanor and Dontrelle Willis have been granted permission to use the league-approved pink bats. Additionally, Cody Ross and Alejandro De Aza asked to use the bats, but both are on the disabled list.

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To date, more than 200 players have signed up to use a pink bat, which is more than twice the participation in 2006. Select game-used bats, as well as team-autographed bats from every club, will be auctioned on MLB.com at a later date, with proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Fans can also purchase their own personalized pink bat at MLB.com, or www.slugger.com, with Major League Baseball donating $10 from the sale of each bat to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

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Amezaga is sharing the center field position, and he is lobbying to be in the lineup that afternoon.

"My mom watches us on the computer," Amezaga said. "I hope I play that day, so she can watch me play. I want to send the bat to my mom, because last year I didn't get a bat."

Uggla, an All-Star in 2006, echoed Amezaga's thoughts on Sunday being a special day.

"It's Mama's Day, man," Uggla added. "Anything I can do for my mom, using a pink bat or whatever, it's kind of cool. I think my mom will appreciate it."