Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla are turning some heads, at least among the baseball people.
''We know all about Hanley, and now the whole world will know about him,'' Marlins general manager Mike Hill said. ``And they will find out about Dan Uggla. They will find out he is one of the best second basemen in the game.''
Uggla was an All-Star in 2006, but he didn't get into the game. He has a greater chance of playing Tuesday, and Ramirez, who will bat leadoff for the National League, will be the first Marlins player to start since Gary Sheffield in 1993.
If Danny doesn't play, at least as a pinch hitter, I will hate Clint Hurdle for life. Not that I want Uggla to do much more than that, but get him in the game for at least a few seconds.
Uggla and Ramirez have hit 23 home runs each, and they have a chance to become the first second base/shortstop combination to hit 40 each.
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'If they each hit 40 home runs, that would be ridiculously weird,'' ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian said. ``If they did it, it's something we would all be saying `Wow, we will never see that happen again.'
``And those two have the chance to do it. What is even more amazing about it is that they would do it while playing in that big ballpark. Imagine if they played in Philadelphia. They might be 45-45.''
Said Uggla, who has played in 81 games because of a sprained left ankle: ``The thing is, I think we will have the opportunity to do it.''
Ramirez likes the idea of sharing the All-Star stage with Uggla, and would like it even better should they reach the 40-40 barrier.
''I would love that, because we would do it together,'' Ramirez said. ``We are like brothers, like family. It's just like being at [the All-Star Game]. It's so much better being here with him than being here alone.''
That's right Kurkjian you won't see it get again until the 2009 season when they do it once again. (Assuming of course, the Marlins re-sign Danny.)
It was interesting watching the home run derby and seeing Hanley sending out his son to give Danny a drink of water. They most definitely act as if they are family. Meaning the kind that enjoy each others company, and not the ones who end up fighting at every holiday event. In other words, the Norman Rockwell family v. the ones a lot of people have.
''Baseball people know who they are, and they are respected throughout baseball,'' said Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who played with Ramirez in Boston's organization. ``Uggla is a small guy, but he is stocky and he has so much power. I played with Hanley [in the minors], and even then we all knew he was going to be something special. People are finding that out now. He led the voting [among shortstops], so people are starting to get to know him, but he is just getting started. Before he is done, he has a chance to be one of the best baseball players ever.''
While the Marlins two All-Stars are still unknown to that 63% of "fans" who don't follow baseball and don't at least play in a fantasy league. (The fantasy league folks know them well.) The baseball world is well aware of who they are.