Fish Wrap - Marlins 5, Rays 6

The game started, in a sense, okay.  Chris Coghlan tripled and Gaby Sanchez walked, so with runners at corners Hanley Ramirez stayed true to form by nearly grounding into a double play.  However the Marlins scored a run, so that wasn't bad.  But it wasn't good either.

Then came the time for the Marlins in the field, and that wasn't pretty.  Ricky was so far from on, that if on had exploded he wouldn't have heard it for three days.  Nolasco looked liked he was auditioning for pitching to hitters in the home run derby.  And if that was his goal, he was very effective.  Ricky gave up three solo shots in 2.1 innings he pitched.  And that is not to mention a few well placed hits and a nifty throwing error to top it off.

Fredi went and got him, and sent Nate Robertson to the mound.  This would prove to be a very good decision.  Nate threw 5.2 innings and only allowing one run on a bad hop grounder to second.  Danny dived, but there is only so much one can do on a bad hop.

Nate's dominance allowed the Marlins to get back into the game.  Wes Helms hit a two run homer.  Coghlan and Gaby once again were on the corners with no outs, and Hanley hit into a rally killing double play, as he has been prone to do recently.  That brought the Marlins within one run and there it would stay.  Oh, sure, I could go into more detail, but that ain't going to happen.

Ricky Nolasco may not pitch in the upcoming series against the Rays.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez is thinking of pitching Nolasco (5-5) Thursday on three days' rest against Texas, "if he's OK."

"And that will get him away from Tampa," Gonzalez added.

Nolasco threw only 57 pitches in last night's start, so I would imagine he can pitch again on three days' rest.  But that does screw up his routine, though change may not be the worst thing in the world.  That said, the Rangers offense isn't exactly a cake walk.

If they choose to do that, it is just a replay of last year.  Ricky had a bad outing and they brought him back on three days' rest and he stunk.  The next thing we knew he was dominating Triple-A.  Let's just say, I'm not excited by this notion, if the Marlins do indeed follow it.  It didn't work last year;  don't make me breakout the definition of insanity.

Anyways, we lost.  But not as bad as most of thought we would during the second inning, so I guess that is something.  The sliver lining is looking awfully grey to me.