Wes Helms had seen enough and felt it was time to address his teammates.
Joe Frisaro has the story.
Being swept by the Phillies, and losing on a controversial call, raised the level of concern in the clubhouse to the point where the players had a team meeting.
Assembled by Wes Helms, a number of veterans spoke up about not letting the season get out of hand. Now, the end result wasn't promising as the Cardinals, behind Adam Wainwright's two-hit shutout, frustrated Florida, 7-0, on Friday night.
Still, the players got together to stress the urgency of finishing strong.
I just quoted the intro of the story, you need to click on the link to read the whole thing.
While the meeting didn't help in the outcome of last night's game, it is important to let the young ones know that a Marlins team plays all 162 games hard. It is doubtful, though not impossible, that the Marlins will make the playoffs. But even if they don't, they can have a say in who does.
This is a very important time in the training of the young guys. To make it to playoffs, you can't just go through the motions and giveaway games. If something like an unbelievable crappy call that defies the laws of physics goes against you, the next day is a new beginning. The same with a really good pitcher who is on and you can't score, tomorrow's another day. It is all about fighting the whole way to the finish.
Wes Helms knows this and he won't allow it to be any different than that. This is why you a veteran presence on a young team.