Arizona @ Florida preview
Sun Life Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 17, 2010 ) Arizona 5, Florida 1
The way Arizona Diamondbacks starter Edwin Jackson pitched Monday, Hanley Ramirez’s presence in the lineup probably wouldn’t have made a difference.
Jackson tossed eight shutout innings and struck out 12 in what was by far his best performance of an otherwise unsettlingly bad season.
Only once did Jackson have to retire Ramirez, who earned an early shower for not hustling. Manager Fredi Gonzalez yanked the All-Star shortstop after the second of two episodes that illustrated a lack of desire. In the first inning, Ramirez fouled a ball off his left ankle and subsequently loafed down the line on a double play grounder.
He also left Gonzalez no choice but to bench him following an embarrassing gaffe on defense. Chasing a pop into short left, Ramirez couldn’t get to it and accidentally kicked the ball toward the Diamondbacks’ bullpen beyond the left-field line.
What irked Gonzalez and no doubt the 24 other guys wearing a Marlins uniform was how Ramirez jogged rather than sprinted after the ball. Two runs scored and Jackson did the rest in the 5-1 win, which snapped the Marlins’ four-game winning streak.
Gonzalez generally is hesitant to say anything that might come across as critical of his players. On this occasion, he didn’t mince words. Ramirez’s lack of effort would not be tolerated.
Gonzalez also pointed out that whether or not Ramirez was hurt is irrelevant. Brian Barden, who replaced Ramirez, has a sprained ankle and gutted out eight innings. Cody Ross absorbed a Jackson fastball to the back of the knee and remained in the game.
This isn’t the first time Ramirez’s desire has been questioned. Last season, double play partner Dan Uggla called him out in the clubhouse in front of reporters a day after Ramirez took himself out of the lineup.
The reigning National League batting champion and runner-up finisher to Albert Pujols in the MVP balloting, Ramirez didn’t speak with the media following Monday’s game.
Chances are, frustration has set in.
Though he went 5-for-16 (.312) in the Marlins’ four-game sweep of the New York Mets last weekend, that only raised his average three points to .295. Before a 10-for-20, 10-RBIs tear from April 30-May 4, Ramirez’s average had sunk to .284. He totaled just seven RBIs in 23 April games.
His biggest problem has been producing runs. In 2009, his .373 average with runners in scoring position was tied with Yunel Escobar for the circuit’s best. This year, that figure is down to .206 (7 for 34).
The Marlins will try to avoid the two-game sweep on Tuesday before heading to St. Louis to face the Cardinals for a pair of contests.