Newly acquired outfielder Jacque Jones is an experienced leadoff hitter, but manager Fredi Gonzalez isn't ruling out the possibility that shortstop Hanley Ramirez would return to the leadoff spot, possibly by next week.
"I think what's best for the club right now is (for Ramirez) to hit third, and we'll see what happens four or five days from now. Nothing is written in stone," Gonzalez said before Tuesday's game. Ramirez was hitting .322 in the leadoff spot with eight home runs and 19 RBIs in 115 at-bats before he was moved to the top of the batting order on May 3. In 53 at-bats since, his batting average has dropped to .310, and he has driven in four runs.
"I'm not frustrated. I'm not thinking about my numbers," said Ramirez, who is 1 for his last 15 with 10 strikeouts after fanning in all three of his at-bats Tuesday.
Gonzalez said the Marlins have not decided how Jones will be used or how soon he will join the team after minor league action in Jupiter, Fla.
"He has led off and played center, but right now there are no plans," Gonzalez said.
"It's a good acquisition. He can help us in all three outfield positions (and be) a guy off the bench. ... We can use him anywhere we want to. We can lead him off, hit him eighth, hit him seventh. He's done all that."
MARLINS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2: In their first test against a team that has had a winning record since May 1, the Marlins did all the little things right. Most important was the effort by right-hander Kevin Gregg, who notched his biggest save of the year. Gregg entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning and struck out the next two batters. He pitched a scoreless ninth for his eighth save, preserving left-hander Mark Hendrickson's sixth win.
