--The Marlins know what it's like to have All-Star SS Hanley Ramirez in the lineup. This spring, they'll find out what it's like to play against him. Ramirez and the Dominican Republic team will play against the Marlins in a spring training game as part of a tune-up for the World Baseball Classic.
The Marlins will host the Dominican team on March 3 in Jupiter, Fla. Italy will play the Marlins on March 4. --C Brett Hayes, RHP Chris Leroux, RHP Dallas Trahern and RHP Tim Wood were added to the Marlins' 40-man roster. None has a realistic shot of breaking camp with the parent team.
--The team apparently is planning on a bullpen with three left-handed candidates -- Renyel Pinto, Taylor Tankersley and Dan Meyer -- as it has made no effort to re-sign free agent Arthur Rhodes.
--The Marlins' new ballpark will open in 2012, not 2011, the team recently announced. Team president David Samson, who blamed the delay on a Miami car dealer's lawsuit challenging the construction project, wouldn't speculate on how and if the delay would affect the team's payroll in coming years.
The team must secure approval to extend its lease at Dolphin Stadium for another year. In order for the new ballpark to open by 2012, construction must begin by May 2009.
--Barring a move at the winter meetings, the team will go to camp with the catching tandem of John Baker and Matt Treanor. Baker, a left-handed hitter, is expected to get a shot at the starting job after hitting .299 with five home runs and 32 RBIs in 197 at-bats. Treanor, who's in line to make about $900,000 in arbitration, still might get traded before camp opens.
BY THE NUMBERS: 17 -- Percentage of base stealers thrown out last year by C John Baker.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The litigation pushed us back. We met with the construction manager, and he told us the risk was not manageable to open in 2011. The cost of accelerating construction would be too high." -- Team president David Samson, on why the Marlins now hope to open their new stadium in 2012.
