--Rookie Gaby Sanchez, who's trying to win the first base job, got off to a rough start but is starting to improve. Sanchez was 0-for-10 when he doubled in the fifth inning March 5 for his first Grapefruit League hit. He also dropped a throw in the third inning for his third error of the spring.
--2B Dan Uggla was 1-for-11 with six strikeouts this spring before he hit his first home run on March 5. Uggla has averaged 30 homers a season over the past three years. --RHP Josh Johnson is 19-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 53 career games. But he said he's in camp assuming he has to fight for a rotation spot.
"I've never made the team as a starter," he said, pointing out how he opened his rookie season of 2006 in the bullpen and was injured in each of the last two Aprils.
"I came in here with the attitude that I need to come win a job, like I was a minor-leaguer, just so I don't take anything for granted and go through the motions. I want to come in here and work hard and get ready for the season."
--If the Marlins were a country, they wouldn't go very far in the World Baseball Classic. In back-to-back Grapefruit League losses to the Dominican Republic and Italy, Florida got outscored 15-2 and out-hit 29-9.
--Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez briefly played with the Dominican Republic squad and was a teammate of Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez. A-Rod offered praise for Ramirez and Mets SS Jose Reyes.
"I'm jealous of those guys," he said. "Their talent is unbelievable. Ramirez can do it all."
--RHP Scott Proctor was slowed by right elbow soreness, believed to be caused by scar tissue breaking down following surgery last October.
Proctor tossed a scoreless inning in his first Grapefruit League on Feb. 27 and then pitched three days later in an intrasquad game before being shut down. Proctor resumed long-tossing on March 5, and the goal was to get him back in games by the weekend of March 13-15. The team expects him to be ready for the season opener.
"Coming off surgery, this is kind of uncharted waters for me," he said. "My goal right now is to pitch in over 90 games. You're never going to feel 100 percent every day. It's just finding out what you've got to do that day to get the outs you need."
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 -- Home runs for LF Jeremy Hermida this spring, which led the team after its first six games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was weird being out on the field when he was hitting. I don't know if I've ever done that before. I don't like it." -- 2B Dan Uggla, on facing teammate Hanley Ramirez in Florida's 10-1 loss to the Dominican Republic in a World Baseball Classic warm-up game March 3.
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