The Marlins are off to a hot start because they are getting contributions from virtually everyone on the team. On April 18, they used 18 players, including every position player, to defeat the Nationals 9-6. "Empty the bench is my philosophy," said manager Fredi Gonzalez. "I try to match up and put guys in the best situations. You hate to go back to the hotel or back to the house and say I didn't use my best pinch hitters in the right situations."
PLAYER NEWS: --1B Jorge Cantu was held out of the starting lineup a second consecutive day Wednesday so he could fly to South Florida ahead of the team to have his sore left wrist examined by a doctor.
Wes Helms started at first base and hit fourth.
"I think the cold weather has something to do with it," Cantu said before he left Pittsburgh on Wednesday morning, referring to game-time temperatures that were in the high 40s. "Nothing to panic about. There's just a little soreness there, and it's uncomfortable when I swing sometimes."
Cantu was hit by a pitch on the back of the hand April 8. He came out of that game two innings later. He missed action April 12, the last game of Florida's recent homestand that was followed by an off day.
--One reason the Marlins have hit a cold spell is they're not getting contributions from at least one key player, 2B Dan Uggla, who went 0-for-5 Wednesday and is hitless in his last 21 at-bats.
"For whatever reason out bats just weren't there," Uggla said. "That's baseball."
--One candidate to start Sunday is LHP Sean West, who is 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA with Class AA Jacksonville after allowing one run in 56 1/3 innings Tuesday. West, who has five walks and 24 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings, is in line to make his next start for the Suns on Sunday.
MEDICAL WATCH:
1B Jorge Cantu (sore left wrist) didn't play April 21-22, and he was scheduled to be examined in South Florida.
LHP Andrew Miller (strained right oblique) went on the 15-day disabled list April 21. The injury is not believed to be serious.
RHP Scott Proctor (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He won't return before mid-May.
RHP Rick VandenHurk (inflamed right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 28.
ROTATION:
RHP Ricky Nolasco
RHP Josh Johnson
RHP Chris Volstad
RHP Anibal Sanchez
BULLPEN:
RHP Matt Lindstrom (closer)
RHP Leo Nunez
RHP Logan Kensing
LHP Renyel Pinto
RHP Kiko Calero
LHP Dan Meyer
RHP Hayden Penn
RHP Burke Badenhop
CATCHERS:
John Baker
Ronny Paulino
INFIELDERS:
1B Jorge Cantu
2B Dan Uggla
SS Hanley Ramirez
3B Emilio Bonifacio
1B/3B Wes Helms
1B/OF Ross Gload
UT Alfredo Amezaga
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Jeremy Hermida
CF Cameron Maybin
RF Cody Ross
OF Brett Carroll
