Torborg looks for spot starter
No options for Saturday
NEW YORK - The Marlins need to take out an ad in the classifieds.
Wanted, one starting pitcher. Needed for one game, Saturday against Pittsburgh. Looking for a strong arm that can go at least five innings. Contact Marlins manager Jeff Torborg.
The ad is a joke, but there's nothing funny about the problem the Marlins face. The combination of Monday's rainout and injuries have left Torborg with almost no options.
The Marlins already have a makeshift rotation because A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett are on the disabled list. Carl Pavano was moved from the bullpen to the rotation and Justin Wayne, who made his major-league debut Tuesday, was called up from Triple A Calgary (Alberta).
The only Marlins' starter who might be strong enough to come back on short rest is Juli?n Tav?rez, but he started Wednesday. The two minor-league candidates -- Kevin Olsen and Hansel Izquierdo -- are injured.
Vladimir N??ez has started in the past, but Torborg thinks N??ez is too valuable in his relief role and it would difficult to make the transition because N??ez is accustomed to throwing two innings.
''I'm really in agony over this,'' Torborg said. ``We don't have a guy on our 40-man roster we can use. This whole thing is going to nail us. This is going to be one of those cross your fingers and pray things. I might have to go to a bullpen guy. Maybe Gary Knotts. He's the only guy who has been a starter.''
Knotts, who started the season with the Marlins, was called up from Calgary and joined the team Tuesday. He was a starter until this season, but when he went back to Calgary on May 14 he remained in the bullpen.
No options for Saturday
NEW YORK - The Marlins need to take out an ad in the classifieds.
Wanted, one starting pitcher. Needed for one game, Saturday against Pittsburgh. Looking for a strong arm that can go at least five innings. Contact Marlins manager Jeff Torborg.
The ad is a joke, but there's nothing funny about the problem the Marlins face. The combination of Monday's rainout and injuries have left Torborg with almost no options.
The Marlins already have a makeshift rotation because A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett are on the disabled list. Carl Pavano was moved from the bullpen to the rotation and Justin Wayne, who made his major-league debut Tuesday, was called up from Triple A Calgary (Alberta).
The only Marlins' starter who might be strong enough to come back on short rest is Juli?n Tav?rez, but he started Wednesday. The two minor-league candidates -- Kevin Olsen and Hansel Izquierdo -- are injured.
Vladimir N??ez has started in the past, but Torborg thinks N??ez is too valuable in his relief role and it would difficult to make the transition because N??ez is accustomed to throwing two innings.
''I'm really in agony over this,'' Torborg said. ``We don't have a guy on our 40-man roster we can use. This whole thing is going to nail us. This is going to be one of those cross your fingers and pray things. I might have to go to a bullpen guy. Maybe Gary Knotts. He's the only guy who has been a starter.''
Knotts, who started the season with the Marlins, was called up from Calgary and joined the team Tuesday. He was a starter until this season, but when he went back to Calgary on May 14 he remained in the bullpen.
