notes..

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beckett back home--

The Marlins will have some extra fans at tonight's game in Houston.
And they can thank rookie pitcher Josh Beckett, who bought 100 tickets for family and friends so they can watch his first appearance as a big-league pitcher in his home state of Texas.

"I'm looking forward to it," Beckett said about tonight's start.

Beckett, who turned 22 in May, said he was hoping the rotation would work out so he could pitch in Houston, about 40 minutes south of Spring, the town where he was born and raised and where he still lives in the offseason.

One of those on hand will be Kenny Humphreys, Beckett's high school coach.

"His mom fixed me up with some tickets," Humphreys said. "First there was just going to be 30 people going, and then it kept growing. It's going to be fun."

Humphreys has been following Beckett since he was the No. 2 pick in 1999. Beckett was 10-1 with a 0.46 ERA in his senior year of high school and was named the top prospect in the country by Baseball America and Baseball Weekly.

"I coached for 24 years and got a good gauge on players," Humphreys said. "I always saw Josh making it quick, but maybe not as quick."
"I talked to him a few times during his ordeal with the blisters," Humphreys said. "That was tough for him. I know how he is. When he's inactive, he's like a caged lion."

Beckett (4-4, 4.23 ERA) signed his contract with the Marlins in the Astrodome and said he grew up an Astros fan. "They kept losing in the playoffs so everyone gave up on them," he said.

Although he will enjoy pitching in front of the large cheering section, Beckett said he will stay focused on getting Astros hitters out.

"I can't take anything extra out there," Beckett said. "If you're thinking about [the fans], then you're not thinking about the game."

Beckett has faced the Astros only once and did not receive a decision, when he allowed three unearned runs and three hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts in seven innings on April 23
CJ HEADED FOR DL?

Ailing catcher Charles Johnson was on the team plane to Houston on Monday afternoon, but the Marlins are expected to put him on the disabled list retroactive to July 28, when he started experiencing the lower back pain that has kept him out of the lineup.

With the Marlins not playing Monday, they did not need to announce a decision, but one is expected today. Manager Jeff Torborg said Sunday the Marlins probably would bring up a pitcher to take Johnson's spot, with Mike Redmond and Ramon Castro handling the catching assignments

 

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stros

stros

Righthander Dave Mlicki is anxious to get back on the mound tonight, and he isn't worried after suffering the shortest outing of his career last Wednesday at Shea Stadium.

"I'm fine," said Mlicki, who gave up seven hit and seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in a 10-0 loss to the Mets. "It's business as usual. I'm not treating anything different. It was just a bad game."

Mlicki was on the disabled list from May 26 to July 25 with a strained muscle in his side and was making his second start since coming off the DL, but he doesn't blame his struggles on the previous injury.
"All I did was leave the ball up," he said. "I need to try to get the ball down. I'm a control-type pitcher. If I leave the ball up, they'll hit it.
"Anybody who doesn't throw 95 mph, if you leave it up over the middle of the plate, it's going to get hit. I can't get away with pitches like a guy with a 95-mph fastball

Lance Berkman has struggled since the All-Star break for the second consecutive season, and was not pleased with his 3-for-20 showing on the six-game trip to New York and Montreal. "Malaise," Berkman said to describe his recent slump. "I can't really explain it. I guess it's just one of those things that everybody has to go through during the course of the season.
"I hope it doesn't last. I've have just been atrocious since the break."

 

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strangers

strangers

The Rangers plan on putting injured outfielder Todd Hollandsworth on the disabled list before Tuesday's play, general manager John Hart said.

Hart said the replacement would be a position player from within the minor league system.

The top candidates are with Triple-A Oklahoma: first baseman Travis Hafner, who began Monday's play with the third-highest batting average in the Pacific Coast League at .339; outfielder-first baseman Jason Hart and catcher-first baseman-outfielder Todd Greene, who appeared in 24 games with the Rangers this season.

All played on Monday at Fresno, Ca., because injuries left Oklahoma with only nine position players.

Hollandsworth strained the left quadriceps muscle beating out a bunt single on Saturday. This will be his ninth stay on the disabled list since May 1995.

The Rangers will open a three-game series at Detroit on Tuesday with the highest ERA in the majors at 5.27. The club ERA is 5.86 since the All-Star break.

and Johnny Rocker is back in the news......
Rangers' reliever John Rocker was left explaining himself again Monday after making what were described as anti-gay comments to patrons at a popular Dallas restaurant.

In a prepared statement, Rocker said he was having brunch with his girlfriend Sunday afternoon at Breadwinners Caf? and Bakery on McKinney Avenue when he was badgered and baited by nearby patrons. He said a group followed him outside and made an obscene gesture.

"At that point, I admit I was angry and said some things I probably should not have said," said Rocker, who made disparaging remarks about gays, minorities and others in Sports Illustrated before the 2000 season. "But I wanted to make it clear their attentions were unwelcome."

But Richard "Gar" Garcia, who waited on Rocker and his girlfriend, said the ballplayer was not provoked by other patrons. He said there were several gay customers sitting at tables near Rocker. When Rocker got up to leave, Garcia said, the ballplayer called a male couple "fruitcakes."

Garcia said the pitcher then got in another confrontation, which Garcia didn't witness, with a group of gay and transgendered people in the parking lot. (maybe he was just signing some autographs for those adoring fans)

Rangers General Manager John Hart said this is a personal issue between Rocker and the others in the restaurant and the club will take no action.