Fish Bites

Marlins-related business, dead ahead.

- HBPGate, as I began referring to it seconds ago, is over, according to Fredi Gonzalez. Good to hear it was handled well. Best line in the whole situation though?

“I want to apologize for my tirade,” Gonzalez said. “I know you guys are trying to do your jobs and everything. I try to protect my team. I’m like a big bear with baby cubs I guess.”

Fredi is the big mama bear, and the Marlins are the little cubs? Silly images aside, I'm sure he tore into the cub that got us into this mess in the first place. Or at least he better have. Don't be coddling our cubs now, Big Mama.

- The sale of the Marlins' new stadium bonds has been put on hold, Matthew Haggman of the Herald reports. This is apparently due to an emergency motion filed on Monday for a temporary injunction on construction. Combine this with the Wachovia situation. If you couldn't already tell, this has been a massive mess from the start. Just goes to show that if people don't want it, it's going to take hell for even politicians and rich businessmen to make it happen.

- Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post's Fish Tank blog commends Burke Badenhop on his excellent effort in relief last night. The Hopper was unspectacularly solid, striking out only two while walking two and scattering four hits, though he did indeed not allow any runs charged to him. Capozzi points out Badenhop wasn't happy with the runs he let through that were charged to Chris Volstad. As well he shouldn't be.

- R.J Anderson on the worst regular in baseball. And your winner is...Brian Giles of San Diego. Interesting case for Giles, who had a solid year last season and blocked a deal to the Red Sox. But you and I both know who I wanted to get the nod.

-MLB.com Marlins site has an excellent article profiling the difficulty that is the Road to the Show. John Baker is on there prominently, and it's definitely an interesting read into the perspective of the long-time minor leaguer.

- And finally, our first backlink, courtesy of our friends at FishStripes! Thanks to the gang over there, looking forward to working with you guys to keep a healthy Marlins fan community going.