Insider: Starring Joe Girardi as Billy Martin
The internal grumbling has been loud enough that manager Bruce Bochy held a clubhouse meeting in San Francisco last week and Towers has spoken to the team at home. Nevertheless, club president Sandy Alderson was prompted to speak with players Wednesday after columnist Tim Sullivan addressed the issue in that morning's San Diego Union-Tribune.
"Our job focus is forward," Bochy said. "We have to be concerned with what our jobs are. Pitchers pitching, catchers catching, coaches coaching ... whatever."
Has it become a problem in the clubhouse? Is it the reason for the club's recent lethargic play?
"I hope not," Bochy said. "That's a hard question to answer. That's why we've talked about it.
"Because if that's the case, then whoever's talking about it -- they become the problem, not what they think the problem is."
OK, who's watching the burp rags?
They're writing history in Florida, even though they might be too young to read it.
The Marlins have three rookie pitchers in line to win 10 or more games -- Ricky Nolasco is 11-7, Josh Johnson 11-6 and Scott Olsen 9-7.
The last big league team to have three pitchers win in double digits was the 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers, with Joe Black (15-4), Billy Loes (13-8) and Ben Wade (11-9).
Olsen is slated to start when the Marlins open their next homestand against Atlanta on Friday, so the trio with 10 could happen sooner, rather than later.
Meanwhile, the 37 victories racked up by rookie Florida pitchers leads the majors, ranking ahead of Detroit's 27, and is 23 more than the next NL team -- the Chicago Cubs, with 14.
Watching it all unfold is enough to make veteran Brian Moehler feel as if he's the schoolyard monitor at lunchtime.
"Sometimes it has been like that," Moehler said. "We've had our share of immature things but, for the most part, you'd be surprised how mature it's been.
"You need to work every day, and these guys have done that."
Just drill the mascot, baby
Texas third baseman Mark DeRosa collected two six-RBI games last week, and those might not have even been his most impressive moments.
No, he may have been even better after the first of those six-RBI games, in Oakland, when he bounced two three-run homers off of the same Oakland Raiders banner.
"I'm not a Raiders fan," he told reporters after the game. "But it's a sign from the heavens that I must select Lamont Jordan with the first pick in my Fantasy draft."
The lineup
Houston slugger Lance Berkman's four favorite road restaurants:
1. Tempo Café, Chicago. "They serve breakfast until, like, all day. Everything is really fresh. I know it sounds goofy, but they have fresh orange juice and very good food. You can get up at 11 and still eat breakfast."
2. Campenollas, New York. "Italian restaurant. It's got a really good atmosphere -- I'm not so sure there aren't some mafiosos in it!"
3. The Fish Market Café, Pittsburgh. "It's probably the only place to eat there."
4. Mary Mac's, Atlanta. "Southern home-cooking, basically. Fried okra, fried chicken, it's awesome. And it's pretty famous."
