BY MIKE PHILLIPS
The addition of Jacque Jones, who signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins and should join the club this weekend, could shake up the lineup. But no matter where Jones bats, everything points to Hanley Ramirez returning to the leadoff spot.
Ramirez has had 53 at-bats since moving from the leadoff spot to No. 3 in the order, and all of his numbers have suffered. Batters in the No. 3 spot are supposed to drive in runs. In 53 at-bats, Ramirez has driven in only four runs.
When Ramirez singled in the sixth inning Sunday, he snapped an 0-for-10 slump during which he struck out five times. He batted .160 the past week, and his batting average has dropped 26 points during a nine-game stretch -- from .336 to .310. Ramirez was hitting .322 in the leadoff spot with eight home runs and 19 RBI in 115 at-bats before he was moved in the order. He clearly likes hitting in the leadoff spot.
The Marlins tried to make him a No. 3 hitter last season, and his numbers slipped. In 470 at-bats from the leadoff spot last year, he hit .345 with 40 doubles, 22 home runs and 61 RBI. He also scored 95 runs. In 165 at-bats from the third spot in the order last season, he hit a respectable .297 with six home runs and 18 RBI.
The only comparison in baseball is in Chicago, where the media and others have suggested Cubs manager Lou Piniella move Alfonso Soriano from the leadoff spot to the No. 3 spot in the order.
Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez often has said he likes Ramirez ''in any spot in the lineup,'' but he might be leaning toward moving him back to the leadoff spot because the Marlins have lost five of their past six games, and Gonzalez might want to try to shake things up a bit.
Injuries to Josh Willingham (back) and Mike Jacobs (quadriceps), who returned Saturday, forced Gonzalez to realign, with Ramirez ending up in the third spot.
STIFF TEST
Including Sunday's starter, Kansas City's Zack Greinke (5-1), Florida is in a four-game span in which the opposing pitchers are a combined 23-4.
Arizona's Micah Owings is 5-1, ace Brandon Webb is 9-0 in nine starts, and Dan Haren, who started the All-Star Game for the American League last year, is 4-2.
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