Cody Ross Calf Injury

[Swifty]

[lou]

would Cousins start or would Boner

because Cousins doesn't do benches

Well we play Johan in game 1, and I can't imagine they put a lefty in against him....

Yea Boner is batting 2nd opening day. Watch. Maybin will be 8th or something retarded.

[MiamiHomer]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Marlins right fielder Cody Ross is still hanging on to the slimmest of hopes that his strained right calf will allow him to join the team for Opening Day against the Mets in Citi Field on Monday.

But if Ross isn't ready, his replacement will be Scott Cousins, who took the field for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in an exhibition against the Marlins on Friday.

Cousins said he was told by team officials on Thursday morning to be ready to suit up for the big league club to start the season. After playing against Florida at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, he'll fly up with the team to Greensboro, N.C., after the game -- playing for the Grasshoppers -- and if Ross isn't ready to go, he'll be going up to Queens, N.Y., to play against the Mets.

Cousins said he was told the chances of him starting the year on the big league club are "very likely," and to "prepare my mind like I'm going to New York."

"They told me ... if things have been going the way they've been going with Cody, I'll be in New York," Cousins said. "If he's feeling better and he feels like he's ready to go, then I'm going to go back to [Triple-A] New Orleans."

"Very likely" may have morphed into something less favorable -- for Cousins, that is -- because Ross said he felt good on Friday morning after getting five at-bats and serving as the designated hitter in Jupiter, Fla., during a Minor League game.

"The plan is still to play," Ross told MLB.com. "I feel good. I've been honest with them and honest with myself. Opening Day is still real."

But perhaps not safe.

If the Marlins take the cautious approach with Ross, they can put him on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26, meaning he'd be back by April 10 and would miss only the first four games. If he starts the season with the club and suffers a setback, however, mid-to-late April would be his earliest return date.

The Marlins are still undecided.

"There's a definite plus side to having Cody out in right field, also," Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said. "He's a pretty good player and a big part of this team. If he's not in danger of re-injuring it and he feels good, then we'll take a look at that. But we'll be careful. We recognize that if he needs those extra six to seven days, and it will be beneficial to him, then we'll look at that, because it is only four games."

Ross is slated to play the outfield in a Minor League game on Saturday, and if that goes well, perhaps Sunday, too.

But manager Fredi Gonzalez admitted that, at this very moment, he might be leaning toward placing Ross on the DL, adding, "We always lean on the side of caution."

"I don't mind losing [Ross] for four days and play it safe than bringing him back too early and all of a sudden it's a month and a half, or 15 days minimum, if he re-hurts it or can't go," Gonzalez said.

When asked if super prospect Mike Stanton, rated No. 3 on MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects, could be called up to fill in for Ross in right field if he's out for a long stretch of time -- though that's not expected at this point -- Beinfest said, "Probably not."

So Cousins -- who impressed this spring, is highly regarded in the system and is an easier move because he's already on the 40-man roster -- would be that guy. But he's not allowing himself to get too amped up just yet.

"It's a nervous excitement," Cousins said. "I don't want to get my hopes that high because, just in case it doesn't happen.

"If anything, I take it as a positive. I'm glad I'm the guy that they're looking at. It's an honor. And if I'm out there, I'm going to do the best to help the team win. That's all I'm here for."

Cousins could start opener for Marlins