Florida Marlins
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For current information on this topic, see 2008 Florida Marlins season |
| Florida Marlins, Miami Marlins (2011) Established 1993, (Miami Marlins 2011) |
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| Retired Numbers | 5, 42 | ||
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| Major league titles | |||
| World Series titles (2) | 1997 • 2003 | ||
| NL Pennants (2) | 1997 • 2003 | ||
| East Division titles (0) | None | ||
| Wild card berths (2) | 1997 • 2003 | ||
| Owner(s): Jeffrey Loria | |||
| Manager: Fredi Gonzalez | |||
| General Manager: Michael Hill | |||
| President of Baseball Operations: Larry Beinfest | |||
The Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Marlins belong to the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They have played in Dolphin Stadium from 1993 to the present.
The club joined the National League as an expansion franchise in 1993. The Marlins are notable for winning the World Series twice (1997, 2003) during the only two times they've made it to the postseason. They won despite never winning first place in their division, advancing to the playoffs both times as the National League Wild Card winner.
Despite success in the postseason, the Marlins suffer from low attendance and arguably negligent ownership. The attendance problems have been blamed on the venue. Marlins ownership pushed for a new park, threatening to move if no agreement was reached. After a decade of hard work and failed attempts for a stadium deal, the push paid off when Miami-Dade commissioners, City of Miami commissioners, and the team agreed to a plan to help the Marlins build their $525 million stadium on the site of the legendary Miami Orange Bowl. As part of the deal, the Marlins in the future will be known as the "Miami Marlins".
The "Marlins" name originates from the fish species. The team is casually nicknamed "The Fish".
[edit] Franchise history
[edit] 1990 - 1996: Early Years
On March 7, 1990, H. Wayne Huizenga, CEO of Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation, announced he had purchased 15 percent of the NFL's Miami Dolphins and 50 percent of the Dolphins' home, Joe Robbie Stadium, for an estimated $30 million. Huizenga stated his intention to aggressively pursue an expansion franchise. MLB had announced a few months earlier that it intended to add two new teams to the National League. It was a foregone conclusion that one of them would be placed in Florida; the only question was whether Huizenga would beat out competing groups from Orlando and Tampa Bay. On June 10, 1991, the National League awarded a Miami-based franchise to Huizenga for a $95 million expansion fee.
Huizenga immediately announced plans to convert Joe Robbie Stadium (later Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins Stadium and now Dolphin Stadium) from a football-only stadium into a multipurpose stadium. The renovation cost only $100 million, largely because Dolphins founder Joe Robbie had anticipated that baseball would eventually come to South Florida and built the stadium with a wider field than is normally the case for the NFL. Purists feared the result would be similar to Exhibition Stadium in Toronto; when the Toronto Blue Jays played there from 1976 to 1989 they were burdened with seats more than 800 feet from the plate. However, Huizenga decided to cut down capacity from 67,000 to just over 43,500, in order to create a more intimate atmosphere. Aside from this, many of the upper deck outfield seats would have been too far from the field. The stadium's baseball capacity has been reduced even further in recent years, and it now seats just over 36,500. Huizenga eventually bought the Dolphins, and the stadium, in 1994.
Huizenga also sought, and received, a waiver from ESPN and MLB allowing him to play games on Sunday nights. The Marlins schedule nearly all of their games during the summer months (late May to mid-September) at night due to South Florida's hot and humid summers. The Texas Rangers already had a similar waiver; until the Marlins' inception, the Rangers played in the hottest stadium in the majors.
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In November of 1991, the Marlins hired Fredi Gonzalez as the Marlins first Minor League manager.
Marlins selected catcher Charles Johnson of the University of Miami with their first-ever first round draft pick in the amateur draft of June 1992. Later that year Marlins President Carl Barger collapsed during an owners meeting at the baseball winter meetings in Louisville, Kentucky, and died a few hours later in Humana University Hospital. The Marlins later retired the number 5 in honor of Barger's favorite player, Joe Dimaggio.
The Marlins' first manager was Rene Lachemann, a former catcher who had previously managed the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers, and who at the time of his hiring was a third base coach for the Oakland Athletics. The team drafted its initial lineup of players in the 1992 MLB Expansion Draft.The Marlins defeat the Houston Astros 12-8 in their inaugural Spring Training game. Jeff Conine hit Florida's first homer before a crowd of 6,696 at the Cocoa Expo Sports Complex. The Marlins won their first game on April 5, 1993, against the Dodgers. Jeff Conine went 4-4 in this game, making him an immediate crowd favorite, and by the end of his tenure with Florida, he would earn the nickname "Mr. Marlin." Gary Sheffield and Bryan Harvey represented the Marlins as the club's first All-Star Game selections, and Sheffield homered in the Marlins first All-Star Game at-bat. The team finished the year five games ahead of the last-place New York Mets and with an attendance of 3,064,847. In that season, the Marlins traded their young set-up reliever Trevor Hoffman and two minor-league prospects to the San Diego Padres for third baseman Gary Sheffield. While Sheffield helped Florida immediately and became an all-star, Hoffman eventually emerged as the best closer in the National League. After the 1993 season, Donald A. Smiley was named the second President in club history. The Marlins finished last (51-64) in their division in the strike shortened season of 1994 and fourth (67-76) in 1995. Lachemann was replaced as manager midway through the 1996 season by director of player development, John Boles.
Notwithstanding problems in the dugout and on the field, the Marlins had some bright spots on the mound and behind the plate in 1996. The team's 3.95 ERA ranked third in the NL, thanks in large part to newcomer Kevin Brown, who finished the season with a 17-11 win-loss record and an impressive 1.89 ERA. On May 11, Al Leiter pitched the first no-hitter in Marlins history. Catcher Charles Johnson led the league with a .995 fielding percentage, threw out a league-high 48 percent of base runners, and collected his second straight Gold Glove Award for fielding excellence. After a slow start, the Marlins finished the year with an 80-82 win-loss record to place third in their division. Boles returned to his previous position as director of player development, and former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Leyland was hired to lead the club in 1997.
[edit] 1997: 1st World Series title
In addition to hiring Leyland as manager, Huizenga kept his checkbook open that offseason, signing third baseman Bobby Bonilla, outfielder Moisés Alou, and pitcher Alex Fernandez to lucrative free-agent contracts, raising expectations to levels far beyond what they had ever been in franchise history.
The Marlins' franchise got its second no-hitter from ace Kevin Brown on June 10. Brown nearly had the perfect game, but he hit the Giants' Marvin Benard with a pitch in the 8th inning. With Brown, Leiter and Fernandez heading the rotation, and Robb Nen closing out games, the Marlins' staff was almost systematic during their regular season run. In 1997, the Florida Marlins, led by new manager Jim Leyland, finished nine games back of the Division Champion Atlanta Braves. But despite this shortcoming, they earned the wild card. RF Gary Sheffield followed his 40 HR 120 RBI season with a .250 average, but 6.5 million dollars richer. Veteran additions such as LF Moisés Alou, 3B Bobby Bonilla, and trade-deadline additions Darren "Dutch" Daulton and Jim Eisenreich added experience and clutch hits. Talented young stars and starters Luis Castillo (2B) and Edgar Rentería (SS) were one of the best double play combos in the League. Castillo did not perform to expectations offensively, and was replaced by Craig Counsell before the playoffs began. They swept the San Francisco Giants 3-0 in the National League Division Series, and then went on to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 in the National League Championship Series, where the Marlins overcame the loss of Alex Fernandez to a torn rotator cuff, and Kevin Brown's missing two scheduled starts due to a virus. His place was taken in Game 5 by rookie pitcher Liván Hernández, who had earned a spot in the rotation in the second half of the season, but was not in the rotation during the postseason until circumstances made it necessary. Hernandez would proceed to strike out 15 Braves and outduel multiple Cy Young award-winner Greg Maddux to a 2-1 victory and a 3-2 series lead. Brown would return to the mound for Game 6, pitching a complete game victory to secure the Marlins their first-ever National League pennant. The underdog Marlins went on to face the Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series, and won in seven games. In Game 7, Craig Counsell's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth of tied the game at 2, then, with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 11th, Edgar Rentería's soft liner glanced off the glove of Cleveland pitcher Charles Nagy and into center field to score Counsell and give the Marlins the win.
[edit] 1998-2002: Fire sale, New ownership and Front office
Following the World Series victory, Huizenga dismantled the team, claiming massive financial losses despite winning the World Series. He traded most of the club's best players in one of the biggest fire sales in sports history. The first deal came days after the World Series, when outfieldler Moisés Alou was traded to the Houston Astros for pitchers Oscar Hernandez, Manuel Barrios, and Mark Johnson. The Marlins then traded Kevin Brown to the San Diego Padres. In May of 1998 season they dealt Bobby Bonilla, Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich, and Manuel Barrios to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile, both of who would be gone via trades by midseason. This ended the dismantling of the 1997 World Series champs. On the flip side, these trades brought promising youngsters Derrek Lee and A.J. Burnett. Predictably, this outraged fans, with some comparing it to Huizenga's Blockbuster Video selling used tapes at bargain rates.
The Marlins' 1998 slumped to 54-108, the worst record in the major leagues that year—still the most in franchise history. They are the only team to lose 100 games a year after winning the World Series. Leyland, disgusted by the team's fire sale, resigned as manager in October 1998, and was replaced by John Boles. Moreover, Huizenga soon sold the club to John Henry, a commodities trader from Boca Raton, during the off-season. The Marlins had the second overall pick in the 1999 draft and drafted Josh Beckett from the state of Texas. The Marlins finished the 1999 season with the worst record in baseball at 64-98, and traded World Series MVP Liván Hernández to the San Francisco Giants. The Marlins also drafted P Johan Santana from Houston in the Rule 5 Draft but traded him to Minnesota in a prearranged deal for P Jared Camp.
A month prior to the regular season, the Marlins hired David Dombrowski as the third President in club history, making him both President and General Manager. After posting the worst record in baseball for the 1999 season, the Marlins had the first overall pick in the 2000 first-year player draft and selected first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, a 16-year-old native of Bonita, California. The Eastlake High School product agreed to terms with the Marlins that same day. The Marlins went on that season to finish 79-82 and third place in the NL East. This was thanks to the emergence of OF Preston Wilson who had 31 home runs and 121 RBIs. Derrek Lee and Luis Castillo broke out this year as well, as Castillo posted a .334 batting average and Lee had 28 homers in his first full season. Antonio Alfonseca posted a then-club record 45 saves.
The club slowly worked its way back to respectability with a third place finish in 2000, driven by young stars such as A.J. Burnett, Brad Penny, Preston Wilson, Luis Castillo, and Mike Lowell. Burnett pitched the Marlins' third no-hitter on May 12 against the Padres, 2001. In a truly extraordinary performance, he walked nine batters and threw 129 pitches, 65 of which were strikes. Three weeks after the no-no, Manager John Boles was fired and Hall of Famer Tony Perez was named interim manager for the rest of the season. The club finished 76-86 and in fourth place, thanks to Brad Penny's and A.J. Burnett's emergence.
The offseason following the 2001 regular season included an overhaul of the ownership and front office. Tony Perez resigned and returned to his previous role as the front-office Baseball Operations assistant. About a month later, David Dombrowski resigned as President and General Manager of the Florida Marlins and accepted the position as President of the Detroit Tigers. Entering the new year, Henry sold the Marlins to Montreal Expos owner Jeffrey Loria, clearing the way for him to buy the Boston Red Sox. The other owners approved the deal before Henry and Loria had even signed a contract. Once Loria was owner of the Marlins, he brought the entire Expos management and coaching staff to the Marlins. David Samson became team president, Larry Beinfest became General Manager and Jeff Torborg became manager.
Prior to the 2002 season, the Marlins traded RHP Matt Clement and RHP Antonio Alfonseca to the Cubs for RHP Julian Tavarez, LHP Dontrelle Willis, RHP Jose Cueto and C Ryan Jorgensen. 2002 would be highlighted by ups and downs as well as trades and legal problems. The club was distracted by new owner Jeffrey Loria becoming the co-defendant (along with Commissioner Bud Selig) in a RICO Act lawsuit filed by the former minority partners of the Montreal Expos, the team Loria previously owned. The minority owners (many of whom were now minority partners of the Marlins) claimed that Loria and Selig deliberately defrauded the minority owners and devalued the team for personal gain. The case was sent to arbitration in 2004 and was settled for an undisclosed sum. The Marlins had their ups as Luis Castillo had a team record 35 game hitting streak and Kevin Millar had 25 game hit streak. Around the all-star break they made their second big trade sending OF Cliff Floyd to the Expos for RHP Carl Pavano, RHP Justin Wayne, INF Mike Mordecai, LHP Graeme Lloyd, RHP Don Levinski and INF Wilton Guerrero. The same day, the Fish dealt RHP Ryan Dempster to the Cincinnati Reds for OF Juan Encarnacion and LHP Ryan Snare. The Marlins finished 79-83, second best season in team history up to that time, but the their fifth straight losing season since winning the World Series. The team drew a franchise-low 813,111 fans, averaging just 10,038 per game. It was the first time they drew under 1 million, and far less than the Dodgers' league-leading 3,131,255. Most thought this was because of the trades, which were similar to those following the 1997 season, when they traded veterans for youngsters.
Nonetheless the Marlins showed promise entering the offseason as they had a rotation of starters Josh Beckett, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny, and A.J. Burnett.
[edit] 2003: 2nd World Series title
During the offseason, the Marlins signed free agent catcher Iván Rodríguez - a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner - and acquired speedy outfielder Juan Pierre from the Colorado Rockies hoping to offset the loss of sluggers Cliff Floyd and Preston Wilson. The Marlins did acquire P Mike Hampton but dealt him and his hefty contract to the Braves for P Tim Spooneybarger.
The Marlins struggled in the opening stages of the season, going 16-22. During that span, Florida lost its top three pitchers: A.J. Burnett, Josh Beckett, and Mark Redman. On May 11, Florida replaced manager Jeff Torborg with 72-year-old Jack McKeon. On May 22, the Marlins hit bottom with a major league worst record of 19-29, having lost 6 straight games. However, help was on the way.
On May 9, the Marlins called up high-kicking southpaw Dontrelle Willis from the Double-A Carolina Mudcats and helped carry the injury-plagued Marlins with an 11-2 record in his first 17 starts. Miguel Cabrera (also from the Mudcats) filled in well for an injured Mike Lowell at third base, hitting a walk off home run in his first major league game, against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Pro Player Stadium. Jeff Conine - an original Marlin and member of the 1997 World Series team - returned from Baltimore, and closer Ugueth Urbina arrived from the Texas Rangers. These acquisitions helped to keep the team in contention, and although they finished ten games behind the Braves, the Marlins captured the NL wild card.
The Marlins won the Division Series against the favored San Francisco Giants three games to one. The series ended with a dramatic collision between Marlins catcher Rodríguez and Giants first basemen J.T. Snow, making it the first postseason series ever to end with the potential tying run being thrown out at the plate.
On October 15, the Marlins defeated the Chicago Cubs four games to three in the Championship Series, coming back from a three games to one deficit. A Beckett complete-game shutout in Game 5, "The Inning" incident with Steve Bartman in Game 6, and a come-from-behind win in Wrigley Field in Game 7 helped the Marlins capture their second NL pennant.
In the 2003 World Series, the Marlins defeated the heavily favored New York Yankees in six games, winning the sixth game in Yankee Stadium. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez helped the Marlins in Game 4 of the series with a walk off home run in extra innings. Josh Beckett was named the Most Valuable Player for the series after twirling a five-hit complete-game shutout in Game 6. Skipper Jack McKeon became the oldest manager ever to win a World Series title.
[edit] 2003 offseason: Key players depart
The offseason after their second World Series title involved no fire sale like that of the 1997 offseason, but the Marlins did make a questionable cost-cutting move as Derrek Lee was traded to Chicago Cubs for Hee Seop Choi and pitcher Mike Nannini. The Marlins also lost key parts of their second championship team, Ugueth Urbina and Iván Rodríguez left via free agency (signed by the Detroit Tigers). The Marlins did get good news though as Dontrelle Willis was named NL Rookie of the Year and Jack McKeon named Manager of the Year.
[edit] 2004: Rise of Miguel Cabrera & Attempt at repeating
The Marlins opened the 2004 season with expectation for another World Series title, minus Rodriguez, Lee, and Urbina but with rotation intact. They hoped newly acquired 1B Hee Seop Choi would emerge and that the combination of Ramon Castro and Mike Redmond would also come to life, as well as promising outfielder Miguel Cabrera and high kicking pitcher Dontrelle Willis.
The Marlins started the 04' season with a record of 30-20 but struggled in June with an 11-16 record. 5 of the 11 June wins came from pitcher Carl Pavano, who had the best month of the season. They entered the all-star break with a 45-43 record but went 11-14 in the month of July.
These struggles prompted the Marlins to make one of the biggest trades in club history as Los Angeles got P Brad Penny, 1B Hee Seop Choi and Double-A left-hander Bill Murphy in exchange for P Guillermo Mota, C Paul LoDuca and OF Juan Encarnacion. This trade really didn't pan out for either side that season as Penny's season was cut short after a great first half, Choi struggled in his tenure with the Dodgers, Lo Duca had his usual second half outage, Encarnacion was injury prone, and Guillermo Mota had his share of struggles.
The Marlins had a great August, which included a nine game wining streak into September, and then went on a 15 game stretch in which they played two double headers, going 7-8 in 13 days. This led to call-ups and emergency starts by relievers as well as fatigue. A three game home series with the Cubs was rained out, and one of three was played in Chicago's Comiskey Park, although it was considered a home game. The attendance for that third game did not count for either team.
Afterwards the Marlins collapsed, losing 6 straight, including games to division rivals the Phillies and Braves who were also in contention. They swept the Expos to make up some ground but lost 3 of 4 games to the Philles to fall out of contention. Despite missing the playoffs, 21 year old Miguel Cabrera had 33 home runs and 112 RBIs, numbers that started to draw comparisons to Albert Pujols.
The Marlins posted a winning record of 83-79 (only their third winning season of their history), but finished 13 games back of the division champion Atlanta Braves), and failed to successfully defend their World Series title. They became the fourth consecutive major league team not to repeat as World Series champions since the New York Yankees in 2000.
[edit] 2005: Carlos Delgado steps in
While losing All-Stars Carl Pavano and Armando Benitez in the off-season, the Marlins signed P Al Leiter and 1B Carlos Delgado. Delgado's contract was the biggest in franchise history at $52 million over 4 years, with an option for a fifth year. Meanwhile, play-by-play TV broadcaster Len Kasper was also lost to the Chicago Cubs and replaced by Rich Waltz (who had previously been with the Seattle Mariners), and radio announcer John "Boog" Sciambi was replaced by Roxy Bernstein.
With the addition of Delgado, many sportswriters expected the Marlins to finish the 2005 season in either first or second place in the NL East. However, at the All-Star break they were 44-42, and the NL East was unusually competitive, as all five of its teams had a winning record at the break. The Marlins were criticized for underachieving in the first half of the season. While Cabrera, Willis, and several others posted very good first-half numbers, Lowell was one of the least productive regular major-league starters, and Leiter went 3-7 with an ERA of 6.64 before being traded to the New York Yankees on July 15 for a player to be named later. Additionally, Guillermo Mota, who was acquired by Florida in 2004 along with Paul Lo Duca and Juan Encarnacion and was expected to be their closer, was inconsistent, and the Marlins gave the closer job to veteran Todd Jones, whom they signed in the offseason. However, the Marlins did send four players to the All-Star Game (Willis, Lo Duca, Castillo, and Cabrera), tying a team record.
The club was expected to be quite active at the trading deadline (July 31), as Burnett was slated to be a free agent after the season and had already declared his desire to test the market like Pavano did. Burnett was mentioned in possible trades with the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Texas Rangers, with many rumors also including Lowell or Encarnacion. There were also rumors that Jack McKeon would be fired, with former Marlins manager Jim Leyland and Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi being among the rumored replacements. The Marlins did not make a huge move at the deadline, instead trading minor-leaguers Yorman Bazardo and Mike Flannery to the Seattle Mariners for left-handed pitcher Ron Villone.
The Marlins did have some pleasant surprises during the season. Dontrelle Willis became the 13th member of the Black Aces when he defeated the Washington Nationals to earn his 20th win. He finished the season 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA, and he was considered a favorite to win the Cy Young Award for much of the season. Also, Jones, a journeyman who had been signed as a setup man, had one of the best years of his career as a closer; he earned 40 saves and had a 2.13 ERA. In addition, late-season call up Jeremy Hermida, a highly-regarded prospect who has been compared to the Atlanta Braves' Jeff Francoeur, hit a grand slam in his first major-league at-bat and a game-tying two-run homer in the last game of the season.
The Marlins led the NL wild-card race as late as September 13, then lost 12 of their next 14 games. Adding to the controversy was the September 26 dismissal of A.J. Burnett from the team for making disparaging comments about the Marlins' lack of offense, their "scared" ways of playing and coaching, and Jack McKeon's management of the team. The Marlins closed the season by sweeping the Braves, and their final record for the season stood at 83-79.
[edit] 2005 offseason: "Market Correction"
The 2005 offseason would prove to be one of busiest for the Marlins in years, Jack McKeon announced his retirement on October 2 after the Marlins' last game of the season. Former Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella, Braves third base coach Fredi González (who previously managed in the Marlins' farm system), New York Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi, and even Yankees manager Joe Torre who most thought could have been let go after a short stint postseason. were named as possible replacements for McKeon.[1] On October 19, Girardi was hired as the new manager. Girardi, who was hired at age 41, became one of the youngest current managers in the major leagues.[2]
Few of the coaching staff, aside from infield/first base coach Perry Hill and bullpen coordinator Pierre Arsenault, were expected to return, as Marlins GM Larry Beinfest told them to seek employment elsewhere. Pitching coach Mark Wiley and bullpen coach Luis Dorante came under fire during the season due to the late-season struggles of Burnett and the season-long struggles of the Marlins' bullpen. Similarly, hitting coach Bill Robinson was often blamed for the Marlins' offensive woes throughout the season, and in particular for his failure to get Pierre and Lowell out of season-long slumps. Girardi hired Jim Presley as a replacement for Robinson, and also hired Rick Kranitz as the new pitching coach and Bobby Meacham as the new third-base coach.
On October 3, the first day after the end of the regular season, the Marlins made their first offseason moves, releasing relief pitchers John Riedling and Tim Spooneybarger. Riedling had a 4-1 record and a 7.14 ERA during the season; Spooneybarger, who had not played since 2003 due to rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, had to have the surgery a second time during the season and missed the 2006 season as well. Screwball specialist Jim Mecir retired following the Marlins' last game of the season.
Closer Todd Jones, P A.J. Burnett, 1B Jeff Conine, INF Lenny Harris, OF Juan Encarnación, SS Alex González, P Brian Moehler, P Ismael Valdéz, and P Paul Quantrill were among the Marlins' players whose contracts expired following the 2005 season. Following the playoffs, they declared free agency. Burnett signed a five-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays worth 55 million; Jones signed for two years with the Detroit Tigers, and Moehler elected to remain with the Marlins. The Marlins declined to offer arbitration to Jeff Conine, Ismael Valdez, Paul Quantrill, Juan Encarnacion, Damion Easley, and Mike Mordecai, therefore ending their tenures with the club.[3] Soon after announcing a plan to relocate (see below), the Marlins started to shed payroll by dealing their highest-paid players for minor-league prospects, in a series of moves reminiscent of the "fire sale" in the 1997 offseason but the club announced that it was more in their opinion of a "market correction". On November 21, it was reported that Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell would be traded to the Red Sox for minor-league prospects shortstop Hanley Ramirez, and pitchers Aníbal Sánchez and Jesús Delgado. The deal was made official three nights later, and also included the Marlins sending Guillermo Mota to the Red Sox and receiving minor-league pitcher Harvey Garcia. The Beckett trade left the Marlins with just one member of their rotation on Opening Day in 2005, Dontrelle Willis. The Marlins will fill most of the remaining rotation spots with young pitchers such as Jason Vargas, Josh Johnson, and Scott Olsen, all of whom they had recalled from their Class AA affiliate during the 2005 season.[4]
On November 23, the Mets and the Marlins agreed on a deal to move Carlos Delgado to the Mets for first baseman Mike Jacobs and pitching prospect Yusmeiro Petit. Also, the Marlins would have to pay $7 million of Delgado's remaining contract. When the deal was made official the next day, the Marlins also received minor-league infielder Grant Psomas. According to the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, the Marlins passed up the Mets' offer to give them center fielder Lastings Milledge, who was at the time ranked the Mets' top prospect according to Baseball America.[5] Combined, the two trades allowed the Marlins to reduce their 2006 payroll by $27 million.
However, the Marlins were not yet done reducing payroll. Paul Lo Duca was traded to the Mets for two players to be named later; these players turned out to be pitcher Gabriel Hernandez and outfielder Dante Brinkley. Longtime second baseman Luis Castillo was traded to the Twins for pitchers Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler, and Juan Pierre to the Cubs for pitchers Sergio Mitre, Ricky Nolasco, and Renyel Pinto. Of the seven players that the Marlins acquired in these three deals, only Mitre and Bowyer had any major-league experience when they came to the Marlins. To replace Castillo, the Marlins selected Dan Uggla from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 draft. Uggla played in the Arizona organization at the Class AA level in 2005, and he became the Marlins' starting second baseman in 2006 after veteran INF Pokey Reese went AWOL in spring training.
[edit] 2006: Bring on the Youngsters
At the start of the year, the Marlins had a team salary close to $21 million. Not only was it the lowest team salary in all of MLB, but New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez himself made more money than the entire team. The Marlins made MLB history when they started six rookies in their Opening Day lineup.[6] Critics were saying that the Marlins would lose more than 100 games this season and be in last place as well as even being a threat to match the Mets past record of 120 losses. The Marlins started losing games, just as people predicted; by May 22, they reached a record of 11 wins and 31 losses. Although the Marlins kept losing games, Miguel Cabrera and rookie Dan Uggla were selected to the All-Star Game. Though Uggla did not play in the All-Star game, he became the first Rule 5 draftee to be selected for an All-Star team in the next year after he was taken in the Rule 5 draft.[7] Uggla, Josh Willingham and Mike Jacobs are the first rookie teammates in NL history to hit at least 20 home runs in the same season.[8]
After the All-Star break, the Marlins began to break both franchise and MLB records. They came back from 11-31 to reach the .500 mark at 68-68. No team has come back to the .500 mark from being 20 games under since 1899. Then, on September 4, 2006, the Marlins rallied from down five runs to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5. This improved the Marlins' record to 69-68, marking the first time in Major League history a team that was 20 games under .500 went back over .500 in the same season.[9] Additionally, as of September 8, 2006, three of their rookie starting pitchers (Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen, and Ricky Nolasco) have each won at least eleven games; the Marlins joined the 1934 Philadelphia A's and the 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers in accomplishing this feat.[10]
On September 6, rookie Aníbal Sánchez pitched the fourth no-hitter in franchise history. During September, the Marlins advanced to within one game of the NL wild-card lead, but they were eliminated from contention after losing to the Cincinnati Reds on September 26.[11] However, on the next day, Sánchez won his tenth game as a Marlin against the Reds, giving the Marlins four rookie starters who had each won ten or more games: Sánchez, Nolasco, Johnson, and Olsen. The 2006 Marlins were the first team in major-league history to have four rookie pitchers accomplish this feat.[12] Because, as of September 27, Willis has won 12 games, the 2006 Marlins also had five ten-game winners for the first time in franchise history.[13]
Shortly after the 2006 season ended and following months of speculation, Marlins manager Joe Girardi was fired on October 3, 2006 not long after winning the National League Manager of the Year award. This was due because of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier in the year in which Girardi did not challenge the call that pitcher Taylor Tankersley thought was a strike and this prompted owner Jeffrey Loria who was in the stands and a few feet away from the dugout, called out Girardi who refused to listen to him. This wasn't the only thing that triggered the feud; earlier in the year Girardi reportedly wanted 1B Mike Jacobs to start off the year in triple A, Willingham to start at catcher, Miguel Cabrera to start at first base. This was just of the few of the other things that got Girardi fired from the Marlins.[14] Within hours, Atlanta Braves third base coach Fredi González was named his replacement and was signed to a three year contract. On October 28, 2006, first baseman Wes Helms and pitchers Matt Herges and Brian Moehler have filed for free agency. On October 29, 2006, Closer Joe Borowski filed for free agency, joining Helms, Moehler and Herges. On December 29, 2006, the Marlins signed a one-year contract with infielder Aaron Boone.[15] The Marlins also made some minor signings as they signed Lee Gardner and Justin Miller in hopes of rejuvenating their careers with the Fish.
- Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla was named the Sporting News Rookie of the Year for the National League and won the Players' Choice award as the league's most outstanding rookie.[16]
- Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez won the 2006 National League Rookie of the Year award, as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Ramirez's numbers at season's end drew comparisons to Alfonso Soriano. For the first time in league history, six of the twelve players that received Rookie of the Year votes were Marlins. Uggla finished third in the voting and starting pitcher Josh Johnson, fourth; starting pitchers Scott Olsen and Anibal Sanchez and left fielder Josh Willingham received one third-place vote each.[17]
- Marlins third baseman Miguel Cabrera earned the 2006 Silver Slugger Awards in National League, and finished second in batting average in National League.
[edit] 2007: Injuries ruin expectations
The Marlins opened the 2007 season with high hopes after a successful 2006 season in which most expected they would lose 100 or more games. The underdog Marlins had remained in the Wild Card race until mid-September before finishing a respectable 78-84. The 2007 rotation included Dontrelle Willis, Scott Olsen, Anibal Sanchez, Sergio Mitre, and Ricky Nolasco, and the Marlins entered spring training with hopes that this rotation would blossom into one of the best in the National League. Willis was a Cy Young runner up in 2005, Sanchez threw a no-hitter in 2006, and Olsen led the team in strikeouts in 2006. The Marlins also banked on starter Josh Johnson to come back from an arm injury suffered the season before. Things got worse for Johnson entering spring training as MRI's discovered he had nerve damage in his throwing arm. Eventually, Johnson was put out for the remainder of the season after Tommy John Surgery. The Marlins got even more bad news as spring training went on. INF/1B coach Perry Hill retired, leaving the Marlins with a huge hole as Hill was considered to be one of the best defensive coaches around and was credited for the previous defensive success of Gold Glovers Luis Castillo and Mike Lowell. The Marlins' injuries took a toll as they lost OF Jeremy Hermida when an MRI of his right kneecap revealed a deep bone bruise for a month. Opening Day center fielder, Alejandro De Aza had an ankle sprain, P Sergio Mitre had a blister problem and P Ricky Nolasco had a sore elbow. In May, Marlins sent struggling P Anibal Sanchez to the minor leagues, where he was put on the Minor League DL with shoulder tendinitis. He then went out for the remainder of the season due to a tear in his labrum. The Fish also put promising pitcher Henry Owens on the DL as well as 1B Mike Jacobs. They sought bullpen help, dealing Jorge Julio, who amassed 2 blown saves and 2 loses in his tenure, to the Rockies for P Byung-Hyun Kim.
As injuries amassed for the Marlins, they traded P Randy Messenger to the Giants for P Armando Benitez who became a middle reliever instead as Gregg was the closer. In the June Draft, the Marlins selected 3B Matt Dominguez out of high school; it marked the first time since 2002 that the Fish got a position player rather than pitcher in the first round. The team entered the All Star break with more injuries: SS Hanley Ramirez had a hamstring injury, Miguel Cabrera missed the Home Run Derby with a shoulder injury, and Aaron Boone was out for the remainder of the season. The Marlins sent only one player to the All Star game as Miguel Cabrera went for a franchise record fourth time and fourth straight overall. The team had a record of 42-47 at the break.
After the All-Star break, the Marlins fell apart. After a July 20 game against the Reds, Scott Olsen was arrested by Aventura, Florida police and booked on charges of driving under the influence, resisting arrest with violence and fleeing and eluding a police officer. After completing the Reds series at 48-51, the Marlins sunk dramatically to last place in the NL East with a record of 23-40 the rest of the way and a 71-91 record overall. The Marlins had to deal with the struggles of both Willis and Olsen, the teams' top starters who both finished with ERAs north of 5.00 carrying 15 losses a piece. The Marlins did have some bright spots on offense as they set club records for runs scored (790), hits (1,504), doubles (340), home runs (201), RBIs (749) and slugging percentage (.448).
As the Marlins wrapped up the season they announced that pitching coach Rick Kranitz won't be back with the club and extended Larry Beinfest and Michael Hill to long term deals that run through 2015 along with promotions to President of Baseball Operations and Vice President/General Manager, respectively. [2], [3]
[edit] 2007 offseason: End of Cabrera & Willis Era
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
The Marlins offseason began with trying to get better on defense and pitching. Two players formally filed for free agency, Aaron Boone and Armando Benitez.
The Marlins filled their pitching coach vacancy by hiring Mark Wiley, formerly the pitching coach in the 2005 season and scout for the Rockies in 06' and 07'.
The focus of the 2007 offseason, however, was that the Marlins were officially listening to offers for slugger Miguel Cabrera and pitcher Dontrelle Willis. The team that seemed to be leading was the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They felt that they had worked out a deal for Cabrera not once, but twice. Angels owner Arte Moreno said that each time, the Marlins came back after he felt a trade had been completed and asked for more to sweeten the trade. The San Francisco Giants expressed similar sentiments about the asking price the Marlins wanted, saying that the Marlins were asking for 4 players, with 3 of the 4 being pitchers and 2 of the 4 being major league players, not minor leaguers. Talks with both teams fell apart, but most still felt the Marlins would complete the trade with the Angels when MLB's annual Winter General Manager Meetings took place in Nashville.
On December 5, 2007, the Marlins agreed to the terms of a trade with the Detroit Tigers. The trade would surprisingly send not only Cabrera, but also Willis, to the Tigers. In return, the Marlins did not receive four players, but six. The Marlins received center fielder Cameron Maybin, catcher Mike Rabelo, and pitchers Andrew Miller, Eulogio De La Cruz, Burke Badenhop, and Dallas Trahern.
With a vacancy at third base, the Marlins signed infielders Jose Castillo, Jorge Cantu, and Dallas McPherson. They've also added veterans Luis Gonzalez and pitcher Mark Hendrickson.
[edit] 2008: Stadium problems resolved, young stars emerge
The Marlins began 2008 on a positive note. Analysts expected a lackluster performance on the field, citing the low payroll and loss of Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera during the offseason. However, in the first few weeks of the season, the Marlins are off to the best start in team history. They've jumped to first place in the National League East for the first time with a lead this late in a season since 2002. The good start has been attributed to powerful offensive production and surprising starts by southpaws Andrew Miller, Scott Olsen, Mark Hendrickson, with the team among the major league leaders in home runs and extra base hits thanks to productive starts from Mike Jacobs, Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, and Josh Willingham. The Marlins (30-20), moved 10 games over .500 for the first time since September 14, 2005.
In wake of a new stadium deal, the Marlins have also begun signing players to long term deals. Hanley Ramirez signed a 6 year, $70 million dollar deal making him the richest Marlin in history.
[edit] New Marlins Stadium
The Florida Marlins (soon to be Miami Marlins) will soon begin construction of a new, state-of-the-art stadium at the Miami Orange Bowl site. When completed, the seating capacity will be 37,000, making it the second smallest stadium (in capacity) in MLB. Set to open in April 2011, the stadium would become only the sixth MLB stadium to have a retractable roof, joining Rogers Centre, Chase Field, Safeco Field, Miller Park, and Minute Maid Park.
[edit] Season records
Template:MLB season record
| National League East Division | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Won | Lost | % | Games Back | Finish | Attendance | Largest Crowd | Post-season |
| 1993 | 64 | 98 | .395 | 33.0 | 6th | 3,064,847 | 45,900 10/3 v. NYM | -- |
| 1994 | 51 | 64 | .443 | strike | 5th | 1,937,467 | 45,037 7/3 v. ATL | -- |
| 1995 | 67 | 76 | .469 | 22.5 | 4th | 1,700,466 | 42,125 4/25 v. LAD | -- |
| 1996 | 80 | 82 | .494 | 16.0 | 3rd | 1,746,767 | 41,815 4/1 v. PIT | -- |
| 1997 | 92 | 70 | .568 | 9.0 | 2nd | 2,364,387 | 44,176 9/21 v. NYM (Postseason: 67,498 10/25 V. CLE) | Won NLDS Vs. San Francisco Giants 3-0 Won NLCS Vs. Atlanta Braves 4-2 Won World Series Vs. Cleveland Indians 4-3 |
| 1998 | 54 | 108 | .333 | 52.0 | 5th | 1,750,395 | 45,170 9/2 v. STL | -- |
| 1999 | 64 | 98 | .395 | 39.0 | 5th | 1,369,420 | 42,110 6/12 v. NYY | -- |
| 2000 | 79 | 82 | .491 | 15.5 | 3rd | 1,218,330 | 35,392 8/26 v. CIN | -- |
| 2001 | 76 | 86 | .469 | 12.0 | 4th | 1,261,226 | 44,313 7/13 v. NYY | -- |
| 2002 | 79 | 83 | .488 | 23.0 | 4th | 813,118 | 33,291 6/1 v. NYM | -- |
| 2003 | 91 | 71 | .562 | 10.0 | 2nd | 1,303,214 | 40,414 9/13 v. ATL (Postseason: 65,975 10/23 v. NYY) | Won NLDS Vs. San Francisco Giants 3-1 Won NLCS Vs. Chicago Cubs 4-3 Won World Series Vs. New York Yankees 4-2 |
| 2004 | 83 | 79 | .512 | 13.0 | 3rd | 1,723,107 | 55,315 4/6 v. MON | -- |
| 2005 | 83 | 79 | .512 | 7.0 | 3rd | 1,852,602 | 57,405 4/6 v. ATL | -- |
| 2006 | 78 | 84 | .481 | 19.0 | 4th | 1,165,134 | 38,014 7/1 v. BOS | -- |
| 2007 | 71 | 91 | .438 | 18.0 | 5th | 1,370,511 | 42,817 8/18 v. SFO | |
| 2008 | 31 | 26 | .543 | --- | 2nd | 462,462 | 38,308 3/31 v. NYM | |
| Totals | 1143 | 1277 | .473 | 25,102,453 | ||||
- Totals 1141 – 1271 .473
- National League Division Series (Games) 6 – 1 .860 (in Marlins History)
- National League Championship Series (Games) 8 – 5 .615 (in Marlins History)
- World Series (Games) 8 – 5 .615 (in Marlins History)
- Playoffs total (22 – 11 .667 in Postseason Games) (6 – 0, 1.000 in Postseason Series')
- 2 World Series Championships (?=Won Wild Card)[4]
[edit] Best seasons in Florida Marlins history
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[edit] Playoff History
Two National League Division Series have been played in Marlins history.
- 1997 against the San Francisco Giants+-Marlins win 3 games to 0
- 2003 against the San Francisco Giants+-Marlins win 3 games to 1
+The Marlins have never lost a Division Series & is 6-1 in NLDS games played.
Two National League Championship Series have been played in Marlins history.
- 1997 against the Atlanta Braves+-Marlins win 4 games to 2
- 2003 against the Chicago Cubs+-Marlins win 4 games to 3
+The Marlins have never lost a Championship Series & is 8-5 in NLCS games.
Two World Series have been played in Marlins history.
- 1997 against the Cleveland Indians+-Marlins win 4 games to 3
- 2003 against the New York Yankees+-Marlins win 4 games to 2
+The Marlins have never lost a World Series & is 8-5 in World Series games played.
Note.
- The Marlins are (22-11) in playoff games. (16 on the Road) (10-7 at Home).
- The Florida Marlins are a perfect 6-0 in the Postseason Series and is the only MLB team that can claim to be undefeated in postseason play.
[edit] Awards & League Leaders
- Main article: Marlins award winners and league leaders
[edit] Statistics
- Main article: Marlins statistical records and milestone achievements
[edit] Quick facts
- Founded: 1993 (National League expansion)
- Current Home Stadium: Dolphin Stadium
- Uniform colors: Black, Teal, Gray, and White; negligible Orange because of the orange environment of Dolphin Stadium.
- Logo design: Circle design with "FLORIDA" and "MARLINS" written around it; a marlin jumping through the circle and a baseball in the background.
- Cable television Network: Fox Sports Net Florida is the Florida Marlins home television channel. Sun Sports, owned by Fox Sports Net, also occasionally shows Marlins games.
- Former Cable television Network:
- Mascot: Billy the Marlin
- Team Mottos:
-
- "You Gotta Be Here 2008!" (2008)
- "You Gotta Be Here!" (2007)
-
- Playoff appearances: (2) 1997, 2003
- World Series appearances: (2) 1997, 2003
- Official Television Stations: FSN Florida, Sun Sports
- Official Radio Stations: WAXY (790), WQBA (1140)
- Spring Training Facility: Roger Dean Stadium (shared with the St. Louis Cardinals), Jupiter, FL
| Preceded by New York Mets 8 Seasons |
Fastest Franchise to win World Series 1997 5 Seasons |
Succeeded by Arizona Diamondbacks 4 Seasons |
- The Marlins will share Dolphin Stadium with the NFL's Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes football team starting in the 2008 season until 2010 when the Marlins' lease runs out.
- The Marlins also became the first team since the creation of the Division Series to win the World Series without ever having home-field advantage during their entire post-season.
- The Marlins became the first opposing team to win a Series championship on the field at Yankee Stadium since the 1981 World Series, when the Los Angeles Dodgers did it. The Marlins won the series despite scoring fewer runs (17) than the Yankees (21).
- The Marlins are the first team in Major League Baseball to have a dance/cheer team: The Marlins Mermaids. Debuting in 2003, the "Marlin Mermaids" gained national exposure and have influenced other MLB teams to develop their own cheer/dance squads.
- Though the Marlins have never won a division title, they have also never lost a playoff series in their history (a perfect 6-0). They are the only team (of those who have been to the playoffs more than once) able to claim a perfect playoff record. They are also the only team in MLB history to have won two World Series titles as a wild card playoff entrant and the first team in MLB history to win the World Series as a wild card entrant.
- Since their first season in 1993, the Marlins join the Red Sox (2004, 2007) and the Yankees (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000) as the only teams to have won multiple titles (1997, 2003) since then.
[edit] Retired Numbers
- 5 Carl Barger, team president who died just prior to the start of the Marlins' first season. The number, in honor of Barger's favorite player, Joe DiMaggio, was retired during a pre-game ceremony before their first-ever regular season game in 1993, culminated by DiMaggio himself throwing the ceremonial first pitch.
- 42 Jackie Robinson, retired by all MLB teams.
[edit] Managerial and Ownership History
- Main article: Managers and ownership of the Florida Marlins
[edit] Current roster
[edit] All Time Rosters
- Main article: Marlins all-time roster
[edit] Minor league affiliations
- AAA: Albuquerque Isotopes, Pacific Coast League
- AA: Carolina Mudcats, Southern League
- Advanced A: Jupiter Hammerheads, Florida State League
- A: Greensboro Grasshoppers, South Atlantic League
- Short A: Jamestown Jammers, New York-Penn League
- Rookie: GCL Marlins, Gulf Coast League
- Rookie: VSL Marlins Universidad, Venezuelan Summer League
[edit] Radio and television
The Marlins' flagship radio station from their inception in 1993 through 2007 was WQAM 560 AM. Although the Marlins had plans to leave WQAM after 2006, they ultimately remained with WQAM for the 2007 season. On October 11, 2007, it was announced that the Marlins had entered into a partnership with WAXY 790 AM to broadcast all games for the 2008 season. Dave Van Horne and Glenn Geffner split the play-by-play assignment.
Games are also heard in Spanish on WQBA 1140 AM. Felo Ramirez, who calls play-by-play on that station along with Luis Quintana, won the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
Marlins games are televised by FSN Florida and Sun Sports. FSN Florida's slogan of this year is "You Gotta Be Here". There are no games available over-the-air; the last "free TV" broadcast of a game was on WPXM in 2005. Rich Waltz is the play-by-play announcer and Tommy Hutton is the color analyst.
Although Marlins games can be seen throughout Florida without blackout, FSN Florida games cannot be seen on the Bright House Networks affiliate for the Orlando, Florida, area, since that cable system does not carry FSN Florida. Only games shown on Sun Sports appear on Bright House in Orlando.
Main article:List of Florida Marlins broadcasters
[edit] Rare Feats
No Hitters
- Anibal Sanchez - 9/6/06 vs. Diamondbacks
- A.J. Burnett - 5/12/01 at. Padres
- Kevin Brown - 6/10/97 at. Giants
- Al Leiter - 5/11/96 vs. Rockies
Cycles
No Marlin has ever hit for the cycle in history.
[edit] Opening Day Starting pitchers
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[edit] See also
- 2007 Florida Marlins Draft
- NL Wildcard winners (since 1994)
[edit] References
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ "Wild-Card Matchup", New York Times, September 17, 2006, p. Sports p. 2.
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ ESPN - Sanchez wins No. 10; Ramirez's 2 HRs power Marlins - MLB
- ^ The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Major League Baseball News
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: Official Info: Press Release
- ^ The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Florida Marlins News
- ^ The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Major League Baseball News
[edit] External links
- Florida Marlins Official Website
- Baseball-Reference.com
- Florida Marlins: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
- Fish@Bat - Blogging the Florida Marlins
- MarlinsBaseball.com - The Premier Florida Marlins Fan Site
- MarlinsNation.com - Feel the Teal
- Teal and Black: The Authority on Marlins Baseball
- Bright Orange Seats - We're There...In Spirit
- Fish@Bat - The Florida Marlins Wiki (By Marlins Fans, For Marlins Fans)
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New York Yankees |
World Series Champions 1997 |
Succeeded by New York Yankees |
| Preceded by Anaheim Angels |
World Series Champions 2003 |
Succeeded by Boston Red Sox |
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Atlanta Braves |
National League Champions 1997 |
Succeeded by San Diego Padres |
| Preceded by San Francisco Giants |
National League Champions 2003 |
Succeeded by St. Louis Cardinals |
| Preceded by San Francisco Giants |
National League Wild Card Winners 2003 |
Succeeded by Houston Astros |
| Preceded by Los Angeles Dodgers |
National League Wild Card Winners 1997 |
Succeeded by Chicago Cubs |
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| AAA | AA | A | Rookie |
| Albuquerque Isotopes | Carolina Mudcats |
Jupiter Hammerheads Greensboro Grasshoppers Jamestown Jammers |
Gulf Coast Marlins VSL Marlins |
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