Miami Marlins
| Miami Marlins | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 2012 Miami Marlins season |
|||
| Established | 1993 | ||
|
|||
| Major league affiliations | |||
|
|||
| Current uniform | |||
|
|||
| Retired numbers | 42 | ||
| Colors | |||
|
|||
| Name | |||
|
|||
| Other nicknames | |||
|
|||
| Ballpark | |||
|
|||
| 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 | ||
| Front office | |||
| Owner(s) | Jeffrey Loria David Samson (Team President) |
||
| Manager | Ozzie Guillén[1] | ||
| General Manager | Michael Hill | ||
| President of Baseball Operations | Larry Beinfest | ||
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball franchise based in Miami, Florida which is currently a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball (MLB's) National League. Their home park is Marlins Ballpark. Their manager is Ozzie Guillén.
The Miami Marlins began play in the 1993 season as the Florida Marlins. They played home games from their inaugural season to the 2011 season at Sun Life Stadium, which they shared with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and which was also called Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins Stadium, and Land Shark Stadium during their tenancy. Beginning with the 2012 Major League Baseball season, they will play at Marlins Ballpark, which was built on the site of the former Orange Bowl. The new park, unlike Sun Life Stadium (which was criticized in its baseball configuration for poor sight lines in some locations), was designed foremost as a baseball park. The new park's name is a temporary one until naming rights are purchased[2][3]). Per agreement with the city and Miami-Dade County (which owns the park), the Marlins officially changed their name to the "Miami Marlins" on November 11, 2011. They also adopted a new logo, color scheme, and uniforms.
The Miami Marlins have won World Series championships in 1997 and 2003 — both times as the National League wild card team. They defeated the American League champion Cleveland Indians in the 1997 series, which was notable for shortstop Edgar Renteria driving in second baseman Craig Counsell for the series-clinching run in the eleventh inning of the seventh and deciding game and the "fire sale" which occurred in the off-season following the dramatic win. The 2003 season was notable for the firing of manager Jeff Torborg after thirty-eight games. The Marlins were in last place in the National League East with a 16-22 record at the time. Torborg's successor, 72-year-old Jack McKeon, improbably led them to the National League's wild card berth in the playoffs; they defeated the New York Yankees four games to two in the 2003 World Series.
[edit] Franchise history
[edit] 1990-1996: The Birth of the Marlins
On March 7, 1990, 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. Orlando fielded a very spirited campaign bolstered by its family-oriented tourism industry. Tampa Bay already had a baseball park—the Florida Suncoast Dome in St. Petersburg, completed in 1990. However, on June 10, 1991, the National League awarded a Miami-based franchise to Huizenga for a $95 million expansion fee. One name considered early on was the Florida Flamingos.[4]
In November 1991, the Marlins hired Fredi Gonzalez as the Marlins first Minor League manager.
On December 16, 1991, they made their first-ever signing, inking 16-year-old Dominican pitcher Clemente Núñez to a contract.[5] They selected catcher Charles Johnson of the University of Miami with their first-ever first round draft pick in June 1992. Later that year Marlins President Carl Barger collapsed and died at the baseball winter meetings in Louisville, Kentucky. 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 defeated 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. Charlie Hough was the starting pitcher for that game. Jeff Conine went 4-4 as well, making him an immediate crowd favorite. 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.
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: First World Series title/ The Fire Sale
In addition to hiring Leyland as manager, the Marlins signed third baseman Bobby Bonilla, outfielder Moisés Alou, and pitcher Alex Fernandez to lucrative free-agent contracts, raising expectations to levels far beyond anything in franchise history.
The Marlins' franchise got its second no-hitter from ace Kevin Brown on June 10, 1997. Brown nearly had the perfect game, but he hit the Giants' Marvin Benard with a pitch in the 8th inning when Benard attempted to bunt. 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 Marlins finished nine games back of the Division Champion Atlanta Braves, but earned the wild card berth. 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 Luis Castillo (2B) and Edgar Rentería (SS) comprised 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. The Marlins 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, overcoming the loss of Alex Fernandez to a torn rotator cuff, and Kevin Brown to a virus. Brown's 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. Hernandez struck out 15 Braves and outdueled multiple Cy Young award-winner Greg Maddux to a 2–1 victory and a 3–2 series lead. Brown returned 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 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.
Following the World Series victory, Huizenga dismantled the team, claiming 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; one so infamous, it has come to epitomize the term "fire sale" in the baseball world[citation needed]. The first deal came days after the World Series, when outfieldler Moisés Alou was traded to the Houston Astros for pitchers Oscar Hernandez and Manuel Barrios. The Marlins then traded Kevin Brown to the San Diego Padres for Derrek Lee and 2 minor leaguers. Finally, in May 1998, 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. On the flip side, these trades brought promising youngsters Derrek Lee and A. J. Burnett.
[edit] 1998-2002: Last Place Finishes, New ownership and front office
The Marlins' 1998 slumped to 54–108, the worst record in the major leagues that year, and the most losses in franchise history. They are the only team to lose 100 games a year after winning the World Series. Leyland resigned as manager in October 1998, and was replaced by John Boles. 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.
In 1999, the Marlins were the first MLB team to host a game in which Instant Replay was used.[6] While playing the Cardinals, Cliff Floyd hit a ball to the top of the left field scoreboard. Originally ruled a home run, NL Umpire Frank Pulli reversed the call to a double, after consulting a dugout TV monitor. The Cardinals won the game, 5–2. After the game, the NL League Office declared the umpires erred in using Instant Replay. MLB would not use Instant Replay again for almost a decade.[7] 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, despite walking nine batters and throwing only 1/2 of his pitches for 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 Henry to buy the Boston Red Sox. Loria 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. 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 their fifth straight losing season since winning the World Series.
Nonetheless the Marlins showed promise entering the offseason as they had a rotation of Josh Beckett, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny, and A.J. Burnett.
The Marlins also turned their first ever triple play in franchise history on July 28, 2002.
[edit] 2003-2005: Second World Series title/ The Jack McKeon Era
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, hitting a walk off home run in his first major league game, against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Pro Player Stadium. Both Willis and Cabrera would later prove to be essential parts of the Marlin's playoff success. 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 baseman 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 kept the Marlins alive. Game 6 saw the Marlins play a role in one of baseballs most infamous moments: "The Inning" . With 1 one out in the 8th inning and the Cubs 3 runs ahead, Marlins 2nd baseman Luis Castillo hit a pop foul a row in to the stands along the third base line. Cubs fan Steve Bartman reached for the ball, preventing Cubs LF Moises Alou from making the out and setting off an 8-run Marlins rally. The incident with Steve Bartman and a come-from-behind win in Wrigley Field in Game 7 helped the Marlins capture their second NL pennant, keeping the "Curse of the Billy Goat" alive and well.
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 Álex González 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. 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 are also the last team to win a World Series at the Old Yankee Stadium. The Marlins won the series despite scoring fewer runs (17) than the Yankees (21).
The offseason after their second World Series title, the Marlins made 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). Marlins third base coach Ozzie Guillen also departed to be manager of the Chicago White Sox. 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. They also signed Mike Lowell to a new four year contract.
After winning the 2003 World Series, the Marlins entered 2004 with high hopes and a retooled roster. Retaining a core of stars from their title team and hoping that newly acquired 1B Hee Seop Choi would emerge, the Marlins fell short of reaching the postseason, but they posted the third winning season in franchise history, boasting an 83-79 record. During the season, the Marlins to made 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. Pitchers Carl Pavano and Armando Benitez turned in record-setting performances. Pavano went 18-8 with a 3.30 ERA, and his 18 wins established a season high by a Marlin. Benitez became the club's season saves leader with 47 (in 51 saves attempts). Pavano, Benitez, Mike Lowell and Miguel Cabrera each enjoyed All-Star seasons, with Cabrera belting 33 homers (second-most ever in a season by a Marlin) while driving in 112 runs.
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. 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. The Marlins did not make a huge move at the deadline, instead trading minor-leaguer Yorman Bazardo 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 pinch-hit 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. The Marlins closed the season by sweeping the Braves, and their final record for the season stood at 83–79. After the season, lingering stadium issues forced the Marlins to ponder big moves with their roster and also ponder possible relocation to another city.
[edit] 2006-2011: Market Correction and Rebuilding
After a disappointing back to back seasons of 83-79 records (2004 and 2005) which were expected to be seasons of contention by the Marlins along with failed attempts to get state financing for a new ballpark, the team began a controversial dumping of players for prospects.
The "Market Correction" (as dubbed by David Samson) yielded a wave of new players who would signal the start of a new era in Marlins history. In a trade considered one of the best in team history, the Marlins acquired Hanley Ramírez and Aníbal Sánchez from the Red Sox for World Series MVP Josh Beckett and fan favorite Mike Lowell. The Marlins would also trade Carlos Delgado (who signed a five year deal the offseason before), Juan Pierre, and Luis Castillo in separate deals.
The Marlins would be a sub .500 team for two seasons (2006, 2007) following the Market Correction, and in a span of three seasons (2005–2007), the team had three different managers (Jack McKeon, Joe Girardi, and Fredi Gonzalez). The franchise got back to .500 baseball in 2008 and 2009, staying in the playoff chase until the middle of September. In 2010, the Marlins continued the trend of changing managers when they fired Fredi Gonzalez midseason and gave Edwin Rodriguez the job through the remainder of the season. Rodriguez was later named manager for 2011.
Since 2006, the Marlins have built on a young nucleus of players including Dan Uggla, Mike Stanton, Chris Coghlan, Logan Morrison, Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, and Chris Volstad. Still, the franchise has become notorious for dealing players when their contracts grow larger than the team can handle, including the blockbuster deal which had fan favorites Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis dealt to the Detroit Tigers for six players. The deal has been dubbed by many fans and writers as the worst trade in franchise history, considering the Marlins have since dealt the key pieces to the trade, pitcher Andrew Miller and outfielder Cameron Maybin. (It should be noted, however, that Willis became a victim of the so-called "Steve Blass Disease" shortly after the Marlins traded him.)[8] The Marlins have also traded players such as Mike Jacobs, Scott Olsen, Josh Willingham and the aforementioned Dan Uggla who denied a team offered contract extension over the length of it. With a new stadium on the horizon, the 2010 offseason marked a change in direction for the franchise, as they it became a buyer all over in anticipation of a higher payroll and more revenue.
In 2011, The Marlins brought in several relief pitchers (Randy Choate, Edward Mujica, Ryan Webb, and Michael Dunn among them) to revamp a depleted bullpen; All-Stars John Buck and Omar Infante, and former All-Star Javier Vázquez were also added to their roster. It began a change in direction for the Marlins as they looked to be more aggressive on the trade front (for their short term benefit) and free agency.
[edit] 2012: New Ballpark, New Identity
For the first 19 years of its existence, the team played its home games at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. In 2012, they will move into newly constructed Marlins Park in Little Havana, Miami, Florida.
On September 28, 2011, the Marlins introduced Ozzie Guillén as their new manager.[1] On the same day, the Marlins played their last game at Sun Life Stadium with Charlie Hough and Benito Santiago being the first pitch battery, the same battery from the first Marlins game. The team also brought back former Marlins greats and released the All-Time Florida Marlins team and top 10 moments from the franchise's 19 year history.
On November 11, 2011, the Marlins officially rebranded themselves the Miami Marlins with a new logo, uniform, and color scheme. The VIP event was held at the site of the new ballpark at night, featuring a private concert by Pitbull and a fashion show featuring the new uniforms worn by various Marlins players and coaches, including Ozzie Guillén, Logan Morrison, Hanley Ramírez, and Josh Johnson. ESPN the Magazine published a full-page opinion piece about the Marlins and was extremely scathing in its criticism of David Samson.
With a new ballpark and increased revenue stream, the team showed rare interest in the top free agents on the market which included slugger Albert Pujols, pitchers C. J. Wilson and Ryan Madson. During the baseball Winter Meetings, the Marlins signed All-Star closer Heath Bell, followed by All-Star shortstop José Reyes signed to the longest and most lucrative contract in team history. After negotiations with Pujols fell through, the Marlins also signed Mark Buehrle. After failing to sign C.J. Wilson, the Marlins pursued other pitchers and eventually settled on volatile pitcher Carlos Zambrano in a trade with the Chicago Cubs for Chris Volstad.
[edit] Managerial and ownership history
[edit] Players
[edit] Current roster
[edit] All-time roster
[edit] Notable former players
- Josh Beckett (2001–2005) — Beckett was drafted by the Marlins in the first round (2nd overall) of the 1999 Amateur Draft. Beckett won the World Series MVP in 2003 and won 41 games as a member of the Marlins, with a 3.46 ERA. He was part of a series of trades in the team's 2005 Market Correction.
- Kevin Brown (1996–1997) — In 1996, Brown posted a 17–11 record with 159 strikeouts and an MLB best 1.89 ERA, finishing second in the Cy Young Award voting. In 1997, Brown threw a one-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his first appearance and a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants. In the 1997 National League Championship Series, Brown, riddled with the flu, proceeded to pitch a complete game in Game Six, defeating the Atlanta Braves and helping the Marlins reach the World Series, which they eventually won over the Cleveland Indians.
- A. J. Burnett (1999–2005) — In 2001, Burnett pitched an unusual no-hitter where he walked nine batters. He threw the fastest fastball of all major league starters in 2005, averaging 95.6 miles per hour. During his tenure, Burnett was 49–50 with a 3.73 ERA, 14 complete games and a team record 8 shutouts, tied with Dontrelle Willis.
- Miguel Cabrera (2003–2007) — Cabrera debuted with the Marlins in 2003 and hit a game winning home run in his first game against the Tampa Bay Rays. He was a key factor to the Marlins' 2003 World Series run and the ballclub's primary power hitter during his tenure, hitting 138 home runs and driving in 523 in five seasons. Cabrera went to four All-Star games and won a pair of Silver Slugger awards.
- Luis Castillo (1996–2005) — Castillo won three Gold Gloves and went to three All-Star games in his tenure with the Marlins. He holds several franchise records, among them his 35 game hitting streak in 2002.
- Jeff Conine (1993–1997, 2003–2005) — Jeff Conine has the distinction of being the only player to appear in the opener of the Marlins' inaugural season and in both the 1997 World Series and the 2003 World Series won by the Marlins. His game-winning homer earned him the All-Star game MVP trophy in 1995.
- Álex González (1998–2005) — Alex Gonzalez was one of the premier defensive shortstops in the game during his tenure with the Marlins, and provided a walk-off homerun in the 12th inning during Game 4 of the 2003 World Series. It was hit of Jeff Weaver.
- Livan Hernandez (1996–1998) — Hernandez's rookie season coincided with the 1997 World Series. He went 2–0 in the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, winning World Series MVP.
- Derrek Lee (1998–2003) — Lee won a Gold Glove in the 2003 championship season. He hit 129 home runs and drove in 417 runs. He holds the franchise record in strikeouts with 734.
- Mike Lowell (1999–2005) — Lowell a native of Coral Gables, FL had successful years in Florida and established himself as one of the elite third baseman in the league. In his tenure with the Marlins, Lowell was a three time All-Star and won a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove.
- Brad Penny (2000–2004) — In 2003, Penny collected the win in Florida's NLCS clinching victory over the Chicago Cubs and in the World Series against the New York Yankees he went 2–0 with a 2.19 ERA in his two starts.
- Juan Pierre (2003–2005) — Pierre holds many franchise records including regular season games played (162), most regular season at-bats (678), hits (221), triples (13), and stolen bases (65).
- Edgar Renteria (1996–1998) — Rentería is remembered for his 11th inning two-out RBI single in Game Seven of the 1997 World Series to give Florida a 3–2 triumph over the Cleveland Indians.
- Ivan Rodriguez (2003) — Despite only playing one season with the Marlins, he put up some the of the best offensive and defensive statistics by a Marlins catcher and was a key cog in the 2003 World Championship team. He won the 2003 NLCS MVP.
- Cody Ross (2006–2010) — Ross had a three homer game in his first season with the Marlins and in his five years with the Marlins hit .265 with 80 home runs and 297 RBIs.
- Gary Sheffield (1993–1997) — Sheffield hit 112 home runs with the Marlins from 1994 to 1998, including a club record 42 in 1996, and made the All-Star Game in 1996. He lead the Marlins to victory in the 1997 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, making a spectacular catch against the right field fence in game 5.
- Dan Uggla (2006–2010) — Acquired in the Rule V Draft, Dan Uggla is the franchise leader in home runs with 154 and is the only second baseman in MLB history with four consecutive 30 home run seasons.
- Dontrelle Willis (2003–2007) — The "D-Train" was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2003 and showcased his remarkable (for a pitcher) hitting ability by going 3-for-3 with a triple while scoring a run during Game 4 of the 2003 National League Division Series, which the Marlins won 7–6 over the San Francisco Giants to advance to the NL Championship Series. Willis holds many Marlins pitching records including single season victories (22), franchise victories (68), franchise losses (54), complete games (15), shutouts (8) and innings pitched with 1,022 ⅔.
Other former "big-name" Marlins include Hall of Famer Andre Dawson, potential Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Bobby Bonilla, Carlos Delgado, Moisés Alou, Benito Santiago, Rob Nen and Trevor Hoffman, and productive players Craig Counsell and Jorge Cantu.
[edit] Achievements
[edit] Awards
- No-Hitters: Marlins pitchers have issued four no-hitters in team regular-season history, all coming against teams in the NL West.
| Pitcher | Date | Team | Result | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Leiter | May 11, 1996 | Rockies | 11–0 | Pro Player Stadium |
| Kevin Brown | June 10, 1997 | Giants | 9–0 | Candlestick Park |
| A.J. Burnett | May 12, 2001 | Padres | 3–0 | Qualcomm Stadium |
| Aníbal Sánchez | September 6, 2006 | Diamondbacks | 2–0 | Dolphin Stadium |
- Hitting for the cycle: No Marlin has ever hit for the cycle in franchise history.
[edit] Baseball Hall of Famers
| Miami Marlins Hall of Famers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
[edit] Retired numbers
 Jackie Robinson* *retired throughout all Major League Baseball |
|---|
[edit] Marlins Park
The Marlins began construction of a new, state-of-the-art stadium at the Miami Orange Bowl site on July 18, 2009. The now approved stadium was the subject of a protracted legal battle. A lawsuit by local automobile franchise mogul and former Philadelphia Eagles owner Norman Braman contested the legality of the deal with Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami. However, Miami-Dade County Judge Beth Cohen dismissed all the charges in Braman's lawsuit.
When completed, the seating capacity will be around 37,000, making it the third smallest stadium (in capacity) in the MLB. Set to open in April 1, 2012, the ballpark would become only the sixth MLB stadium to have a retractable roof, joining Rogers Centre in Toronto (1989), Chase Field in Phoenix (1998), Safeco Field in Seattle (1999), Minute Maid Park in Houston (2000), and Miller Park in Milwaukee (2001).
As part of the new stadium agreement, the team renamed itself the Miami Marlins on November 11, 2011 along with the unveiling of new uniforms and team logo in time for the move to the new stadium in 2012.
Until a naming-rights deal is reached, the park will be known as Marlins Park.
[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. Longtime Montreal Expo and current Marlins play-by-play radio announcer Dave Van Horne won the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting in 2010.[9] He shares the play-by-play duties with Glenn Geffner.
Games are also broadcast in Spanish on Radio Mambi 710 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 Fox Sports Florida. FS Florida's slogan in 2008 was "You Gotta Be Here." For the 2009 season the new slogan is "It's where you wanna be." There are no games available over-the-air, with the exception of games broadcast on Fox Saturday Baseball; 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.
[edit] Ford C. Frick Award recipients
| Miami Marlins Ford C. Frick Award recipients | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |||||||||
|
[edit] Quick facts
- Team Mottos:
-
- "Be Here When It Happens" (1997)
- "Every Day, Every Game, All Heart!" (1998–99)
- "Get Back In The Game" (2003)
- "Get Hooked!" (2004–05)
- "You Gotta Be Here!" (2007–08)
- "It's Where You Wanna Be!" (2009)
- "Serious Fun. Get In On It!" (2010)
- "Catch Our Moves!" (2011)
-
- Official Television Stations: Fox Sports Florida, Sun Sports
- Official Radio Stations: WAXY (790 AM), WAQI (710 AM)
- Spring Training Facility: Roger Dean Stadium (shared with the St. Louis Cardinals), Jupiter, FL
- Mascot: Billy the Marlin
- Major Corporate Sponsors: Jiffy Lube, Ford, and Badia Spices [10]
| Preceded by New York Mets 8 Seasons |
Fastest Franchise to win World Series 1997 5 Seasons |
Succeeded by Arizona Diamondbacks 4 Seasons |
[edit] Culture
The Marlins are the first team in Major League Baseball to have a dance/cheer team: "The Marlins Mermaids."[citation needed] Debuting in 2003, the "Marlins Mermaids" quickly gained national exposure, and have influenced other MLB teams to develop their own cheer/dance squads.[citation needed]
In 2008, the Florida Marlins debuted "The Marlins Manatees", Major League Baseball's first ever all-male dance/energy squad to star alongside the Mermaids.[citation needed]
As of 2012, the Marlins have abandoned the "Mermaids" and "Manatees" for in-game entertainment instead using an "energy squad", a co-ed group of dancers.[11]
[edit] Minor league affiliations
| Level | Team | League | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | New Orleans Zephyrs | Pacific Coast League | Metairie, LA |
| AA | Jacksonville Suns | Southern League | Jacksonville, FL |
| Advanced A | Jupiter Hammerheads | Florida State League | Jupiter, FL |
| A | Greensboro Grasshoppers | South Atlantic League | Greensboro, NC |
| Short Season A | Jamestown Jammers | New York-Penn League | Jamestown, NY |
| Rookie | GCL Marlins | Gulf Coast League | Jupiter, FL |
| DSL Marlins | Dominican Summer League | Boca Chica, Dominican Republic |
[edit] Finishes
[edit] Best finishes in franchise history
The following are the five best seasons in Marlins' history:
| MLB season |
Team season |
Regular season | Post-season | Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish[a] | Wins[b] | Losses | Win% | GB[c] | ||||
| 1997 | 1997 | 2nd | 92 | 70 | .568 | 9 | Wild card winner, WS Champions, | Livan Hernandez (World Series MVP) |
| 2003 | 2003 | 2nd | 91 | 71 | .562 | 10 | Wild card winner, WS Champions | Jack McKeon (MOY);[12] Dontrelle Willis (ROY);,[13] Mike Lowell (Silver Slugger), Josh Beckett (World Series MVP) |
| 2009 | 2009 | 2nd | 87 | 75 | .537 | 6 | Hanley Ramírez (Silver Slugger/NL Batting Title); Chris Coghlan (NL Rookie of The Year) | |
| 2008 | 2008 | 3rd | 84 | 77 | .522 | 7½ | Hanley Ramírez (Silver Slugger) | |
| 2005 | 2005 | 3rd | 83 | 79 | .512 | 7 | Miguel Cabrera (Silver Slugger), Luis Castillo, Mike Lowell (Gold Glove) | |
[edit] Worst finishes in franchise history
The following are the five worst seasons in Marlins' history:
| MLB season |
Team season |
Regular season | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish[a] | Wins[b] | Losses | Win% | GB[c] | |||
| 1998 | 1998 | 5th | 54 | 108 | .333 | 52 | Worst Record in MLB History for defending WS Champion |
| 1999 | 1999 | 5th | 64 | 98 | .395 | 39 | |
| 1993 | 1993 | 6th | 64 | 98 | .395 | 33 | Inaugural season |
| 2007 | 2007 | 5th | 71 | 91 | .438 | 18 | First season under Fredi Gonzalez |
| 2011 | 2011 | 5th | 72 | 90 | .444 | 30 | Fifth worst finish in terms of amount of losses, had best 50 game start in franchise history |
[edit] Opening Day Starting Pitchers
[edit] Opening Day lineups
[edit] Home attendance at Sun Life Stadium
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[edit] Finance
[edit] Opening day salaries
Opening Day payrolls for 25-man roster (since 1993):[15][16]
| Opening Day Salary | ||||
| Year | Salary | Major League Rank | ||
| 1993 | $ 18,196,545 | 25th (of 28) | ||
| 1994 | $ 20,275,500 | 25th | ||
| 1995 | $ 23,670,000 | 25th | ||
| 1996 | $ 30,079,500 | 15th | ||
| 1997 | $ 47,753,000 | 7th | ||
| 1998 | $ 41,864,667 | 20th (of 30) | ||
| 1999 | $ 32,360,000 | 28th | ||
| 2000 | $ 19,900,000 | 29th | ||
| 2001 | $ 35,762,500 | 26th | ||
| 2002 | $ 41,979,917 | 25th | ||
| 2003 | $ 45,050,000 | 25th | ||
| 2004 | $ 42,143,042 | 25th | ||
| 2005 | $ 60,408,834 | 19th | ||
| 2006 | $ 14,998,500 | 30th | ||
| 2007 | $ 30,507,000 | 29th | ||
| 2008 | $ 21,811,500 | 30th | ||
| 2009 | $ 36,834,000 | 30th | ||
| 2010 | $ 47,429,719 | 26th | ||
| 2011 | $ 57,695,000 | 24th | ||
[edit] Annual financial records
The annual financial records of the Florida Marlins according to Forbes since 2001.[10]
| Annual Snapshot of Florida Marlins finance | |||||
| Year | Franchise Value (millions) | Revenue (millions) | Operating Income (millions) | Player Expenses (millions) | Wins-to-player cost ratio |
| 2001 | $ 128 | $ 67 | $ 7 | $ 34 | 161 |
| 2002 | $ 137 | $ 81 | $ 1 | $ 46 | 137 |
| 2003 | $ 136 | $ 76 | $ -14 | $ 53 | 134 |
| 2004 | $ 172 | $ 101 | $ -12 | $ 66 | 162 |
| 2005 | $ 206 | $ 103 | $ 3 | $ 58 | 131 |
| 2006 | $ 226 | $ 119 | $ -12 | $ 91 | 91 |
| 2007 | $ 244 | $ 122 | $ 43 | $ 31 | 255 |
| 2008 | $ 256 | $ 128 | $ 36 | $ 44 | 182 |
| 2009 | $ 277 | $ 139 | $ 44 | $ 45 | 227 |
| 2010 | $ 317 | $ 144 | $ 46 | $ 48 | 219 |
| 2011 | $ 360 | $ 143 | $ 20.2 | $ 58 | 167 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Miami nice: Marlins introduce Guillen as skipper
- ^ "Sun to set on Sun Life Stadium". MLB. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110927&content_id=25284110&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- ^ Tompkins, Wayne. "Commissioners OK plan to have Marlins change name, spring-training site". http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/070524/story7.shtml.
- ^ Brown, Patricia Leigh (1993-07-18). "Pine-Tar Couture". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE1D7143EF93BA25754C0A965958260. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
- ^ Brainy History
- ^ "Marlins object to umps watching TV". CNN. June 1, 1999. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/1999/05/31/cardinals_marlins/. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- ^ "NL president: Umpire erred in consulting replay". CNN. June 2, 1999. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/1999/06/01/umpire_ruling/. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- ^ "MLB Pitchers on the Mend: 10 Hurlers Trying To Make Comebacks in 2011". Bleacher Report. 2011-09-28. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/626406-on-the-mend-10-mlb-pitchers-trying-to-make-comebacks-in-2011/page/7. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- ^ "Van Horne wins baseball Hall of Fame's Frick Award". FoxNews. December 8, 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2010/12/08/van-horne-wins-baseball-hall-fames-frick-award.
- ^ a b "#27 Florida Marlins". Forbes. April 7, 2010. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/33/baseball-valuations-10_Florida-Marlins_336786.html.
- ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/13/marlins-mermaids-energy_n_1204961.html
- ^ "Manager of the Year Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com. 2008-10-30. http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/manage.shtml. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- ^ "Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award". Baseball-Reference.com. 2008-10-30. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080206062826/http%3A//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_Rookie_of_the_Year#National_League_winners_.281949.E2.80.93present.29. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ^ [1] Attendance Report
- ^ Cot's Baseball Contracts: 01/19/2005
- ^ MLB, union: Florida Marlins need to spend more revenue-sharing money – Florida Marlins – MiamiHerald.com
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Miami Marlins |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
