The Florida Marlins - A Model of (In)Consistency?

In the history of Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees are considered the model franchise of the league. The Bronx Bombers have won the World Series 26 times out of 107 seasons, giving them a 24.3% overall winning percentage for winning titles. But who's second? The St. Louis Cardinals have the second most titles with 10, but have been around since 1892.

It's the Florida Marlins, who have won two titles in their 15 years of existence, giving them a World Series winning percentage of 13.3%. Does anybody really care about the Marlins? Their attendance is consistenly amongst the league's lowest. But they have provided their fans with a title every 7 or 8 years, and as a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, I would take that in a second.

However, they have only been to they playoffs twice, winning both times. In the National Hockey League, last year's Champions, the Detroit Red Wings, added superstar sniper Marian Hossa to the lineup. Florida takes a different approach to winning championships...they rebuild.


Let's look at their 1997 championship winning lineup:

C Charles Johnson
1B Jeff Conine
2B Luis Castillo
SS Edgar Renteria
3B Bobby Bonilla
LF Moises Alou
CF Devon White
RF Gary Sheffield
SP Kevin Brown
SP Alex Fernandez
SP Al Leiter
SP Livan Hernandez
SP Tony Saunders
RP Felix Heredia
RP Antonio Alfonseca

After winning a title, the Florida Marlins decided to trade several of the key pieces for younger (and most importantly, cheaper replacements)

• Jeff Conine was traded to the Kansas City Royals for P Blaine Mull.
• Moises Alou was traded to the Houston Astros for a package involving Mark Johnson
• Veteran starter Al Leiter was moved to the NY Mets in a package involving SP A.J. Burnett
• Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla and Charles Johnson were moved to the LA Dodgers for C Mike Piazza
• Piazza was dealt a week later to the Mets for OF Preston Wilson and P Ed Yarnall
• RP Felix Heredia was traded to the Chicago Cubs for Todd Noel
• World Series hero Edgar Renteria was moved to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitchers Braden Looper and Armando Almanza
• Kevin Brown was traded to the San Diego Padres in a package involving 1B Derrek Lee

So without even hanging their championship banner on Opening day in 1998, 8 key players had been removed from the roster. The face of the franchise was completely different. The MLB's finest from a year before finished the 1998 season with a 54-108 record, being rewarded with the 2nd overall pick: P Josh Beckett.

During the 1998 offseason, the Marlins stole 3B Mike Lowell from the Yankees for previously mentioned throw-ins Noel, Johnson and Yarnall.

The 1999 season saw the Marlins finish with a 64-98 record, which was bad (or good) enough to land them the first overall pick, who was 1B Adrian Gonzalez. The dismantling continued when the Marlins traded the NLCS and WS MVP Livan Hernandez to the San Francisco Giants for pitchers Jason Grilli and Nate Bump.

After missing the playoffs for three straight seasons following their championship in 1997, the Marlins signed non-drafted free agent pitcher Denny Bautista and their 1997 catcher Charles Johnson.

2001 saw the Marlins miss the playoffs again, and with the fans starting to lose interest in the franchise and their losing ways, the Marlins made a big splash in the 2002 offseason.

• RP Antonio Alfonseca was traded to the Cubs in a package for SP Dontrelle Willis
• Veteran OF Cliff Floyd was shipped to the Montreal Expos in a package where the Marlins received SP Carl Pavano
• Charles Johnson was moved yet again, along with Wilson to the Colorado Rockies for Mike Hampton and OF Juan Pierre
• In a move similiar to the Piazza deal, Hampton was then dealt to the Atlanta Braves two days later for P Tim Spooneybarger.
• Quality depth outfielder Todd Hollandsworth was added via free agency, and the Marlins suprised everyone by inking all-star catcher Ivan Rodriguez to a one-year deal.

Six years being removed from winning a championship, the Marlins were finally competitive again. Eyeing the first playoff birth since 1997, the Marlins acquired RP Ugeth Urbina from the Texas Rangers for former first overall pick Adrian Gonzalez.

Remember Jeff Conine? The first player to be sent afar after helping the team win it's first ever World Series? He was re-aquired prior to the playoffs for Denny Bautista, who, if you have still followed this situation, was a non-drafted free agent signing.

The 2003 season ended with the Marlins taking their second ever wildcard birth. A magical run saw them defeat the Yankees in the World Series, with Josh Beckett (the prize for finising second last a year after winning) winning WS MVP honours. The 2003 championship team did not boast one single player on its roster that had been with them team the entire time from 1998-2003:

C Ivan Rodriguez
1B Derrek Lee
2B Luis Castillo
SS Alex Gonzalez
3B Mike Lowell
LF Miguel Cabrera/Todd Hollandsworth
CF Juan Pierre
RF Juan Encarnacion
UT Jeff Conine
SP Josh Beckett
SP Dontrelle Willis
SP Carl Pavano
SP Brad Penny
SP Mark Redman
CL Braden Looper
RP Ugeth Urbina
RP Tim Spooneybarger
RP Armando Almanza

Again, the Marlins have not had a sniff of postseason action since this title. The Marlins have lost several of these players to free agency, and continued their tradition of dealing away key pieces of championship teams for young, cheap, bright prospects:

• Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera were traded to the Detroit Tigers for OF Cameron Maybin and SP Andrew Miller
• Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell were traded to the Boston Red Sox for SS Hanley Ramirez and P Anibal Sanchez
• Juan Pierre was traded to the Cubs for P Ricky Nolasco

Did the Marlins ever really lose a trade? Sure they suffered years after their titles, but were able to reclaim their glory within 6 years.

Last season, the Marlins were 7.5 games back of the champion Philadelphia Phillies. It will now be six season since the Marlins last tasted the playoffs, and a pennant. Nolasco is projected to be a top starter for the Marlins, with Miller and Sanchez expected to round out the rotation. Maybin is expected to hit lead off. Ramirez is considered a possible future MVP, and is one of the premier shortstops in the league.

The Marlins have a new stadium on the way, along with yet another hot, young crop of ball players. It might not be (but still could be) their year to win it all this season, just don't be surprised if it is sometime real soon.