In 1993, H. Wayne Huizenga's Florida Marlins took the field for the first time. Their first season went like most expansion teams' would, going 68-94. After 4 years of floundering, Huizenga spent $89 million dollars on Free Agents in the '96 offseason. The 1997 season sawthe Marlins win the NL Wild Card, and with a few dynamic trades and mid-season moves, the Fish marched all the way down to the 1997 Fall Classic.
They faced a very tough Cleveland Indians team, and this series was a classic. But an 11-inning epic in Game 7 gave the Marlins their first World Championship in the teams short history.
NUCLEAR BOMB...
H. Wayne The Devil sells the Marlins and they proceed to have a fire sale. They trade off everyone and basically keep one thing that kept the team going throughout the '97 year, Manager Jim Leyland. With a bunch of Minor Leaguers and Washed-up garbage, the Marlins set out to defend their crown.
They finish 54-108.
After years of being cellar dwellars the Marlins are sent the former owner of the Montreal Expos, Art Dealer Jeffrey Loria. The Marlins build and build towards taking a step to winning again. In 2003, aided by Veteran Ivan Rodriguez and an amazing surge, the Marlins make the playoffs.
Despite having to win 3 straight games to advance every series, the Marlins head to New York after defeating the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS from coming back from a 3-1 deficit. It all came down to Game 6 on a cold night in New York. Josh Beckett went on the mound and proceeded to pound the New York Yankees into submission by way of a Complete Game, 5-hit shutout. The Marlins are Champions again.
It's amazing, after the historic fire sale, the Marlins bounce back and win a championship.
Expectations are a bit lower in the 2004 Season, after seeing Pudge Rodriguez move to the Detroit Tigers. The Marlins are helped by great seasons by Armando Benitez and Miguel Cabrera, but finish flat and die, 83-79.
The 2004 off-season brings gargantuan expectations with the signing off All-Star Carlos Delgado and other supporting players.
The Marlins have the most dissapointing season in team history and finish 83-79 again. Let me just say before I go on, that this management group with Jeffrey Loria and others have done a magnificent job with the Florida Marlins and their little money. Last year they went from a $30 million dollar payroll to $62 million. Beinfest, Loria, and crew have TRIED and TRIED.
Before 2004 they had many many discussions with Miami-Dade County Officials about a possible retractable roof stadium. The deals have come close, but no cigar. The fact that the Marlins managed to have the worst attendance in MLB was probably the last straw.
The Marlins have sadly settled into the worst baseball town on earth. Nobody ever goes to games, and playing in a stadium which's revenue all goes to the Devil himself, H. Wayne. With continued debts and losing money, the Marlins have commited to Fire Sale: Part II.
Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell have been traded to Boston for some prospects. It has been confirmed that Carlos Delgado has been traded to the Mets for some more prospects. It looks to be Juan Pierre, a free agent, and Luis Castillo are next on the chopping block.
Marlins President David Sampson announced yesterday they will be looking into relocation as early as 2007. He even said he was phoned by Portland, Oregon a few minutes before.
