I am buying a Marlins hat

[lovethegame]

Only franchise that gets it.
Draw flies but every four years molt into a WS contender
Big draws scratch their heads and the M's follow the plan

[Elvis]

Only franchise that gets it.


And soon they'll "get it" right out of Miami.

[cosmo34]

Only franchise that gets it.
Draw flies but every four years molt into a WS contender
Big draws scratch their heads and the M's follow the plan

Ha, I've been saying this same thing for years. 2009 WS Champs

[Wade8813]

If they do it again, it might be something to pay attention to. So far, it could just be a fluke. And for all we know, they might have been able to get to the WS a couple more times if they hadn't dismantled so much. And the fact that they don't draw any fans might say something about how unpopular their style can be. Fans can get frustrated when all of their favorite players are given away.

[digglahhh]

I just won a vintage all teal New Era Marlins hate from early 2000s off of Ebay for like fourteen bucks or so. I'm hoping the teal from ACG/Huarache Quickstrikes matches.

Anyway, the do work the model for the small budget team very well. Other small market teams should take notice, and a team with a mid-range budget could work this very well.

Basically, just don't sign any mediocre free agents. Grow prospects, and when you get to the point when you have a good amount of them performing well, add the rest of what you need from the open market. It's all these loudmouths rooting for big market teams who cry that the teams "should reinvest the revenue sharing money into the team" that perpetuate mediocrity. Okay, dude, the Royals just signed Jose Guillen - so what, the competitive balance is fixed now?...

[plask_stirlac]

I didn't follow MLB in 1997 but they did get pretty lucky in 2003. A lot of it wasn't pure luck, they were very good, but it would be hard to recreate that as they learned in 2005 winning 83 games with big years from Delgado, Guillen, Dontrelle, Beckett, and Burnett. It probably helped NOT to have any pressure, in fact they looked awful after May (24-32, although they outscored in May)

Pavano, Beckett, Redman, Penny, and Dontrelle all "ignited" to become 4.30 ERA or under pitchers that were pretty healthy, 120 starts from the first four and 23 from Beckett. Now one could argue they were unlucky Burnett went down, but they didn't throw out any terrible pitchers to replace him too often.

Derrek Lee and Mike Lowell had career years up to that point, and this was all in the first year Pudge joined in. He helped the pitchers do well but there was pretty much everyone giving their best effort all at once other than Penny and maybe the outfield, but Miguel Cabrera joined there.

They pilfered Uggie Urbina. They won against the Cubs in the end but it was really close, the Cubs could've still choked but not as badly in Game 6 and won the series.

They also got to see Jeff Weaver in the World Series, albeit in relief. :)

But that's how it goes, just get talent and experience and make the playoffs. Jon Garland an ace? Go with it. Wainwright and Jeff Weaver unhittable? Go with it.

[cardsfanatic]

Ha, I've been saying this same thing for years. 2009 WS Champs

Then you both need to learn how to add and subtract. 2003 -> 2009, a little more than four years. ;)

[plask_stirlac]

Ha, I've been saying this same thing for years. 2009 WS Champs

If you find someplace we can wager on that, I'll join you. Probably 200-1 odds.

Come on Andrew Miller = Randy Johnson!

[cosmo34]

Then you both need to learn how to add and subtract. 2003 -> 2009, a little more than four years. ;)

I didn't say 4 years. I said I agreed with them sucking for several years, then coming out of nowhere to win it all. 1997-2003. 6 years. 2003-2009. 6 years.

It's the Miami Cycle.

[lovethegame]

4 years , 6 years whatever it beats the hell out of 15 years 30 years God knows how many years