Tank's take week of 10/26/03

[NJTank]

A Fish Story

When Jack McKeon took over the Marlins on May 11th their season appeared to be going nowhere fast, as they sat 10 games below .500 and in last place in the NL East. However, since then the Marlins have been the best team in baseball, as Rookie Pitcher Dontrelle Willis who arrived around the same time helped inject some life into a dead franchise.

Quietly the Marlins climbed into the NL Wild Card Race as ownership announced it would not be dealing away 3B Mike Lowell in July. This announcement sent a message to the player's that management believed in them. Not only did the Marlins not go into a fire sale they became buyers on the trade market acquiring Ugeth Urbina a proven closer at the trade deadline.

Still nobody gave the Marlins a serious chance, especially after Mike Lowell was lost for the remainder of the season with a broken hand at the end of August. The injury to Lowell forced the Marlins to make another move, and this time it saw them bring home a fan favorite as they acquired Jeff Conine before the roster deadline on August 31st. Conine had been there before a Marlins from day one who was selected in the expansion draft and had been a key part of the 1997 Championship team, before being dealt away as part of the purge following the 1997 World Series.

As it would turn out the acquisition of Jeff Conine would be huge as on consecutive Wednesdays in September he single handily beat the Philadelphia Phillies as the Marlins once and for all took a strangle hold in the race for the Wild Card, as they made the playoffs with a record of 91-71 earning just their second winning season in franchise history.

Once the playoffs began most expected the San Francisco Giants to make quick work of the Marlins, and after losing Game 1 by a score of 2-0 it appeared as if the Marlins would be finished quickly. However, the Marlins took advantage of bad fielding to wins Games 2 and 3, before Pudge proved to be the difference in Game 4.

When the Marlins signed Ivan Rodriguez in February most experts wondered why they made the move signing the Catcher affectingly known as Pudge to a 1-year $ 10 Million contract. Prior to 2 injury-plagued seasons in 2001 and 2002 Rodriguez was a perennial all star catcher for the Texas Rangers. However, by February he had no long-term offers and had to settle for the Marlins 1-year deal.  

Most figured the Marlins signed Rodriguez so they could trade him for prospects. However, his veteran leadership was one of the most important factors to the Marlins making their magical run into the playoffs. The run which got even more magical when he knocked the ball out of the Giants catcher hand to score the winning run in Game 4, the held onto the ball when ran into for the final out a half inning later.

For Pudge the magic continued into the NLCS as he had 5 RBI in Game 1 which the Marlins won a pinch hit HR by Mike Lowell who was finally healthy enough to play again. However, as the Chicago Cubs took the next 3 games, it appeared their run was over. With hope slipping away Josh Beckett was unhittable as he kept the Marlins hopes alive with a complete game shut out in Game 5.

However hope was fading again in Game 6 as they trailed in the 8th Inning at Wrigley Field 3-0. Down to their final 5 outs the clock appeared to hit midnight for the Marlins Cinderella season. However, a fan interfered to prevent the 2nd out of the inning as the Marlins started a season saving rally scoring 8 runs to force a 7th game. They would fall behind in Game 7 as well, but the resilient Marlins would not be denied beating the Cubs 9-6 to complete an improbable comeback and advance to the World Series.

In the World Series the Marlins were once again the underdogs facing the vaunted New York Yankees. However, after falling behind in the series 2-1 the Marlins made yet another comeback winning the final 3 games while completing shutting down the Yankees high powered offense to win their second World Series in franchise history.

Years from now people will wonder just how the Marlins beat the Yankees whose payroll was nearly 3 times as much as the Marlins. Simply put the Marlins did the little things better. In the entire World Series the Yankees struggled with men on base. However the Yankees lack of productive outs may have been even more costly as the Yankees scored just 1 run on an out in the playoffs while the Marlins were advancing runners and scoring runners on outs through out the series.

In the end the lesson of the World Series is money can not win Championships it takes heart too, and this years Marlins team was full of heart. From the contagious enthusiasm of Dontrelle Willis and Juan Pierre, to the leadership of Ivan Rodriguez and Jeff Conine to the fatherly charm of Manager Jack McKeon the Marlins had all the right ingredients and that's why they are the 2003 World Series Champions.

  For the sake of fans in South Florida lets hope this time ownership allows them to enjoy this one. When they won in 1997 Owner H. Wayne Huzinga immediately ripped the heart out of the fan base by trading away every key player from the Championship team in a matter of months, as they posted a horrific 54-108 record in 1998.

The resulting aftermath left a bad taste in fans mouths and led to the Marlins being one of the lowest drawing teams in baseball, as often fewer then 10,000 fans a game filled their cavernous football turned baseball stadium. The lack of fan support led to talks that the Marlins could be contracted, as their owner John Henry traded up and brought the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2002 season.

Taking over the Marlins would be former Montreal Expos owner Jeffrey Loraia, and when he took over there was a sense that he was just holding a deathwatch before the team moved or was eliminated. However when the new Collective Bargaining Agreement took contraction off the table, the Marlins short-term future was secure.

In order to secure their long-term future in South Florida a new stadium must be built. One that is in the same model of Safeco Field in Seattle smaller, with a retractable roof, so games in the summer are no affected by the passing summer showers, and the oppressive Miami Heat.

Getting a new Stadium from the politicians may never be easier, as the good feeling of the Championship will lend to the support they need to get the land and funding to build their stadium. However, Owner Jeffrey Loria must do his part to and that means keeping the team intact. Specifically that means resigning Ivan Rodriguez to a multi year deal.

Pudge is the perfect player for the Latin community in South Florida to attach too as an icon; in addition he was the key player in their Championship run. For him not be there next year will bring back some of the bad memories of 1998 when the entire team was traded away. More then anyone else keeping Rodriguez is a key to the future of the Marlins signing him will send the message that the new ownership is serious about keeping a competitive team on the field and will give fans who come to games next year pleasant memories each and every at bat. Signing him should not be that hard, as chances are Pudge could give the Marlins a home town discount as he would likely want to defend his championship, and play in place he will be adored for the rest of his career.

While the Marlins had the heart to win the World Series one has to question the character of Yankees high priced stars Jason Giambi and David Wells. The team was struggling to score runs through the first 4 games. Manager Joe Torre had already decided to bench a struggling Alfonso Soriano for Game 5. To ask out of the lineup is a complete joke.

Making matters worse David Wells asked out of the game after just 1 inning because his back was sore. In the World Series everyone has some aches and pains, it is those who tough it out that have the desire to go the next step that often make the difference between winning and losing. The mere fact that they asked out of the game makes one question their desire. I guess in the end the Marlins just wanted it more.

With the end of the World Series comes the end of some aggravation, as another horrific season of baseball coverage on Fox is over. Weather it be the annoying laugh of Tim McCarver, the terrible play by play of Joe Buck, the needless flashing graphics and sound effects, or celebrity shots, and Fox promos, baseball coverage on TV ain't what it used to be.

By the end of a long month sometimes you just cant wait for it to be over, as you are sick and tired of seeing countless promos for 24 and Joe Millionaire.   Judging by half of their shows it appears as if you need a lobotomy to fully enjoy the "quality shows" on Fox. God help us they have the World Series for another 3 years. Oh for the days of NBC game of the week Vin Scully, Bob Costas, or ABC with Al Michaels.

Sometimes less is more, and if Fox tuned down the graphics and the promos it would be allot more enjoyable. Just because you can have an animated AOL graphic that dose not mean you should use it. Just stick to the game and you will come out on top in the end.

As for Tim McCarver his act had completely worn thin, and when he is in a booth with an empty suit like Joe Buck, it's just a bad combination. Perhaps it would not be as bad listening to McCarver if he were in the same booth as Bob Costas. Costas knowledge of baseball is second to none. It's just a shame he rarely gets to do a game anymore.  

However until McCarver gets a good play-by-play partner he should tone down his analyzation. Because what makes McCarver most annoying his over analyzation. Meaning his over explains what happens in a game, in other words he is explains what he is saying to death, he keeps going on and on and never stops, in fact 3 innings later he will bring up the same point again, and start his over analyzation over again.  

Hero of the Week: There is no contest here that the Florida Marlins get the honor as a team for their stunning run to the 2003 World Championship.

Geek of the Week: Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge for his stunningly stupid deal sending Antoine Walker and Tony Delk last years 2nd and 3rd leading scorers to the Dallas Mavericks for Raef LaFrenz, who was not even a starter for the Mavs last year. The deal is the first one made by Ainge since taking over personnel decisions in May, and if this is any indication, the Celtics are not in good hands, unless Mavs owner Mark Cuban brandished a gun and threatened to reveal dark secrets their is no logical reason behind this terrible deal which will likely take the Celtics out of playoff contention before the season even starts, while erasing the progress they made over the past 2 seasons.

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[Saintsfan]

I think Ainge's problem is that he wants to make changes, fair enough. However he wasn't in a great place to do it, particularly with all that money tied up in Vin Baker. So someone had to go and Walker and Pierce were the most marketable assets the Celts had. That said the deal the Celtics got was in the short and medium term a stinker surely. Maybe Ainge is thinking long term (in sports thats 2-4 years) but the whole deal makes this years Celtics look MUCH weaker.

[Mac the Knife]

How long until you hear Bud Selig crying "the new economic system works!  Just look at Anaheim and Florida!"

What a tool.

[habsfannova]

Man, I like Buck. He's very good at setting an image, and i was perfectly happy with the coverage.

But, hey, to each his own.

Anyway, yeah, the system is a disgrace, and the fact that some teams spend that much is stupid.

[thinga87]

I don't mind Joe Buck, but couldn't agree more on Tim McCarver. Am I right in saying he used to team with Al Michaels on ABC... i saw a feature on the 89 World Series on ESPN Australia the other day and it sure sounded like him!

Also as a obsessive on tv sports presentation graphics I like the whizz-bang stuff they put on... if only they shared them with Fox Sports here in Australia!

[NJTank]

McCaver did work with Al Michaels in 1989 World Series on ABC it was a 3-man booth as Jim Plamer was also there.

McCaver has always worked National Game since the mid 80s

He initailly worked with Keith Jackson on ABC in the mid 80s then started working with Plamer and Michales.

When CBS got baseball in 1990 he worked with Joe Bucks father Jack from 1990-1992. In 1993 McDonough repalced Buck.

in 1994 and 1995 McCaver did games for ABC when NBC and ABC combine d to form the baseball network what a joke taht was.

And since 1996 he has been on Fox.