July 3, 200323 yr c/o miamiherald.com They came for the explosives, no denying it. For the ones that boomed and bloomed colorfully in the air in that postgame display. But also for the ones that came first. The ones that sizzled out of that jangle of elbows and knees on the mound. Marlins manager Jack McKeon knew it even before Wednesday's ballgame, as he sat in his office while fans -- an extraordinary lot of them -- began to queue outside the gates, about to turn this into a baseball town, if only for a night. ''They're here to see the guy who's going to start the fireworks off,'' McKeon said, ``and to see that guy on the mound.'' That last part was superfluous, of course. For the Marlins these days, Dontrelle Willis is the guy who starts the fireworks. Anyway, it's hardly worth arguing whether 30,634 jammed Joe Robbie's old park to watch an early Fourth of July show or to watch South Florida's most electrifying pro rookie since some guy named Marino 20 years earlier. Either way, just enjoy. We have become jaded and numb to the shame of way too few fans rattling around among way too many empty seats, lending most Marlins home games the ambience of a 24-hour laundromat at 4 a.m. Wednesday night we got to remember what baseball atmosphere feels like again. Wasn't it grand? Or nostalgic, at least. Fans stood and cheered when the count reached two strikes and Willis uncoiled, groaned as one when the umpire dared call a ball and roared at a swing and a miss -- roaring as if the stakes were as high as the rookie's jacked-up right knee in that scissoring windup of his. Fans chanted. Fans did The Wave. Fans cared, for a night. Baseball lived, buzzed and thrived, for a night. The walk-up gate alone was 9,023, the most for a Marlins game since 1995 and second most in club history. Fireworks alone didn't bring that. A phenom's fastballs helped. Willis, with his 8-1 record and his black socks hiked high. Willis, with his bow-leggy gait like shades of Satchel Paige and his arrival on a major-league mound maybe the flashiest since Fernando Valenzuela. No matter that the 21-year-old Willis got no decision in Florida's 2-1, 13-inning loss to the Braves on Wednesday. His eight innings' work did not disappoint. All he did was lower his season ERA to 2.13, which would lead the majors today if he had enough innings since his May 9 call-up to qualify in the official stats (he almost does). Afterward, though, Willis seemed to fight back tears in the clubhouse, so unaccustomed is he to not winning following a 27-5 record in the minors and then his smashing big-league kickoff. He said he zoned out the percolating crowd. ''I can get fired up in any situation,'' he said. ``Try to stay within myself in any situation.'' Willis certainly did no harm to his bid for the National League Rookie of the Year award or a spot on the All-Star team. The absence of a ''W'' beside his name was only because Florida, after pounding the Braves for 28 runs in two previous series wins, managed to find the plate only on Mike Lowell's 26th homer -- one day after the club did the right thing by announcing it would not trade its best hitter. Lowell and Willis are the best things happening in Marlinville right now, and not necessarily in that order. Willis on the mound Wednesday seemed proper as thousands of small American flags waved in the stands. There is something all-American about Willis' ascension. It could be a sequel to The Natural. He grew up poor in Alameda, Calif., never knowing his father, raised by his mom, whose name (Joyce) he pens underneath the bills of his caps. He honed his unorthodox delivery aiming tennis balls at a strike zone spray-painted onto the side of his house. He is so awed by everything that is happening, he took the No. 7 subway to a recent game against the Mets and took a photograph of Shea Stadium before entering. He walks the aisle of the team's charter on road trips, delivering soft drinks to teammates -- a rookie responsibility he performs without complaint. ''I don't think of myself as phenomenal,'' he said. His record would argue. And so would the crowd and atmosphere Wednesday, when we were a baseball town again, if only for a night.
July 3, 200323 yr The Herald and the Post are being objective, why is the Sun-Sentinel being so negative? I don't understand? This was a wonderful article, that focused on the game and the things that happened. There was a 13 inning loss, there was a baseball town in Miami last night, there were 30,000 people plus there last night, they went to see Willis pitch. Just one question...who wrote this great article.
July 3, 200323 yr Cole is not negative, he is objective. He will point out the truth, if the truth is positive and all the "columnists" can come up with is negative, then there is something wrong with the press down here.
July 3, 200323 yr Pure fluff, but well written. Damn it Fillet, all sports articles are fluff unless they are wire reports about what happened in the game. Why the hell do you always have to call positive, truthful articles "fluff" :angry
July 3, 200323 yr Damn it Fillet, all sports articles are fluff unless they are wire reports about what happened in the game. Why the hell do you always have to call positive, truthful articles "fluff" :angry Why? You are the one that said it... all sports articles are fluff unless they are wire reports about what happened in the game Nothing negative, just saying it's a fluff piece. Fun, entertaining, feel-good stuff, which is good....But fluff nonetheless.
July 3, 200323 yr Why? You are the one that said it... Nothing negative, just saying it's a fluff piece. Fun, entertaining, feel-good stuff, which is good....But fluff nonetheless. Call it whatever you want, but thats the best BASEBALL article I've read in a long time. Cheers to Cole for illustrating a great night of baseball.
July 3, 200323 yr Why? You are the one that said it... Nothing negative, just saying it's a fluff piece. Fun, entertaining, feel-good stuff, which is good....But fluff nonetheless. Call it whatever you want, but thats the best BASEBALL article I've read in a long time. Cheers to Cole for illustrating a great night of baseball. Very true. I think Cole is daring to tell the truth about the reality outside the front office and on the field.
July 3, 200323 yr That was a great article. Maybe Loria should keep fanning out $5K a night for a fireworks show, and make it a 1-man rotation with Willis so people come EVERY night! That really was a packed house. I'm kinda glad I didn't go. I would have been in that walk-up crowd...
July 3, 200323 yr Fun Fact: Dontrelle is scheduled to pitch either on July 18 or 19 against the Cubs.........plus there's a giveaway on saturday. hint hint.
July 3, 200323 yr Random Question: Does anybody know what today is? july the 3rd, my abuela's birthday.
July 3, 200323 yr July Date & Opponent Promotion/Giveaway (Sponsor) For Wed. 7/2 vs. Atlanta Fireworks Kids Opening Day All Fans 7/18 - 7/20 - BILLY'S ALL-STAR WEEKEND Fri. 7/18 vs. Chicago All-Star Poster (Franklin Trade Graphics) All Fans Sat. 7/19 vs. Chicago Floppy Hat Scout Night Photo Day (Walgreens/Fuji Film) 1st 15,000 Fans Sun. 7/20 vs. Chicago Jeff Conine All-Star Game MVP Bobblehead 1st 10,000 Fans Sat. 7/26 vs.Philadelphia Luis Castillo Bobblehead (HEALTHSOUTH) 1st 10,000 Fans ________________________________________________________ I am going to try and go for the Floppy hat night, have to try and get some family to go.
July 3, 200323 yr Actually it's spelled Cote. Greg puts out a decent article once in a while. Hard to read it & not feel good though.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.