After weathering 1998 to 2002, any season where the Marlins finish above .500 is a success to me. It sounds to me like some of you fans out there are spoiled and feel you deserve championships every season. Yes this year has had its share of disappointments, but with the bullpen they've patched together and lack of depth on the bench its a surprise to me THEY were/are still in contention.

Yeah, we suck this year, eh...

After weathering 1998 to 2002, any season where the Marlins finish above .500 is a success to me. It sounds to me like some of you fans out there are spoiled and feel you deserve championships every season. Yes this year has had its share of disappointments, but with the bullpen they've patched together and lack of depth on the bench its a surprise to me THEY were/are still in contention.

 

I wasnt expecting a title in alot of years and I wasnt expecting them to even repeat when they won it in 2003. I wasnt even expecting them to win the title this year, but to not expect them to make the playoffs with the team we put together? This isnt a share of disappointment, its a couple of loads of it. :thumbdown

Fun to be in the race again this season. 3rd straight year. You realize that when you go thru so many years not being in the race at all. It's great to be one of the few teams alive in mid to late September. Sure, we all want to go to the playoffs and win the title but that's not easy in the slightest. It's important to remember that there are many teams who have been out of it for a long time... call it a dissapointing season if you want but it's another winning season (most likely) something this franchise was not accostumed to just a little time ago.

Well, guys let's accept, although unofficially, that it's pretty much done so this last 8 games can be tolerated. We can watch Andino show what he can do for next year, see Conine and Lenny Harris play possible their final MLB games, see Batman and Superman (Delgado and Cabrera) pad their stats, D-Train and Beckett add one more win (if the bullpen doesn't blow it), and hopefully Jack allow Hermida and Willingham get some ABs so the team can see what they are giving the next manager of this team. Also, consider all of the failed offensive opportunities just icing on the cake for Bill Robinson's departure (That is if Davey Johnson isn't hired); also, the base running mistakes here in combination with Ozzie Guillen's situation in Chicago should give us the chance to have Ozzie back here either as the manager or our 3B coach again.

 

He's the brightest part of all this. We have a fixable situation. The core of our team is young with the exception of a few. How many teams would like to start the offseason knowing that they have LoDuca, Delgado, Castillo, Andino, Cabrera, Hermida, Pierre, Willingham, Willis, Beckett, Vargas, S. Olsen,T. Jones, etc. in their pockets? Just about most of them would.

 

We have a #1 and 2 starter, a strong infield, a solid leadoff hitter (if you think that this year was just an offyear), a guy who may have 40 SVs, one of the best 1-2 power punches in MLB. We have our foundation in place, we just need to fix the rest of the situation.

Even with all the hyped up expectations going into this year, I can't say that this was the worst season in our history. Far from it. I think this was/is a great season. Yes it has been frustrating, and at times monumentally so, but we were in the thick of the playoff hunt the entire year. As a fan that's all I can ask for. Successful playoff runs require luck and we just didn't have that this year.

 

It has been fun to watch this team, because regardless of our postseason outcome, we knew we always had a chance. If we faltered at the end, so what? It's disappointing, yes, but we have a management group that has proved to us since they've acquired the team that they want to field a competetive group of players. We were all wary of Loria and Co. when they first came to South Florida, but at this point I have to say that they have earned my trust. And they will continue to have my trust until they do something to show me otherwise.

 

As Marlins fans, we carry a lot of baggage from that 97 offseason, more than some of us may be conscious of. It's as if a lot of MB.com feels that this year was a last-ditch effort to field a winning team. I don't feel like we had to win this year. The franchise is not lost, and our chances to reach the playoffs again are not forever shot. Like it has been said previously in this thread, we have an outstanding nucleus of players. We have a bunch of guys that make for a very strong foundation to a team. Looking at the past three seasons, our management has done a more-than-admirable job in trying to close the talent gap required to make the playoffs. Their track record shows that once again they will redouble their efforts to field a competetor.

 

So we most likely won't make the playoffs this year. Big deal. We were in it to the end. We have our comitted front office. We have our Dontrelles and our Cabreras and our Delgados. And most importantly, we have next year. So let's go out there for the rest of this season, and show our support for the franchise. Let's wear our jerseys and caps, bring our signs, and go out to Dolphins Stadium. Let's show the team that we appreciate them, and show the front office that their efforts have not gone unnoticed. This is our team ladies and gentlemen, and we our its fans.

It's not that bad. But then again, that may be because I'm also an Orioles fan. :plain

No Way...

 

Sure we have a team that could of made the playoffs

 

Sure we had bad decisions (sorry Jack) in a lot of games

 

Sure our Valdez and AL were BUST

 

Sure our hitting with runners in scoring position was disgusting

 

Sure our run output in general was pathetic...

 

 

BUT was it a terrible season?

 

 

I say not! Molher came through nicely...for the most part Todd Jones was great. We found out that Mota is not really a closer and got answers to many questions.

 

Who here COULD have imagined the year Mikey had?

 

Who here COULD have imagined the year AL had (although more believeable than Mikes)?

 

It's Baseball...and frankly thats what I love about it. If Lowell and the late injuries (LoDuca, Alex) didn't factor...Even with our weakness in the 4th and 5th spots in our rotation and lack of good middle relief...I believe we would be in it (btw we needed GOOD middle relief...when you consider our 4th and 5th starters).

 

GO FISH !!! (ok next year :thumbup )