The Marlins are going! The Marlins are going!

Well, it looks like what has been is again. The Florida Marlins who after winning the 1997 World Series collapsed their team and had a team that won less than 60 games the next year. This time they won the World Series and are now beginning the dismantling, although two years later, and in a completely different manner.

The first time around was shock and awe. It was completely blindsiding and disheartening. This time the blame has to be put in large part on we the fans. Dan Lebatard has an excellent column on this at the Miami Herald page.

The current ownership group led by Jeffrey Loria and president David Sampson, have from day 1 said they would put a competitive team on the field. In fact at one of the first "town meetings" with season ticket holders Mr. Loria was asked if the Marlins were in it would they bring in talent to shore up the team at the trading deadline if they had a shot at the playoffs. In 2003 they brought in Ugueth Urbina(another Venezuelan), and helped lead them to the title and shore up a shaky bullpen along with Chad Fox who was also brought in. They won the World Series and didn't stop there, stock piling talent, signing Mike Lowell to a long term contract, giving should be Gold Glove shortstop Alex Gonzalez an extension (which just ran out), and then last year the biggest coup signing first baseman Carlos Delgado to a 4 year $52 million deal. Yet despite all that, the fans did not come.

Last year we finished 3rd from the bottom ahead of only KC and Tampa Bay in attendance, both of whom had losing records unlike the Marlins who were in the hunt for the wild card until the final weeks of the season (and had their 3rd winning season in a row). In their inaugural year the Marlins drew over 3 million fans, last year at home they drew just over 1.8 million an average of 22,792 for their 80 home dates.

So frankly we shouldn't be surprised as a fan base when we get the headlines, Beckett and Lowell gone, Delgado to the Mets, and the ones that are sure to come in the future regarding everyone from Juan Pierre to Luis Castillo to Paul LoDuca and who knows who else. We have recieved some great prospects which is exciting after all it was the firesale of 1998 that got us the champs of 2003.

So, to Hanley Ramirez, Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit, Anibal Sanchez and Jesus Delgado, the last 3 are some of the most promsing pitchers in minor league baseball, welcome to Miami. These are grade A prospects, who like Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera were relatively unknown, but went on to make a great impact. Petit another Venezuelan will get the chance to join countryman Miguel Cabrera on the regular lineup instead of seasoning or languishing depending on your perspective some more in the minor leagues.

So the bottom line, we deserved these trades, we have not supported the Marlins as a community in the way they deserve(except in the playoffs). Even me I was a season ticket holder but gave them up after 2004 and didn't see one game in person this year. So I will live with this and am excited about the future of the Marlins, which contrary to reports that they will be leaving, I think they will stick around, someway, somehow the ball park will get done and the Marlins will be in Miami for generations to enjoy, attendance will improve with the ball park and kids will continue to go with their fathers to the "old ballgame". Though next year might be a little rough.

On a more serious note I want to wish everybody a very Happy Thanksgiving!