:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/566058/GYI0060117276.jpg)
The Florida Marlins are no more. Long live the Miami Marlins.
As a commemoration this offseason, We've put together an All-Time Top 50 List of players in Florida Marlins history. The list was calculated based on each player's "Wins Above Replacement" statistic. The WAR statistic is a great metric by which to measure players against each other, regardless of position, team, or era. The reason I like the statistic so much is because it can easily pit a pitcher's value against a left fielder, or a designated hitter.
If you weren't able to keep up each day, here it is in all of its glory, as originally posted in December and January.
50. Todd Jones, 2005
Todd Jones started his Major league career with the Houston Astros after being selected in the first round of the 1989 amateur draft. He would later play for the Detroit Tigers, the Minnesota Twins, the Colorado Rockies, the Boston Red Sox, the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies before signing a free agent contract with the Florida Marlins for one season, in 2005.
Jones joined the Marlins with the intent that he would be used as a middle reliever or maybe a setup man. An injury to incumbent closer Guillermo Mota forced him into his more familiar role as a closer. In 68 games that season, Jones posted 40 saves in 45 opportunities for the Marlins, good for fourth in the National League. Although he posted a substandard 1-5 record, his ERA was 2.10 and he only allowed 7.5 hits per nine innings, finishing with a 1.027 WHIP. In his limited time with Florida, he managed to set the Marlins record for consecutive saves converted, with 27. Opposing batters only managed an OPS of .559 for the season.
Jones went back to the Detroit Tigers for three seasons to close out his career, retiring at the age of 40 after the 2008 season. He is also a member of the 300 save club, with 319 on his career, and is eligible for the Hall of Fame beginning in 2013.
49. Chris Volstad, 2008-2011
Volstad was selected by Florida in the first round of the 2005 draft with the 16th overall pick. He made his major league debut with the Marlins in 2008, posting a 2.88 ERA to go along with a 6-4 record. He struck out 52 in 84.1 innings. His ERA and his 8.1 hits allowed per nine innings pitched would have led the team if he had reached the minimum innings pitched.
Volstad has been a mainstay in the Marlins rotation ever since, starting 88 games over the last three seasons.
Volstad posted a 9-13 record and a 5.21 ERA in a disappointing 2009 campaign. In 2010, he rebounded and went 12-9 with a 4.58 ERA as the number three rotation starter.
In September of 2010, Volstad was involved in a bench clearing brawl against the Washington Nationals. According to wikipedia.org,
In the day's previous game, the Nationals' Nyjer Morgan intentionally ran into Marlins' catcher Brett Hayes on a play at home plate where Morgan was called out. Hayes separated his shoulder and it was determined later that night that he would miss the remainder of the season. In Morgan's first at-bat, Volstad threw at Morgan, hitting him. Morgan proceeded to steal two bases when the Marlins had an almost double digit lead, breaking an unwritten rule of ethics in the game. Offended by Morgan once again, Volstad threw another pitch at Morgan in his next at-bat, with it going behind Morgan's back. Morgan quickly charged the mound, despite the fact that Volstad stood nearly a foot taller than him. Morgan's punch at Volstad missed, and Morgan was promptly clotheslined by Marlins' first baseman Gaby Sanchez, resulting in the bench clearing brawl. Volstad was suspended for 6 games because of the incident.
2011 was another substandard season for Volstad, as he finished with a 5-13 record, posting a 4.89 ERA and striking out 117 batters in 165.2 innings pitched.
The 6'8" right-hander has a composite 32-39 record with a 4.59 ERA. In 103 games played, Volstad has walked 204 and struck out 378.
48. Chris Coghlan, 2009-2011
Coghlan was chosen by the Marlins in the first round of the 2006 draft out of the University of Mississippi with the 36th overall pick.
He made his first Major League appearance in May of 2009, hitting a disappointing .245 with two home runs in 56 games for the Marlins through the All-Star break. He would pick up the pace in July, hitting a Major League best .372 through the rest of the season and winning the NL Rookie of the Year honors. He finished the season at .321 with 46 multi-base hits and 47 RBI on the season. He also set the Marlins record for consecutive multi-hit games, with eight.
In 2010, Coghlan was hitting .268 with five home runs and 28 RBI through his first 91 games. What followed was a Gramatica-sized mishap, according to Joe Frisaro, at MLB.com.
During the elation in the aftermath of the Marlins' 5-4 win over the Braves in 11 innings Sunday afternoon at Sun Life Stadium, Chris Coghlan was injured while attempting to smash a shaving-cream pie in the face of Wes Helms, who delivered the walk-off single.
It would turn out that Coghlan had torn his meniscus in the celebration. He would go on the disabled list for the balance of the season.
Coghlan was struggling in 2011 for the Marlins, hitting .230 in 65 games with five home runs and 22 RBI when he was informed that he would be reporting to the Marlins Triple-A affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs. Coghlan instead informed the team of a lingering knee injury that could be affecting his performance at the plate. Instead of a demotion, he would wind up on the DL for the rest of the season.
In three seasons with the Fish, Coghlan has hit .283 with 19 home runs, 25 stolen bases and 97 RBI.
47. Quilvio Veras, 1995-1996
Veras, a second baseman, originally signed an amateur free agent contract with the New York Mets in 1989. After the 1994 season ended, he was traded to the Marlins for Carl Everett. He made his Major League debut with the Marlins in 1995.
In his rookie season, Veras finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting. He led the Major Leagues with 56 stolen bases while hitting .261 in only 124 games. He also walked 80 times against only 68 strikeouts in 538 plate appearances, resulting in a very respectable .384 OBP.
In his second season with the Marlins, Veras had only stolen six bases in 12 attempts over 34 games while hitting .241. He went on the disabled list on May 10th with a hamstring injury, putting him out for six weeks. When he returned in June, he still was not displaying the speed which had allowed him to win the stolen base crown just one year before. He stole two bases in four attempts through his next 39 games, hitting .262 before a demotion sent him to Triple-A affiliate Charlotte in August. He would remain there through the end of the season.
In the offseason, Veras was traded to the San Diego Padres for Dustin Hermanson. He later also payed for the Atlanta Braves.
He finished his Marlins career with a .258 average and 64 stolen bases. He also walked 131 times against 110 strikeouts, resulting in an OBP of .383 for the Fish.
He is currently a roving coach for the Kansas City Royals.
46. Antonio Alfonseca, 1997-2001, 2005
Alfonseca signed an amateur free agent contract with the Montreal Expos in 1989. The Marlins acquired him in the 1993 minor league expansion draft. He would not make his first Major League appearance until 1997.
Affectionately known as "The Octopus," Alfonseca has an extra digit on each hand and foot. The right handed pitcher was used exclusively as a reliever with the Marlins, and was their primary closer from 1999 through 2001.
In his first season, Alfonseca posted a 1-3 record with a 4.91 ERA, a 1.792 WHIP, and 12.6 hits allowed per nine innings pitched. He allowed opponents to hit .324 in 25.2 innings.
1998 saw Alfonseca take on a larger role, as a middle reliever and setup man for the Marlins, he managed to save eight games. He finished the season with a 4-6 record and slightly improved statistics, a 4.08 ERA, a 1.528 WHIP and 9.6 hits allowed per nine innings.
In 1999, Alfonseca took on the role of primary closer for Florida, saving 21 games and finishing with a 4-5 record and a progressive career best of 3.24 ERA.
In 2000, Alfonseca led the NL with 45 saves, posting a 5-6 record with a 4.24 ERA. He was honored with the NL Rolaids Relief award.
2001 marked the first season in which Alfonseca did not finish with a losing record. He finished with a 4-4 record and another career best in ERA, at 3.06.
Just prior to the 2002 season, Alfonseca was traded along with Matt Clement to the Chicago Cubs for Jose Cueto, Ryan Jorgensen, Julian Tavarez and Dontrelle Willis.
He later also played for the Atlanta Braves, the Texas Rangers and the Philadelphia Phillies, appearing in his final Major League Game on September 23, 2007.
He is second on the Marlin's all-time save list, with 102. He compiled a 19-25 record with a 3.86 ERA for Florida in 307 games.
45. Luis Aquino, 1993-1994
Aquino, a right handed pitcher, was originally signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent in 1981, going 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA for the team in a short call-up in 1986.
Traded by the Jays to the Kansas City Royals for Juan Beniquez in 1987, he would make his next Major League appearance in 1988. For parts of five seasons, Aquino was a long and middle reliever, as well as a spot starter for the Royals. In 114 career games for the team, he posted a 22-19 record with a 3.54 ERA. Aquino also appears on the Royals list, coming in at number 80.
The Florida Marlins purchased Aquino's contract from Kansas City just prior to their inaugural 1993 season, making Aquino an original Marlin. He would pitch for two seasons with the team.
In 1993, Aquino compiled a 6-8 record and a 3.42 ERA. He pitched in 38 games, 13 of them starts. In 110.2 innings pitched, he struck out 67.
1994 saw Aquino allow an impressive 6.9 hits per nine innings pitched, posting a 2-1 record and a 3.73 ERA in 50.2 innings.
For his Marlins career, Aquino compiled an 8-9 record over 67 games. He allowed 8.6 hits per nine innings and posted an ERA of 3.51.
Aquino split 1995 between the Montreal Expos and the San Francisco Giants. Released by the Giants before seasons end, Aquino was signed by the Boston Red Sox but never appeared in any games for the team, being released just 18 days later.
44. Braden Looper, 1999-2003
Looper, a right hander, was originally selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 1996 amateur draft with the third overall pick. He made the opening day roster for the Cards in in 1998, posting an 0-1 record in 3.1 innings of relief work through the first nine St. Louis games. He was then sent back to the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals PCL Triple A affiliate, with whom he posted a 2-3 record, allowing 43 hits while in 40.1 innings, striking out 43.
Along with Armando Almanza and Pablo Ozuna, Looper was traded to Florida for shortstop Edgar Renteria after the 1998 season. He would make the 1999 opening day roster for the Fish, and end up pitching 72 games in relief in during his official rookie season. He posted a 3-3 record with a 3.80 ERA in 83 innings pitched.
In 2000, Looper led the team with 73 appearances and posted a 5-1 record wiht a 4.41 ERA. Control was an issue for Looper early in his career, as he posted a 1.589 WHIP and only struck out 29 in 67.1 innings pitched. He also saved his first two games for the Marlins.
2001 saw Looper increase his strikeout rate to 52 in 71 innings while dropping his WHIP to 1.310, as he posted a 3-3 record with a 3.55 ERA while again leading the Marlins pitching staff with 71 games.
In 2002, Looper had an added wrinkle added to his resume, as the Marlins made him their primary closer in mid-July. He would post a progressive career best 3.14 ERA while going 2-5 with 13 saves in an NL fifth best 78 appearances and a career best 1.174 WHIP.
2003 would see Looper retain his role as closer for the Marlins, as he saved 28 games and posted a 6-4 record with a 3.68 ERA in 74 games. He would also be a key figure for Florida in their run to their World Series title that year, going 2-0 with one save in eight postseason games.
Just after helping Florida to their second World Championship, Looper was granted free agency. He would go on to play for the New York Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals before going 14-7 in his final Major League season with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009.
Looper tried out for the Chicago Cubs during spring training in 2011, but voluntarily retired before the start of the season.
43. Omar Infante, 2011
Infante, a second baseman, started his path towards the Major Leagues by signing a free agent contract with the Detroit Tigers in 1999. He initially appeared with the club with a late season call-up in 2002. He hit .333 in 18 games.
Injuries slowed Infante in 2003, his official rookie season. He made the opening day roster, but was limited to 69 games for the Tigers, hitting .222.
Infante continued to play with Detroit through the 2007 season, hitting .254 in 407 games for the Tigers. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs after the season for Jacque Jones, and three weeks later was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with Will Ohman for Jose Ascanio.
Over the next three seasons, Infante appeared in a total of 300 games for the Braves. His batting average was significantly improved over his AL days, as he hit a composite .309 for Atlanta.
Infante was invited to his first All-Star game in 2010 by hitting .321 with eight home runs and 47 RBI. Florida acquired him by trade, also receiving Michael Dunn for first baseman Dan Uggla.
Infante has thus far appeared in 148 games for the Marlins, hitting .276 with 7 home runs and 49 RBI's. His real value lies in his defense, as Infante committed a total of eight errors in 2011, for an excellent .989 fielding percentage.
42. Jorge Cantu, 2008-2010
Cantu originally signed as a 16 year-old free agent with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1998 out of Reynosa, Mexico. He would bounce around the Rays minor league system for six seasons before getting his shot in 2004, hitting .301 in 50 games after a mid-season call up.
Cantu showed Major League power in 2005, hitting 28 homers and 117 RBI while hitting .286 as a regular part of Tampa Bay's lineup, splitting time between second and third base.
Injuries limited Cantu to 107 games in 2006, as he hit a disappointing .249 with only 14 home runs and 62 RBI. After appearing in only 25 games through July of 2007, and hitting .207 with zero home runs, he was traded with Shaun Cumberland and cash to the Cincinnati Reds for Calvin Medlock and Brian Shackelford.
Cantu again underperformed for the Reds, in 27 games only managing one home run while hitting .298. Cincinnati granted his outright release after the season ended. The Marlins signed him off the scrap heap 13 days later for relative peanuts.
Cantu made the opening day roster out of spring training in 2008 when Jose Castillo was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants. He was so impressive during spring training that he was named the Marlins starting third baseman. He also showed his versatility, filling in at third base as needed for the Marlins. He belted a career-high 29 home runs along with 95 RBI, posting a .277 average.
In 2009, Cantu amassed 16 home runs along with 100 RBI, hitting .289, again splitting time between third and first base.
Midway through the 2010 season, Cantu was traded to the Texas Rangers for two minor leaguers. He later played for the San Diego Padres, and is currently in the Colorado Rockies minor league system.
Cantu totalled 55 home runs and 249 RBIs, hitting .278 in 401 games with Florida.
41. Gaby Sanchez, 2008-2011
Gaby Sanchez was selected by the Marlins in the fourth round of the 2005 amateur draft out of the University of Miami where he was primarily a catcher. He made his Major League debut with the team late in 2008, going 3-8 with two doubles in five games. He would return to the minors for more seasoning.
In 2009, Sanchez struggled in spring training, and was sent back to the Marlins AAA affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs of the Pacific Coast League. He was called up in July, and hit .238 in 21 games.
In spring training of 2010, Sanchez was impressive enough to make the parent club as the starting first baseman. In 151 games for the Marlins, he hit .273 with 19 home runs and 85 RBI, finishing fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting.
In 2011, Sanchez was selected to his first All-Star game, the only Marlin represented at the event. He hit .266 and again belted 19 home runs to go along with 78 RBIs that season. His 74 walks were good for eighth most in the NL. He also appeared in a team leading and NL fifth best 159 games.
In 336 games over four seasons, Sanchez has a .269 average with 74 doubles, 40 home runs and 167 RBI. His lifetime fielding percentage at first base is .994, with only 16 errors in 2,590 total chances.
40. Jeremy Hermida, 2005-2009
Jeremy Hermida, a right fielder, was selected by the Marlins in the first round of the 2002 amateur draft with the 11th overall pick. He made his first appearance with the club on the last day of August, 2005. He would stay with the club through the rest of the season, hitting .293 with four home runs in 23 games.
In 2006, Hermida made Florida's opening day roster as the starting right fielder. Although he was slowed by two stints on the DL, he hit .251 in 99 games for the Marlins, hitting five home runs and 28 RBI.
2007 was Hermida's best season with the club, as he set career highs with a .296 batting average, 18 home runs and 63 RBI in 123 games.
He would continue to contribute to the Marlins throughout 2008 and 2009, hitting a combined .253 with 30 home runs and 108 RBI.
He was traded to the Boston Red Sox after the 2009 season for Jose Alvarez and Hunter Jones, and went on to play for the Oakland Athletics, the Cincinnati Reds and most recently with the San Diego Padres.
He totalled 57 home runs and 210 RBI in 516 games for Florida, averaging .265 with a .769 OPS over his five seasons.
39. Carlos Delgado, 2005
Delgado signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1988 as a 16-year old phenom out of Puerto Rico.
The slugger made his Major League debut in 1993, making two plate appearances and catching for the Toronto Blue Jays in the last days of the season. Ultimately, Delgado would spend 12 seasons in Toronto, hitting .282 with 336 home runs and 1,058 RBI in 1,423 games. He earned two all-star selections and three Silver Slugger awards during his years with the Blue Jays.
Granted free agency following the 2004 season, Delgado signed a free agent contract to play for the Florida Marlins.
During 2005, his only season as a Marlin, Delgado played first base and hit .301 with a NL ninth-best 33 home runs and a league fifth-best 115 RBI. His OBP of .399 was the league's third best. Delgado finished '05 having caught the eye of NL MVP voters, who named him sixth in the final count. Florida traded him with cash to the New York Mets for Grant Psomas, Mike Jacobs and Yusmeiro Petit.
Delgado would play his last four Major League seasons with the Mets, hitting 104 home runs and 339 RBI with a .267 average. He was granted free agency following the season.
After recovering from hip surgery, Delgado signed on with the Boston Red Sox, but his rehab was ultimately unsuccessful, and he announced his official retirement on April 13, 2011.
38. Moises Alou, 1997
Alou, an outfielder, was initially selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the1986 amateur draft with the second overall pick.
After appearing in two games for the Pirates in 1990, Alou was traded to the Montreal Expos, with whom he would spend the next five and a half seasons. He joined the Marlins in 1997, just in time for their championship run.
He earned All-Star honors in his single season with Florida, hitting .292 with 23 home runs and 115 RBI, good for ninth-most in the NL.
After hitting just .133 in the NLDS and NLCS, Alou caught fire in the World Series, belting three home runs and nine RBI with a .321 average. He also won the Babe Ruth Award, which is given annually to the World Series MVP by the NY area BBWAA chapter.
Alou is one of very few players who bat without the aid of batting gloves, instead preferring to urinate on his hands during the season to "toughen them up."
He is a member of one of the most prolific baseball families. His father Felipe, cousin Mel Rojas, and uncles Jesus and Matty all enjoyed long careers in Major League baseball.
Alou later went on to play for the Houston Astros, the Chicago Cubs, the San Fransisco Giants and the New York Mets.
37. Al Leiter, 1996-1997, 2005
Al Leiter, a left handed pitcher, was selected by the New York Yankees in the second round of the 1984 amateur draft.
After pitching in parts of three seasons with the Yankees, Leiter joined the Toronto Blue Jays.
Injuries limited him to 15.2 innings over the next four seasons with the club. Once Leiter was healthy, he would go on to make 82 starts for the Jays from 1993 through 1995, posting a 26-24 record with a 4.20 ERA.
In 1996, Leiter joined the Marlins. He pitched his way onto the All-Star roster on the strength of his 16-12 record with a 2.93 ERA and 200 strikeouts. He led the National League with 6.4 hits allowed per nine innings.
His no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on May 11 was the first in Marlins history. He walked two and hit one batter while striking out six as the Marlins cruised to an 11-0 victory at home.
Leiter was also an integral part of the Marlins' first World Series title, helping them on the push to the '97 playoffs with an 11-9 record.
Just prior to the 1998 season, Leiter was traded along with Ralph Millard to the New York Mets for Robert Stratton, A.J. Burnett and Jesus Sanchez.
The lefty would go on to find success with the Mets for seven seasons, posting a 95-67 record before rejoining the Marlins for a spell in 2005. He would finish his career with the Yankees.
He totalled a 30-28 record for Florida with a 4.07 ERA, allowing 7.5 hits per nine innings for the franchise.
Leiter currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the YES Network, the MLB Network, and FOX.
36. Livan Hernandez, 1996-1999
After defecting from Cuba, the 20-year old Hernandez signed an amateur free agent contract with Florida in 1996. He made his Major League debut with the club later that season, pitching three innings of relief.
In Hernandez's official rookie season of 1997, he logged a 9-3 record with a 3.18 ERA. Those numbers were good enough to see him finish second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting, after only allowing 7.6 hits per nine innings. He took home both the NLCS MVP Award and the World Series MVP award, compiling a 4-0 postseason record that year.
Hernandez was the Marlins number one starter in 1998, and he posted a 10-12 record for the team, finishing fifth in the National League in innings pitched with 234.2.
In 1999, Hernandez had posted a 5-9 record with a 4.76 ERA when he was traded to the San Fransisco Giants on July 25th for Nate Bump and Jason Grilli.
Hernandez later played for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Minnesota Twins, the Colorado Rockies and the New York Mets. He rejoined the Nationals midway through the 2009 season, and was granted free agency on October 30, 2011.
For Florida, Hernandez collected a 24-24 record and a 4.39 ERA in 71 games.
35. Bryan Harvey, 1993-1995
Harvey, a right-handed relief pitcher, originally joined the California Angels by signing a free agent contract in 1984. He made his debut with the team in 1987, appearing in three games for the club.
In 1988, Harvey assumed the role of primary closer for the Angels, collecting 17 saves along with a 7-5 record and a 2.13 ERA.
In 1989 and 1990, Harvey continued as closer for the Angels, racking up 50 saves and striking out 160 in 129.1 innings. He was 7-7 with a 3.32 ERA over the two seasons.
Harvey picked up 46 saves in 1991, leading the American League and making his first All-Star team. He was unable to follow that up in 1992, as he spent over half the season on the disabled list. He was left unprotected by the team in the expansion draft of 1993, and the Marlins chose him with the 20th pick.
Harvey was the team's first closer, and he shut the door 45 times on the opposition in Florida's inaugural season by posting an ERA of 1.70 and a 0.841 WHIP. He made his second All-Star appearance, and his first for Florida for his efforts.
1994 saw Harvey open the season with six saves in the month of April, but he was unable to continue the pace, going on the DL for the month of May and most of June. After four appearances near the end of June, he went on the DL again for the rest of the season.
Harvey saw one final appearance with the Marlins on April 28, 1995, but after three batters faced and three runs allowed was taken out of the game. It would be his last appearance for the Florida Marlins.
Harvey spent 1996 signed to the California Angels but did not appear in any major or minor league appearances.
In 1997, Harvey played in the Atlanta Braves minor league system, going a combined 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA. He retired after the season.
Harvey played three seasons with the Fish, going 1-5 with 51 saves and a 2.50 ERA. He struck out 9.4 batters per nine innings and had a WHIP below 1.00.
34. Ivan Rodriguez, 2003
Rodriguez, or "Pudge," has been a Major League catcher for 21 seasons. He is the Major League record holder for games caught, currently 2,427. His career 45.68 percent of runners caught stealing is first among active catchers.
The Texas Rangers signed him to an amateur free agent contract in 1988, when he was only 16 years old. His first Major League appearance was in 1991, and he stayed with the Rangers for the next 12 seasons, winning 10 Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, 10 All-Star game invitations and one AL MVP award. Pudge was granted free agency after the 2002 season, and signed a one-year contract to play with Florida.
In 144 games as Florida's catcher, Pudge hit .297 with 16 home runs and 85 RBI. He was invaluable for the Marlins during the playoffs, as he hit .313 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 17 games, helping the team to their second World Series title.
He was again granted free agency after the season, and signed with the Detroit Tigers. He subsequently played for the New York Yankees, the Houston Astros, again with the Rangers, and is currently with the Washington Nationals.
33. Edgar Renteria, 1996-1998
Renteria, at the time a 15-year old shortstop, signed a free-agent contract with the Marlins in 1992, before the organization had an actual team to field.
He made his debut with the club in May 1996, putting together an impressive rookie campaign which resulted in a second-place finish in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. He hit .309 with 16 stolen bases in 109 games.
In 1997, Renteria continued as the Marlins everyday shortstop, hitting .277 with 52 RBI and finishing in the NL top ten with 32 stolen bases. Later that season, he hit an RBI single off of the Cleveland Indians' Charles Nagy in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the World Series. The hit won the first World Series in Marlins' history.
Renteria made his first All-Star team in 1998 for the Marlins by hitting .282 with an NL fourth best 41 stolen bases.
In 393 games as the Marlins starting shortstop, Renteria hit .288 with 114 RBI and 89 stolen bases.
After the season, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Armando Almanza, Braden Looper and Pablo Ozuna. He has since played for the Boston Red Sox, the Atlanta Braves, the Detroit Tigers, the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds, and is currently a free agent.
32. Juan Pierre, 2003-2005
Pierre, a center fielder, was selected in the 13th round of the 1998 amateur draft by the Colorado Rockies. He made his Major League debut in 2000, and spent three seasons with the Rockies.
Pierre only played in 51 games for Colorado in his rookie season, but hit .310 with 20 RBI and finished sixth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
He led the NL with 46 steals in 2001, and his .327 average put him in the NL top ten. He stole 100 bases for the Rockies over his 359 games with the club. He was traded to the Marlins after the 2002 season along with Mike Hampton and cash for Vic Darensbourg, Charles Johnson, Pablo Ozuna and Preston Wilson.
In his first season with the Marlins, Pierre led the NL with 668 at-bats and 65 stolen bases. He hit .305, and led the Major Leagues with a 5.2 percent strikeout rate.
In 2004, Pierre again led the NL in at-bats, with 678. He also led the NL with 221 hits and 12 triples.
He was traded to the Chicago Cubs after the 2005 season for Sergio Mitre, Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto.
In Pierre's three seasons with the Marlins, he played in all 486 games, hitting .303 with 137 RBI and 167 stolen bases.
He has since played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and is currently with the Chicago White Sox.
31. Devon White, 1996-1997
White, a center fielder, was selected in the sixth round of the 1981 amateur draft by the California Angels. He first appeared with the team in 1985, and spent his first six seasons with the club, winning two Gold Gloves and one All-Star selection.
This was followed by five Gold Glove seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was also an All-Star selectee in 1993.
White was granted free agency following the 1995 season, and signed a three year contract with Florida.
His first season with the Marlins produced a .274 batting average with 17 home runs and 84 RBI.
An injury limited his 1997 season to 74 games, but he recovered in time to assist the Marlins with their first World Series title. White was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 1997 season for career minor league pitcher Jesus Martinez.
White went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers and later for the Milwaukee Brewers. He is currently an outfield coordinator for the Chicago White Sox.
He totaled 23 home runs and 118 RBI, hitting .264 with 35 stolen bases in 220 games over his two seasons in Florida.
30. Ricky Nolasco, 2006-2011
Nolasco was chosen in the fourth round of the 2001 amateur draft by the Chicago Cubs out of Rialto High School, in Rialto, California. After going a combined 42-17 in five seasons of minor league ball for the Cubs organization, he was traded to the Marlins along with Sergio Mitre and Renyel Pinto for Juan Pierre in the 2005 offseason.
Nolasco joined the Marlins rotation in mid-May of 2006, having pitched in relief after making the club out of spring training. He went 11-11 that season with a 4.82 RBI.
2007 saw Nolasco spend most of the season on the DL with a right elbow problem, pitching only 21.1 innings to go with his 1-2 record on the season.
2008 was Nolasco's best season to date. His 15 wins were a career best, as well as his 212.1 innings pitched, his 3.52 ERA and his NL second best 1.102 WHIP. He also ranked in the NL top ten with 186 strikeouts.
Nolasco enjoyed another solid season in 2009, striking out an NL seventh best 195 while compiling a 13-9 record and a 5.06 ERA.
In six Florida seasons, Nolasco has started 148 games, going 64-51 with a 4.50 ERA and 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings. His 786 strikeouts are number one on the All-Time Marlins list. He is currently signed through 2013.
29. Preston Wilson, 1999-2002
Wilson was selected in the first round of the 1992 draft by the New York Mets. A center fielder, Wilson is the stepson of former major leaguer Mookie Wilson.
His major league debut was in 1998, and he was hitting .300 in his first eight games when he was traded along with Geoff Goetz and Ed Yarnall to the Florida Marlins for recently acquired catcher Mike Piazza. He would spend most of the season in the Marlins' minor league system, making an appearance for the club in September, going 2-for-31.
Wilson made the opening day roster out of spring training in 1999, his official rookie season. He would finish second in the voting for NL Rookie of the Year by compiling a .280 average along with 26 home runs and 71 RBIs.
In 2000, Wilson joined the 30/30 club by banging out 31 home runs and swiping 36 bases. He also had 121 RBIs and led the Majors with 187 strikeouts.
In four and a half seasons with the Marlins, Wilson hit .262 with 104 home runs and 329 RBIs and 87 stolen bases.
He was traded with Vic Darensbourg, Charles Johnson and Pablo Ozuna to the Colorado Rockies for Mike Hampton, Juan Pierre and cash.
Wilson would later play for the Washington Nationals, the Houston Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals. He announced his official retirement from Major League baseball on February 14, 2009.
28. Pat Rapp, 1993-1997
Rapp was selected out of the University of Southern Mississippi by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round of the 1989 amateur draft. He made his Major League debut with the club in 1992, posting an 0-2 record.
Left unprotected in the 1992 expansion draft, Rapp went to the Marlins with the 10th pick. In Florida's inaugural 1993 campaign, Rapp joined the rotation in July. He would post a 4-6 record with a 4.02 ERA in 94 innings.
In 1994, Rapp's wins went up while his ERA went down, as he posted a 7-8 record with a 3.85 ERA in 133.1 innings pitched.
1995 was Rapp's best season with the Marlins, as he posted a career best (and NL fifth best) in wins, going 14-7. He also posted a career best in ERA, with 3.44.
Over five seasons with the Fish, Rapp started 115 of 117 games, accumulating a 37-43 record with a 4.18 ERA.
Rapp was traded back to the Giants in mid-1997 for Bobby Rector and Brandon Leese. He later went on to play one season each with the Kansas City Royals, the Boston Red Sox, the Baltimore Orioles and the Anaheim Angels.Hammond, a left-handed pitcher, was drafted out of UAB in the sixth round of the 1986 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, making his first appearance in 1990. He compiled a 14-19 record over parts of three seasons, and was traded to the Marlins for Gary Scott and Hector Carrasco just prior to their inaugural season in 1993.
Hammond posted an 11-12 record with the Marlins that first year with a 4.66 ERA in 191 innings. He also hit two home runs in 63 at bats.
Followed by an injury and strike shortened 1994, Hammond rebounded a bit in 1995, compiling a 3.80 ERA to go with a 9-6 win loss record over 25 games. He finished in the NL top ten in K/9 with 126 strikeouts in 161 innings.
Hammond later played for the Boston Red Sox for one season before rejoining the Marlins for the 1998 season. He retired after going 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA in three starts and struggling with injuries.
In 2002, Hammond came out of retirement to play one season each with the Atlanta Braves, the New York Yankees, the Oakland Athletics and the San Diego Padres. He would rejoin the Reds for the 2006 season. As a reliever, post-retirement, Hammond posted a 20-7 record over five Major League seasons with a 2.93 ERA.
For Florida, Hammond won 29 games against 32 losses to go with his 4.52 ERA. He struck out 332 in 520 innings while walking 171.
26. Mike Redmond, 1998-2004
Redmond, a catcher, signed on with the Marlins as a free agent in 1992. He would earn playing time with the club onwards from 1998.
In four of his seven seasons with the Marlins, Redmond was the Marlins primary catcher. In 1999 and 2002, he finished in the NL top five with a 42 per cent caught stealing against percentage. His career fielding percentage of .9958 ranks second in Major League history for catchers behind Chris Snyder.
In 37 games as a rookie in 1998, Redmond hit .331 in 37 games. He would follow that up in 1999 by batting .302 in 84 games.
Redmond hit over .300 in four different seasons for the Marlins, without ever collecting more than 300 at bats or playing in over 100 games. Never much of a power hitter, he collected 11 home runs in 1,338 at bats for the Fish.
Redmond hit .284 over 485 games with the Marlins. He also played five seasons with the Minnesota Twins before finishing his playing career in 2010 with the Cleveland Indians.
He is currently the manager for the Lansing Lugnuts, a single-A ball team in the Midwest League, and an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
25. Robb Nen, 1993-1997
Nen is one of only 23 Major League pitchers to collect over 300 career saves. He retired in 2004 as the career saves leader for both Florida and San Francisco. He was known for his unorthodox pitching delivery in which he tapped his left toe before starting the windup.
Originally drafted in the 23rd round by the Texas Rangers in 1987 amateur draft, Nen made his debut with the club in 1993. After posting a 6.35 ERA over nine games for Texas, the team traded him along with Kurt Miller to Florida for Cris Carpenter before the end of the season.
Midway through June of 1994, Nen was anointed as the Marlins primary closer, saving 15 games with a 5-5 record and a 2.93 ERA and a 1.086 WHIP
Nen would retain the role in 1995, saving 23 games and striking out 9.3 batters per nine innings pitched and a 3.29 ERA.
1996 saw Nen save a new career high 35 games with a career low 1.95 ERA. He boasted a 5-1 record, a 1.060 WHIP, and 10 strikouts per nine innings pitched. He would also save 35 games during the Marlins run to the World Series in 1997. Nen also went 1-0 with four saves in the postseason for Florida.
After Florida won the World Championship, the Marlins traded him to the San Francisco Giants for Mike Pageler, Mike Villano and Joe Fontenot.
He collected 108 saves with the Marlins through 1997, posting a 20-16 record and a 3.41 ERA and striking out 328 in 314 innings pitched.
Nen went on to save 206 games for the Giants, and is currently still with the team as a Major and Minor League instructor.
24. Mark Kotsay, 1997-2000
Kotsay was drafted by Florida in the first round with the ninth overall pick of the 1996 draft out of Cal State Fullerton. He was also known as "the Human Toaster," for his ability to "toast" runners out at the plate.
Kotsay made his Major League debut with the Marlins in July of 1997, hitting .192 in 14 games before going back to the minors.
His official rookie season was in 1998. He hit .279 with 11 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 154 games for Florida.
2000 was Kotsay's best season with Florida, hitting .298 with 12 home runs and 57 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
In each of his three full seasons with the Marlins, Kotsay led the National League in outfield assists. He collected 55 over his time in Florida. He also hit .280 with 31 home runs and 179 RBI , along with 39 stolen bases during his tenure with the Fish.
Kotsay was traded just prior to the 2001 season along with Cesar Crespo to the San Diego Padres for Omar Ortiz, Matt Clement and Eric Owens.
Kotsay has since spent time with the Oakland A's, the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers.
23. Josh Willingham, 2004-2008
Willingham was selected by Florida out of the University of North Alabama in the 17th round of the 2000 amateur draft. After four seasons of bouncing around the Florida farm system, he made his Major League debut with the club in 2004.
In 2006, Willingham became the Marlins everyday left fielder, making quite an impact on the team by finishing up the season ninth in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting, having hit .277 with 26 home runs and 74 RBI in 142 games.
In 2007, Willingham appeared in 144 games for the Marlins, hitting .265 with 21 home runs and 89 RBI. For a total of three seasons, the right-hander roamed left field for the Marlins. He collected a total of 63 home runs and 219 RBI while hitting .266 in 416 games for Florida.
Willingham was traded along with Scott Olsen to the Washington Nationals for Jake Smolinski, P.J. Dean and Emilio Bonifacio and spent two seasons with the club.
He spent the 2011 season with the Oakland A's, winning the Catfish Hunter award, which honors the A's player whose play on the field and conduct in the clubhouse best exemplifies the courageous, competitive and inspirational spirit demonstrated by the late Hall of Fame pitcher.
Willingham recently signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Twins.
22. Cody Ross, 2006-2010
Early in life, Cody Ross decided he wanted to be a rodeo clown, adjusting his plans when his superior baseball skills became apparent.
The Detroit Tigers drafted Ross in the fourth round of the 1999 draft. After hitting .211 in six games for the Tigers in 2003, Ross didn't make another Major League appearance until 2005.
Ross hit .282 over 44 games with the Dodgers and the Reds before joining the Marlins midway through the 2006 season.
He hit .212 with 11 home runs in 91 games for the Marlins in 2006, playing over 20 games at each of the outfield postions.
Ross improved on his lackluster average in 2007, hitting .335 with 12 home runs. He was limited to only 66 games due to a lingering hamstring injury.
In 2008, Ross finally put together a whole season, hitting .260 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI in 145 games for Florida. 2009 saw Ross continue his productivity, as he hit .270 in 151 games with 24 home runs and 90 RBI.
Midway through another solid season with the Marlins, Ross was waived and picked up by the San Fransisco Giants on August 22. The Marlins simply wanted to save the money, and the Giants picked him up to prevent the San Diego Padres from acquiring him. Ross was upset by the development:
"It’s going to be tough, really tough," Ross said. "People think we’re machines and that we don’t have families and that nothing matters except going out there and getting base hits and hitting home runs but we have emotions. I have a bunch of really good friends in here including a best friend. It’s a sad day."
Ross played all three outfield positions for the Marlins, hitting .265 over five seasons with Florida. He clubbed 80 home runs and collected 297 RBI.
Ross later earned the nickname "Ross the Boss" for his hardnosed play in San Francisco through the end of 2011. He was recently awarded free agency, and is currently unsigned.
21. Brad Penny. 2000-2004
Penny was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth round of the 1996 draft. In 1999, the Diamondbacks sent Penny, along with Abraham Nunez and Vladimir Nunez to the Marlins for Matt Mantei.
Penny made his Major League debut with the Marlins in 2000, posting an 8-7 record and a 4.81 ERA. In 2001, Penny went 10-10 with a 3.69 ERA in 31 games for Florida. His 1.156 WHIP was good for sixth best in the National League.
In the Marlins push to the World Series Championship in 2003, Penny went 14-10 in the regular season, also flashing power at the plate with two home runs. He added three more wins in the playoffs, including two against the AL Champion New York Yankees.
Penny held down his slot in the order for five seasons in Florida, accumulating 48 wins and 42 losses, along with a 4.07 ERA. He struck out more than twice as many batters as he walked, demonstrating control and occasional power.
The Marlins traded Penny, along with Bill Murphy and Hee Seop Choi, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Paul Lo Duca, Juan Encarnacion and Guillermo Mota. He has since played for the Boston Red Sox, the San Francisco Giants, the St. Louis Cardinals and is currently on the Detroit Tigers active roster.
20. Kevin Millar, 1998-2002
Millar signed a free agent contract with the Marlins in 1993. He spent the next five seasons between several minor league teams for Florida, making his Major League debut with the team in 1998, playing in two games.
After 36 games at Marlins' AAA affiliate Calgary, Millar returned to the parent club in May of 1999. He made the most of his opportunity, hitting .285 with 67 RBI over the next 105 games.
Millar remained with the club in 2000, hitting .259 over 123 games. 2001 was his best season with the Marlins. He hit .314 with 20 home runs and 85 RBI. Over his five seasons, Millar played first base, third base, and left field as needed. He totalled 59 home runs and 251 RBI in 500 games, hitting .296.
In 2003, Millar's contract was bought by the Boston Red Sox. He later also played for the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays.
He is currently an analyst with NESN and the MLB network.
19. Carl Pavano, 2002-2004
Pavano was selected in the 13th round of the 1994 draft by the Boston Red Sox. He started his Major League career with the Montreal Expos in 1998, with whom he spent his first four-and-a-half seasons.
Pavano was traded to the Marlins in the middle of the 2002 season along with Graeme Lloyd, Mike Mordecai, Justin Wayne and Donald Levinski for Cliff Floyd, Wilton Guerrero, Claudio Vargas and cash. As a spot starter and long reliever, he posted a 3-2 record in 22 games with a 3.79 ERA.
Over the next two seasons, Pavano was a regular part of the Marlins rotation, making 63 starts (out of 64 total appearances).
2003 saw Pavano post a 12-13 record with a 4.80 ERA. He also went 2-0 over eight games in the playoffs, keeping his ERA below 1.50 and helping the Marlins to their second World Series title.
In 2004, Pavano posted an 18-8 record, his win total good for second best in the NL. His ERA of 3.00 and his 1.174 WHIP were also amongst the NL top 10. He was selected to his first (and thus far only) All-Star appearance for his performance.
In total, Pavano collected 33 wins against 23 losses with a 3.64 ERA.
Starting in 2005, Pavano has played for the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. He recently completed his second season with the Minnesota Twins.
18. Alex Fernandez, 1997-2000
Alex Fernandez pitched for the Miami Hurricanes in college, and was selected as a first team All-American in 1989. The Chicago White Sox selected him with the fourth overall pick of the 1990 draft. Fernandez earned a callup to the Major Leagues later that year, joining the rotation in August and accruing a 5-5 record with a 3.80 ERA over 13 starts.
Over the next six seasons for Chicago, Fernandez made 184 starts (and two relief appearances). He posted an 18-9 record in 1993 and a 16-10 record in 1996. Altogether for the White Sox, Fernandez compiled a 79-63 record with a 3.78 ERA.
Fernandez signed a free agent contract to play with the Marlins prior to the 1997 season. In his first season with the club he posted a 17-12 record for the Marlins, helping them on their way to their first World Series title. He had a 3.59 ERA and a 1.187 WHIP, allowing fewer than eight hits per nine innings. Fernandez sustained a fully torn rotator cuff in losing Game 2 of the National League championship series against Atlanta.
After missing 1998 rehabilitating the injury, Fernandez rejoined the rotation in 1999, posting a 7-8 record and a 3.38 ERA and winning the NL Comeback Player of the Year award.
In three seasons total, Fernandez was 28-24 with a 3.59 ERA. He retired in 2001 after it became apparent that he would not be able to ever regain his pre-injury form.
He is currently a radio broadcaster, and is active in local politics in Miami Beach.
17. Mike Stanton, 2010-2011
Mike Stanton was selected with the Florida Marlins second round pick of the 2007 draft. At the age of 18, in 2008, Stanton led the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League with 39 home runs. He posted an OPS of 1.171 for the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League with 21 home runs in only 53 games.
Stanton's performance was worthy of a call up to the parent club in June of 2010, and hit 22 home runs in 100 games before his 21st birthday. He also struck out 123 times in only 359 at bats, a K-rate of 34.3%.
2011 was Stanton's first full season with Florida. He hit an NL fifth best of 34 home runs along with 87 RBI. He still has to learn a little patience at the plate, as he struck out 166 times, the third highest total in the NL.
Stanton was selected as the Florida Marlins Most Valuable Player in 2011. Hopefully, he will remain in right field for Florida for a few more awards.
16. Anibal Sanchez, 2006-2011
Sanchez started his career by signing a free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2001. After playing exclusively in the Minor Leagues for his first five professional seasons, he was traded from Boston along with Hanley Ramirez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia to Florida for Josh Beckett, Guillermo Mota and Mike Lowell.
To date, Sanchez has spent his entire six season Major League career with Florida. In his 2006 Major League debut, he posted a 10-3 record with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.190 WHIP, finishing ninth in the year-end voting for NL Rookie of the Year.
Sanchez was plagued by injuries for the next three seasons. Between 2007 and 2009, Sanchez started a total of 32 games, collecting eight wins against 14 losses and a 4.56 ERA. His WHIP was an albatross-like 1.628.
2010 would finally see Sanchez put together a complete season for the Marlins. He collected 13 wins for Florida against only 12 losses and a 3.55 ERA over his 32 starts. He also struck out over two batters for each walk.
Sanchez continued to mature in 2011. He struck out a career high 202 batters, good for sixth best in the NL and just over one per inning pitched. He finished the season 8-9 with a better than average 3.67 ERA.
Sanchez projects as the Marlins number three starter for the 2012 season, behind Josh Johnson and Mark Beurhle.
15. Derrek Lee, 1998-2003
The San Diego Padres chose Lee in the first round (14th pick overall) of the 1993 amateur draft. He hit .259 in 22 games in his first Major League action in 1997.
He was traded with Steve Hoff and Rafael Medina to the Marlins for Kevin Brown as part of the 1997 post-postseason fire sale.
In 1998, Lee flashed his first hint of Major League power, clubbing 17 home runs and 74 RBI with a less than stellar .233 average.
After hitting .190 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 46 games, the struggling Lee was optioned to AAA Calgary. As reported in the Palm Beach Post:
``I'm not surprised,'' a shaken Lee said. ``You can't hit .190 and expect something not to happen. It's still disappointing, but I'll be back.''
Lee returned to the club in 2000, and enjoyed his best most productive season to date, hitting .281 with 28 home runs and 70 RBI. He continued to produce in 2001 and 2002, hitting a combined .276 with 48 home runs and 161 RBI.
2003 was his most productive season with the club. He was awarded his first Gold Glove for his work at first base. He also enjoyed career highs with 31 home runs and 92 RBI, stealing 21 bases while hitting .271.
Lee totalled 179 homers and 574 RBI for Florida in 844 games over six seasons.
He was traded to the Chicago Cubs after the Marlins took home their second World Championship in 2003, and later went on to play for the Atlanta Braves and the Baltimore Orioles. He is currently a Pittsburgh Pirate.
14. Josh Beckett, 2001-2005
Florida chose Beckett with the second overall pick in the 1999 amateur draft. After compiling a combined 14-1 record with a 1.54 ERA for two minor league teams in 2001, he earned his first call-up to the parent club. In four September starts, Beckett racked up a 2-2 record with a 1.50 ERA and a 1.042 WHIP, striking out 24 in 24 innings.
2002 would see Beckett join the opening day club as the number five starter. Slowed by injury, Beckett posted a 6-7 record with a 4.10 ERA, striking out 9.4 batters per nine innings pitched.
Beckett would post better numbers in 2003, finishing with a 9-8 record and a 3.04 ERA, again striking out more batters than innings pitched. On the way to the Marlins second World Series Championship, Beckett contributed to the cause, going 2-2 with a 2.11 ERA, striking out almost 10 batters per nine innings in the postseason.
His best season with Florida was 2005, in which he posted a 15-8 record and a 3.38 ERA with a slightly above average WHIP of 1.181.
After the 2005 season, Beckett was traded with Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota to the Boston Red Sox for Jesus Delgado, Harvey Garcia, Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez.
In each of Beckett's four full seasons with the Marlins, he suffered an injury in the month of June. He would have been considerably higher on this list had he been able to avoid the injury bug. He never made 30 starts as a member of the Marlins rotation. By contrast, in four of his six seasons in Boston, Beckett has made at least 30 starts on four occasions, winning three All-Star selections and pitching for 20 wins in 2007, finishing second in the AL Cy Young award voting.
He collected a total record of 41-34, pitching in a total of 106 games for the Marlins, allowing 7.8 hits per nine innings pitched. He is currently signed with the Boston Red Sox through the 2014 season.
13. Charles Johnson, 1994-1998, 2001-2002
Originally, Johnson was chosen by the Montreal Expos with the 10th overall pick of the 1989 amateur draft. Johnson did not sign, electing instead to complete college with the University of Miami. In 1992, Johnson was selected by Florida in the first round (28th overall).
Johnson spent most of the next two seasons in the minors, honing his skills behind the plate and at bat. He made his first appearance with the club in May of 1994, going five for his first 11 at bats with one home run (off of Curt Schilling) in four games.
In 1995, Johnson finished seventh in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, winning his first Gold Glove at the catcher position and hitting 11 home runs and 39 RBI. Not a great hitter, Johnson compensated for his .251 average by being patient, walking 46 times in 315 at bats for a .351 OBP.
In 1996, Johnson won his second Gold Glove, hitting .218 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI.
In the Marlins first World Series Championship season of 1997, Johnson won his third Gold Glove and his first All-Star team while hitting .250 with 19 home runs and 63 RBI and a .347 OBP. Johnson hit .222 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 16 postseason contests for Florida that season.
It looked like Johnson had escaped the great exodus of the 1997 post-postseason, but In the midst of Johnson's fourth consecutive Gold Glove season while with Florida was traded along with Manuel Barrios, Bobby Bonilla, Jim Eisenreich and Gary Sheffield to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile.
Johnson would later play with the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox before rejoining the Marlins for two seasons, starting in 2001.
In 2001, Johnson recieved his second invitation to the All-Star game. He posted a .259 batting average and 18 home runs with 75 RBI.
Johnson later played with the Colorado Rockies and the Tampa Bay Rays. In 587 games for Florida over seven seasons, Johnson hit .241 with 75 home runs and 277 RBI.
12. A.J. Burnett, 1999-2005
Burnett was selected in the eighth round of the 1995 draft by the New York Mets, spending his first three professional seasons in the Mets minor league system. The Mets traded him along with Robert Stratton and Jesus Sanchez for Al Leiter and Ralph Millard.
Burnett would not make his Major League debut until August of 1999, collecting a 4-2 record in his first seven career starts with a 3.48 ERA.
Burnett was sidelined by injuries to start the following season, but joined the team in July and posted a 3-7 record with an unfortunate ERA of 4.79.
On May 12, 2001 Burnett no-hit the San Diego Padres, winning 3-0. His gem was by no means perfect, as he allowed nine walks while striking out seven. In 27 starts that year he compiled an 11-12 record, allowing only 7.5 hits per nine innings, fourth best in the National League.
2002 was Burnett's best season with Florida. He led the NL with five shutouts and with 6.7 hits allowed per nine innings. He struck out 203 in 204.1 innings pitched and posted a 12-9 record with a career best 3.30 ERA.
After a career year in 2002, Burnett was limited by a right elbow ailment to 23 starts over the next two seasons. He came back strong in 2005, posting a 3.44 ERA to go along with his 12-12 record.
He is third on the Marlins All-Time wins list, with a 49-50 record. He posted a 3.73 ERA in 134 games pitched.
Burnett signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays prior to the 2006 season and recently completed his third season as a New York Yankee.
11. Gary Sheffield, 1993-1998
Sheffield was a premiere power hitter for 22 Major League seasons in total. Drafted originally by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round, sixth overall, of the 1986 amateur draft, he played four seasons with the Brewers before arriving in San Diego via trade prior to the 1992 season.
After being invited to his first All-Star appearance and being awarded his first Silver Slugger award in 1992, Sheffield was putting together another All-Star season when the Padres traded him, along with Rich Rodriguez, to the Marlins for Andres Berumen, Trevor Hoffman and Jose Martinez.
Slowed by injuries in 1994 and 1995, Sheffield enjoyed his best Florida season in 1996, finishing second in the NL with 42 home runs and sixth with 120 RBI. He led the league in OBP with a ridiculous .465, having walked a career high 142 times. He also took home his second career Silver Slugger award.
After a 1997 in which Sheffield posted more mortal numbers (.250, 21 home runs, 71 RBI in 135 games), he helped Miami to their first World Series title by hitting .320 with three home runs and seven RBI in the postseason.
Just after the start of the 1998 season, Sheffield was traded along with Manuel Barrios, Bobby Bonilla, Jim Eisenreich and Charles Johnson to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile.
In 558 games, He totaled 122 home runs and 380 RBI with 74 stolen bases for Florida, hitting .288 and walking 1.46 times more than he struck out, showing remarkable patience for a power hitter.
Sheffield went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves, the New York Yankees, the Detroit Tigers and the New York Mets. His 509 career round-trippers rank him 24th All-Time.
10. Kevin Brown, 1996-1997
Brown was originally selected by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 1986 draft, winning his first major-league start and only appearance of the season. He was once selected to the All-Star team and accrued a 78-64 record over eight seasons with the club. He spent 1995 with the Baltimore Orioles and joined Florida as a free agent after the season.
Brown enjoyed All-Star selections in both of his Florida seasons. In 1996, he led the NL with a 1.89 ERA and a 0.944 WHIP, finishing second in the season-ending vote for the NL Cy Young award and posting a 17-11 record along the way.
On June 10, 1997, Brown came within a hit batter of a perfect game, blanking the San Francisco Giants 9-0 while striking out seven. He completed his Marlins career with a 33-19 record and a 2.30 ERA, striking out 364 batters in his 65 starts for the team.
Brown was dealt to the San Diego Padres in the infamous fire sale after the Marlins took home the world championship following the 1997 season. He later played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees.
He currently serves as a baseball coach at Tattnall Square Academy.
9. Jeff Conine, 1993-1997, 2003-2005
Conine, alternatively known as "Niner," "Mr. Marlin" and "Conine the Barbarian," was originally drafted in the 58th round of the 1987 amateur draft by the Kansas City Royals. He appeared in 37 games over two seasons, hitting .252 with 11 RBI. The Marlins picked him up with the 22nd pick of the expansion draft.
Conine appeared in all 162 games in his "official" rookie season with Florida. He hit .292 with 12 home runs and 79 RBI, finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
In each of his next two seasons with the Fish, Conine was an NL All-Star selectee, hitting a combined .310 with 43 home runs and 187 RBI. He was another casualty of the Huizenga-sponsored post-1997 exodus, rejoining the Royals via trade for minor leaguer Blaine Mull.
He later spent four-and-a-half seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, rejoining the Marlins for three seasons starting in 2003.
In eight seasons with Florida, Conine hit 120 home runs and 553 RBI with a .290 average. He finished out his career by rejoining first the Orioles and then the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets and the Cincinnati Reds.
He currently works in the Marlins front office as an assistant to team president David Samson.
8. Dan Uggla, 2006-2010
Dan Uggla, a first baseman, was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round of the 2001 amateur draft. The Marlins picked him up in the Rule 5 draft after the 2005 season.
Uggla was selected to the All-Star team in his rookie season, also finishing third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting. He hit .282 with 27 home runs and 90 RBI.
He would go on to hit at least 30 home runs over each of his next four seasons in Florida. He was selected to play in his second All-Star game in 2008, and he won his first Silver Slugger award in 2010.
The Atlanta Braves would trade Mike Dunn and Omar Infante to the Marlins for Uggla's services after the 2010 season.
He collected 154 home runs over his five Florida seasons and is the team's all-time leader in the category. He hit .263 with 465 RBI in 776 games.
7. Mike Lowell, 1999-2005
Originally, Mike Lowell was drafted in the 20th round of the 1995 draft by the New York Yankees out of Florida International University. He appeared in eight games in 1998 before the Yanks traded him to Florida for Todd Noel, Mark Johnson and Ed Yarnall just prior to the 1999 season.
After starting the season in AAA Calgary, Lowell was called up in late May of 1999. In Lowell's "official" rookie season, he hit .253 in 97 games with 12 home runs and 47 RBI, establishing himself as the Marlins everyday third baseman.
Lowell's numbers improved over the next two seasons, as he hit a combined .277 with 40 home runs and 191 RBI in 286 games at third base.
In 2002, Lowell received his first All-Star invitation, hitting .276 in 160 games, slugging 24 home runs and 92 RBI. 2003 saw him again selected to the All-Star team and also win his first Silver Slugger award, belting a career high 32 home runs with 105 RBI and a .276 average.
Somehow surviving H. Wayne Huizenga's 2003 post-postseason Exodus, Lowell was selected to his third consecutive All-Star team in 2004, hitting .293 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI for the Marlins in 158 games.
Lowell won his first Gold Glove in 2005, but failed to make the All-Star team for the first time in four seasons by posting a career low .236 batting average.
Lowell was traded to the Boston Red Sox after the 2005 season and spent the next five seasons with the club before retiring in 2010.
In 981 games over seven seasons with the Marlins, Lowell hit 143 home runs with 578 RBI, hitting .272.
6. Cliff Floyd, 1997-2002
Cliff Floyd was chosen with 14th overall pick in the first round of the 1991 draft by the Montreal Expos. He made his Major League debut in 1993, and in 1994 finished fifth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting by hitting .281 over 100 games. After four seasons with the Expos, Floyd was traded to the Marlins for Joe Orsulak and Dustin Hermanson just prior to the 1997 season.
Floyd spent his first Marlins season split between the DL, the minors and the big club, hitting .234 in 61 games for the fish. In 1998, Floyd would respond to making the opening day roster with 22 home runs and 27 RBI to go along with a .282 batting average, his career best to date.
His best season with Florida was 2001, when he was selected to his first All-Star game by hitting 31 home runs with career bests of 103 RBI and a .317 batting average.
Floyd was traded in the midst of the 2002 seasons in a seven player deal with his original club, the Montreal Expos.
He totalled 110 round-trippers and 409 RBI, hitting .294 in 637 games over six Florida seasons.
He would later join the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets, the Chicago Cubs, the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Diego Padres.
Floyd is currently a broadcaster with Fox Sports Florida.
5. Dontrelle Willis, 2003-2007
Willis, or "D-Train," was originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the eighth round of the 2000 amateur draft. He joined the Marlins system as a minor leaguer when Chicago traded him along with Jose Cueto, Ryan Jorgensen and Julian Tavares for Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement before the 2002 season.
He joined Florida in 2003, making the All-Star team and winning the NL Rookie-of-the-Year award by posting a 14-6 record and a 3.30 ERA in 27 starts. He struck out eight batters per nine innings pitched and collected a 1.282 WHIP.
After a Sophomore slump saw him post a 10-11 record with an ERA over four in 2004, Willis rebounded in 2005, making his second All-Star team and finishing second in the year ending NL Cy Young award voting. He lead the NL with 22 wins against 10 losses and a 2.63 ERA. He also led the NL with seven complete games and five shutouts.
Willis continued to be a part of the Florida rotation through 2007. After the season ended, he was traded along with Miguel Cabrera to the Detroit Tigers for Dallas Trahern, Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz, Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller and Mike Rabelo.
In total, Willis compiled a 68-54 record in 162 starts over five seasons with the Marlins, and is Florida's career leader in the win column. He struck out 757 in 1,022.2 innings and posted a 3.78 ERA.
Willis has since played for the Detroit Tigers, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cincinnati Reds. He has not enjoyed the same level of success he saw with Florida, posting a 4-15 record over four seasons.
4. Josh Johnson, 2005-2011
Josh Johnson was selected by the Marlins in the fourth round of the 2002 draft, and made his first appearance with the club in September of 2005, posting a 3.65 ERA in 12.1 innings of relief work. He did not figure into any decisions.
In 2006, Johnson made the Marlins opening day roster, posting a 1-2 record with a 3.86 ERA. He joined the rotation starting in May, making regular starts and finishing with a 12-7 record and an ERA of 3.10. He finished fourth in the NL Rookie-of-the-Year voting.
2007 saw Johnson spend the whole season on the DL, minus four starts in June and July, finishing 0-3 with an ERA of 7.47 over 15.2 innings.
A lingering ailment kept Johnson on the sideline through the first half of 2008. Making his debut in July, Johnson ended the season with a 7-1 record and a 3.61 ERA, striking out 77 batters in 87.1 innings pitched.
Johnson managed to stay healthy in 2009, enjoying a career high with 33 starts and making his first All-Star team. He posted a 15-5 record with a 3.23 ERA, finishing in the NL top ten in wins, strikeouts, and WHIP.
2010 was Johnson's best season to date, as he led the NL with a 2.30 ERA, again making the All-Star roster and finishing fifth in the end of the year NL Cy Young Award vote. He went 11-6 in 28 games, striking out in excess of one batter per inning pitched.
Johnson again spent a substanial portion of the 2011 season on the DL, this time with a right shoulder inflammation. In nine games he posted a 3-1 record with a devilishly low 1.64 ERA in 60.1 innings and a WHIP of 0.978.
In total, Johnson has posted a 48-23 record and a 2.98 ERA with a 1.220 WHIP. He has struck out 667 batters in 725.1 innings. When healthy, Johnson is heir apparent to the Florida Marlins number one starting slot.
3. Miguel Cabrera, 2003-2007
Cabrera signed an amateur free-agent contract with Florida in 1999. Making his way up the food chain through the minors. He hit .365 with the AA Carolina MudCats in the first half of 2003, becoming impossible for the Marlins to justify "further seasoning"
He received his first, and so far only call-up in June, posting a .268 average with 12 home runs and 62 RBI in 87 games. His efforts were noticed by the voters in the end of the season Rookie of the Year balloting, as Cabrera finished fifth behind teammate Dontrelle Willis. Following the season, Cabrera hit .265 with four home runs and 12 RBI for Florida on their way to their second World Series title.
Cabrera is skilled in three defensive positions, and he was used substantially at third base and left field throughout his Marlins career.
In 2004, Cabrera played in160 games, hitting .294 with 33 home runs and 112 RBI, making his first All-Star game. 2005 was more of the same, as he again hit 33 home runs, improving his RBI total to 116 and his average to a robust .323, good for third in the National League. He again made the All-Star team, and also took home his first Silver Slugger award.
2006 saw Cabrera finish second in the NL batting average race with a .339. He also hit 26 home runs and 114 RBI, making his third All-Star team and winning his second Silver Slugger award.
In 2007 Cabrera made his fourth consecutive all-star team as a Marlin, hitting .320 with then career bests, 34 home runs and 119 RBI. Following the season, he was traded along with Dontrelle Wills to the Detroit Tigers for Dallas Trahern, Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz, Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller and Mike Rabelo.
Cabrera never hit less than 26 home runs or 112 RBI during his tenure with the Marlins. In 720 games over five seasons, Cabrera hit .313 with 138 home runs and 523 RBI. He has since met similar success with the Detroit Tigers starting in 2008.
2. Luis Castillo, 1996-2005
Luis Castillo signed with Florida as an amateur free agent in 1992 and made his first appearance in 1996. He would split his time over the next three seasons between the Marlins and their minor league feeder clubs, the Portland Sea Dogs and the Charlotte Knights. For the Marlins, Castillo posted a .236 average with 26 RBI and 36 stolen bases over 160 games through those three seasons.
In 1999, Castillo made the opening day roster as the Marlins full-time second baseman. Over 128 games, he hit .302 with 50 stolen bases, good for fourth most in the National League.
2000 would see Castillo lead the NL with 62 stolen bases. He hit an NL fifth best .334. He was also starting to build a reputation as a slick fielding second baseman with excellent range.
In 2001 Castillo slumped a bit, hitting .263 over 134 games with only 33 stolen bases. He would rebound in 2002 by again leading the NL in stolen bases, with 48 along with a .305 batting average. He would also receive his first All-Star invitation.
In 2003, Castillo won his first Gold Glove, was again invited to the All-Star game and for the first time finished the season with more walks (63) than strikeouts (60). It was a trend that would continue (aside from 2006, when he had 56 walks and 58 strikeouts) throughout the rest of his Major League career. He hit .314 with a career high six home runs. He hit .211 with three stolen bases and four RBI in the 2003 postseason for the Marlins, helping them to their second World Series Championship.
2004 would see Castillo continue his mastery of second base, winning his second Gold Glove at the position. He hit .291 in 150 games for Florida that season. He would again receive a Golden Glove in 2005, his third straight at second base, while hitting .301 in only 122 games, earning his third overall All-Star invitation.
He won three Gold Gloves at second base and three All-Star invitations. He also twice led the NL in stolen bases. He holds several Marlins records, including 4,347 at bats, 1,128 games, 281 stolen bases, 675 runs, 1,273 hits and 42 triples. He finished his Marlin career with a .293 average and 271 RBI.
Castillo was traded to the Minnesota Twins following the 2005 season for Scott Tyler and Travis Bowyer, and played with them for the next season and a half. A trade brought him to the New York Mets, where he would play through 2010. He was signed to the Philadelphia Phillies in spring training in 2011, but failed to make the club.
1. Hanley Ramirez, 2006-2011
Ramirez, or "Han Ram," originally signed with the Boston Red Sox as a 17-year-old free agent in 2000. After spending the next five seasons at various levels of the Red Sox minor league system, he debuted with Boston in September of 2005, going hitless in two at bats. He was traded with Jesus Delgado, Harvey Garcia and Anibal Sanchez to the Marlins for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota.
In 2006 Ramirez opened the season as Florida's starting shortstop. He took home the NL Rookie-of-the-Year award, hitting .292 in 158 games for the Marlins. He hit 17 home runs with 59 RBI and stole 51 bases, good for third most in the National League.
2007 would see Ramirez again finish third in the NL with 51 stolen bases. He also increased his other statistics, hitting an NL fifth best .332 average, 29 home runs and 81 RBI. His 212 hits were second most in the league.
In 2008, Ramirez would earn his first All-Star invitation by hitting .301 with a career high 33 home runs, 67 RBI, and a league leading 125 runs. He would also take home his first Silver Slugger award.
2009 was his best season yet, finishing second in the NL MVP vote by leading the NL with a .342 average, hitting 24 home runs and 106 RBI. He won his second consecutive Silver Slugger and was again an All-Star selectee.
2010 was just another day at the office for an All-Star shortstop. Ramirez hit .300 for the fourth consecutive season and was selected to his third consecutive All-Star game.
2011 would see Ramirez struggle through injuries which limited his playing time and performance. He finished with a career low .243 average with only 10 home runs and 45 RBI with 20 stolen bases in 92 games.
Florida acquired another All-Star, base stealing, batting average champion shortstop in the 2011 offseason in former New York Met, Jose Reyes. After some initial friction on the subject, Ramirez has stated a willingness to do whatever it takes to help Florida win, namely, move to third base.
In 850 games for Florida, Ramirez has a career .306 average, second to Miguel Cabrera's .313. He has slugged 134 home runs with 434 RBI. He is also second on Florida's All-Time stolen bases list, with 216, and finished in the NL top ten in stolen bases in each of his first five seasons. He is currently signed with Florida through 2014.