2003 Florida Marlins season
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Florida Marlins
season was a season in American baseball. The Marlins were the National League
Wild Card Winners, the National League Champions, and the World Series
Champions.
winning catcher Iván Rodríguez
. They also traded catcher Charles Johnson and outfielder Preston Wilson
to the Colorado Rockies
for lead-off man Juan Pierre
.
and Mark Redman
, had each endured injuries that season, but Beckett and Redman were able to return to finish the rest of 2003. On May 11, Torborg was fired and replaced with Jack McKeon
, a fiery, 72 year old who began his managerial career in 1973 with the Kansas City Royals.
on September 26, the Marlins clinched their second wildcard in team history, and finishing with an overall record of 91-71.
over the heavily favored defending National League champion San Francisco Giants
. The series ended with a play at the plate with catcher Iván Rodríguez prevailing over Giants first baseman J.T. Snow. Coupled with a perfect throw from Conine and an amazing catch from Rodríguez, Snow was attempting to score by using a football
type bulldozing move, but Ivan held on and the Marlins won, marking the first time that a post-season series ended with the potential tying run being thrown out at home plate.
is arguably the most famous (or infamous, depending on whom you ask) post-season series in MLB
history. On one side, the Florida Marlins, the miracle who, just a few months before, were at the cellar of the NL. On the other side, the Chicago Cubs
, the "lovable losers", who, for the first time in a long time, were so close to victory. The Cubs jumped to a quick 3 games to 1 lead including 2 out of the 3 games in Miami, and were the sure favorites to take the series when it shifted back to Chicago. In Game five, an absolutely stellar performance by Josh Beckett brought the series back to Chicago
, back to Wrigley Field
, where the home team has always had the advantage. With the Cubs needing to win only one game, and having studs Mark Prior
and Kerry Wood
on the hill those two games, most people thought the Marlins hope was over. In Game Six, the Cubs enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 lead with one out in the 8th Inning, when it all fell apart , and the Marlins went on to win the game, tying the series. This was the game of the Steve Bartman incident. In Game Seven, Brad Penny
drove it home for the fish, clinching their second pennant in 6 years.
, the underdog Marlins prevailed over the Yankees
, 4 games to 2. This world series marked the 100th anniversary of the annual event, although due to the strike year of 1994, it was the 99th series played. Josh Beckett was named the World Series MVP.
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
season was a season in American baseball. The Marlins were the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Wild Card Winners, the National League Champions, and the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
Champions.
Offseason
The Marlins pulled off some blockbuster deals during the 2003 off season, the most impressive being that of 10-time Gold GloveGold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
winning catcher Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
. They also traded catcher Charles Johnson and outfielder Preston Wilson
Preston Wilson
Preston James Richard Wilson is a retired professional baseball outfielder. He played in the major leagues from 1998-2007. He is both the nephew and stepson of former New York Mets star Mookie Wilson...
to the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
for lead-off man Juan Pierre
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
.
- November 16, 2002: Charles Johnson was traded by the Florida Marlins with Vic Darensbourg, Pablo Ozuna, and Preston Wilson to the Colorado Rockies for Juan PierreJuan PierreJuan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
, Mike Hampton, and cash (shortly thereafter, Mike Hampton was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Tim SpooneybargerTim SpooneybargerTimothy Floyd Spooneybarger is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He bats and throws right-handed.-Baseball career:...
). - November 12, 2002: Matt TreanorMatt TreanorMatthew Aaron Treanor is an American professional baseball catcher who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball...
was signed as a Free Agent with the Florida Marlins. - January 8, 2003: Todd Hollandsworth was signed as a Free Agent with the Florida Marlins.
- January 28, 2003: Iván Rodríguez signed as a Free Agent with the Florida Marlins.
- February 13, 2003: Al Martin was signed as a Free Agent with the Florida Marlins.
- February 15, 2003: Kevin Millar was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Florida Marlins.
- March 28, 2003: Al Martin was released by the Florida Marlins.
Opening Day starters
- Josh Beckett
- Luis Castillo
- Juan Encarnacion
- Álex González
- Todd Hollandsworth
- Derrek Lee
- Mike Lowell
- Juan Pierre
- Ivan Rodriguez
Sluggish start
Jeff Torborg, the manager at the start of the season, lead the team to a 16-22 start, one of the worst in the league. Adding to that, their three top pitchers A.J. Burnett, Josh BeckettJosh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
and Mark Redman
Mark Redman
Mark Allen Redman is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher.-Early career:...
, had each endured injuries that season, but Beckett and Redman were able to return to finish the rest of 2003. On May 11, Torborg was fired and replaced with Jack McKeon
Jack McKeon
John Aloysius McKeon , nicknamed Trader Jack, is a former Major League Baseball manager. In 2003, he won a World Series with the Florida Marlins...
, a fiery, 72 year old who began his managerial career in 1973 with the Kansas City Royals.
Midseason acquisitions
- Miguel CabreraMiguel CabreraJosé Miguel Cabrera Torres nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
- 3BThird basemanA third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
→ called up from the AA Carolina MudcatsCarolina MudcatsThe Carolina Mudcats are a minor league baseball team based in the eastern suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the Carolina League, are the Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians major-league club beginning in 2012.-History:... - Jeff ConineJeff ConineJeffrey Guy Conine is a former Major League Baseball first baseman/outfielder who played several years with the Florida Marlins. Previously, Conine played with the Kansas City Royals , Florida Marlins , Baltimore Orioles , Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Reds , and New York Mets . He batted and...
- 1BFirst basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
→ acquired from BaltimoreBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in exchange for two minor league players. - Dontrelle WillisDontrelle WillisDontrelle Wayne Willis , nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American professional baseball pitcher. Willis is notable for his success during his first few years in the league and for his unconventional pitching style, which includes a high leg kick and exaggerated twisting away from the batter...
- LHPPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
→ called up from Mudcats. - Ugueth UrbinaUgueth UrbinaUgueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the 1999 season and helped the Florida Marlins win the 2003 World Series...
- RHP → acquired from TexasTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez and two other minor league players. - April 30, 2003: Aaron Small was signed as a Free Agent with the Florida Marlins.
Roster
| 2003 Florida Marlins | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches (pitching) (bullpen) (bench) (third base) (first base) (hitting) |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 144 | 511 | 152 | .297 | 16 | 85 | |
| 1B | Derrek Lee | 155 | 539 | 146 | .271 | 31 | 92 |
| 2B | 152 | 595 | 187 | .314 | 6 | 39 | |
| 3B | Mike Lowell | 130 | 492 | 136 | .276 | 32 | 105 |
| SS | 150 | 528 | 135 | .256 | 18 | 77 | |
| LF | 93 | 228 | 58 | .254 | 3 | 20 | |
| CF | Juan Pierre | 162 | 668 | 204 | .305 | 1 | 41 |
| RF | Juan Encarnacion | 156 | 601 | 162 | .270 | 19 | 94 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | 314 | 84 | .268 | 12 | 62 | |
| 70 | 108 | 21 | .194 | 0 | 8 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|
Postseason
With a 4-3 win over the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
on September 26, the Marlins clinched their second wildcard in team history, and finishing with an overall record of 91-71.
National League Division Series
The Marlins won the Division Series2003 National League Division Series
-San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaIn Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the third the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1–0 Braves. The score remained 1–0...
over the heavily favored defending National League champion San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. The series ended with a play at the plate with catcher Iván Rodríguez prevailing over Giants first baseman J.T. Snow. Coupled with a perfect throw from Conine and an amazing catch from Rodríguez, Snow was attempting to score by using a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
type bulldozing move, but Ivan held on and the Marlins won, marking the first time that a post-season series ended with the potential tying run being thrown out at home plate.
NLCS
The 2003 National League Championship Series2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...
is arguably the most famous (or infamous, depending on whom you ask) post-season series in MLB
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
history. On one side, the Florida Marlins, the miracle who, just a few months before, were at the cellar of the NL. On the other side, the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, the "lovable losers", who, for the first time in a long time, were so close to victory. The Cubs jumped to a quick 3 games to 1 lead including 2 out of the 3 games in Miami, and were the sure favorites to take the series when it shifted back to Chicago. In Game five, an absolutely stellar performance by Josh Beckett brought the series back to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, back to Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, where the home team has always had the advantage. With the Cubs needing to win only one game, and having studs Mark Prior
Mark Prior
Mark William Prior is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2002-2006. His repertoire of pitches includes a low to mid 90s fastball, a curveball, a slurve, and a changeup.-Amateur career:Prior graduated from the...
and Kerry Wood
Kerry Wood
Kerry Lee Wood is a National Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003....
on the hill those two games, most people thought the Marlins hope was over. In Game Six, the Cubs enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 lead with one out in the 8th Inning, when it all fell apart , and the Marlins went on to win the game, tying the series. This was the game of the Steve Bartman incident. In Game Seven, Brad Penny
Brad Penny
Bradley Wayne "Brad" Penny is a Major League starting pitcher. Penny has spent portions of his career with the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers....
drove it home for the fish, clinching their second pennant in 6 years.
2003 World Series
In the World Series2003 World Series
The 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
, the underdog Marlins prevailed over the Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, 4 games to 2. This world series marked the 100th anniversary of the annual event, although due to the strike year of 1994, it was the 99th series played. Josh Beckett was named the World Series MVP.