Okay, before this season even started, I said that the Florida Marlins, which could be mistaken for a group of twentysomethings like myself, were going to lose 112 games because of lack of experience.
And I also said that the Marlins were going to look for a new city to call home to because the political leaders in South Florida were not going to foot the money needed to fund for a new baseball-only stadium in Miami.
And I also have said many times this season, that anything can happen in baseball.
Just ask the Florida Marlins.
Going into tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Florida Marlins, a team with a rookie manager in Joe Giradi, a team that is drawing almost the same number of fans you would probably get at Autozone Park, are within shouting distance of the Wild Card lead.
All this after being at one point, 20 games under .500 in April and May.
On last night, what is pretty much on par with the Detroit Tigers’ improbable turnaround season, the Marlins added another chapter to their feel-good story as a pitcher who was just making his 13th start in the big leagues, Anibal Sanchez, threw the majors’ first no-hitter since Randy Johnson on May 18, 2004 against the Atlanta Braves.
In front of 5,500 fans.
Sanchez himself said to the Miami Herald, that he didn’t believe that he had anything special going, until he looked at the scoreboard and saw that there was a zero under the hits column.
And most of his teammates, most notably Dontrelle Wills, didn’t believe anything was happening special until the Marlins rushed out to the field to mob Sanchez after the final out was recorded.
Which goes to show how much experience this kids have.
But after what has happened this season in South Florida, experience is the last thing these Marlins don’t want to hear is the fact that they have no idea what it’s like to be in the big leagues.
After all, they’ve been playing like seasoned veterans this season.
On ESPN Radio this morning, I was reminded that South Florida is not a baseball-crazy part of America like St. Louis or Chicago.
But look what happened in Houston last year and the year before that with the Astros.
There’s a lot of other things to do in Miami.
And the Marlins play in a cavernous stadium.
Which is true.
But will anybody take the time out to realize that the Marlins, in this season of miracles in baseball, will have a shot for their third postseason trip in franchise history?
And they’re doing it with a bunch of twentysomethings like myself who probably haven’t even started shaving?
Well, I have.
Remember, it was not too long ago when a certain writer thought that with a certain girl he had his eye on.
And we know what happened in the end.
