I picked the Miami Marlins to win the 2012 World Series.
That is horrible news for Miami fans because I haven't picked a World Series winner correctly since 1999. (Like YOU picked the Cardinals last year!)
But if that does indeed turn out to be a correct pick, some eye popping statements would become true.
If the 2012 Marlins win the World Series, assuming that Ozzie Guillen doesn't get fired in mid season, he would join Tony LaRussa and Sparky Anderson as the only managers to win the World Series in both the National League and the American League. Not bad company.
He would be only the 16th manager over all to take two different teams to the World Series, with such Hall of Famers as Joe McCarthy, Billy Southworth, Dick Williams and Leo Durocher.
Among current managers, he would be alongside Jim Leyland and Bruce Bochy as multi team pennant winners.
Now I don't think he's quite at Cooperstown level yet. But all he would need to do is pad his resume with a few more Division titles. As he stands now, he already has as many World Series titles as Durocher, Earl Weaver and Bobby Cox.
If Ozzie gets to Cooperstown, be prepared to have the seven second delay on his acceptance speech.
How many franchises have won World Series in three consecutive decades?
The Yankees logged in six straight decades (20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's). If they win one this decade, that will be another three in a row.
The Philadelphia A's won in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s.
The St. Louis Cardinals won in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.
The Orioles won in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
And cousin, that is it. If the Marlins win this year, put their name on the Cadillac board.
The Marlins not only broke the hearts of Indians fans in 1997 and Cubs fans in 2003, but as of this writing, they have matched those old franchises in titles. (The Cubs won in 1907 and 1908. The Indians in 1920 and 1948.)
The big market Mets? They only have two. The mighty Phillies? They just have two as well.
A third World Series title would match the total of the Senators/Twins franchise, the Orioles and the Boston/Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves.
Miami fans better realize how good they have it.
If the Marlins win... and eventually the Heat win... and the players see how hot they can get in Miami, then this could be the greatest era in South Florida sports.
Of course they would really love to see Dolphins win, but hey! If three franchises could win it all this decade, it would be quite an era!
And of course a Marlins World Series title could take a little pressure off the Heat and their promised 7 titles!
The F hat and the teal never seemed to fly off the shelves.
So now there is orange, blue, black, white... all sorts of choices.
And that M which is at least one Font Size too big. But if they win it all, that crazy colorful look would be cool.
(Take note Astros and every team that goes for a boring traditional look!)
One reason why the Marlins haven't been able to build a passionate following despite two titles has been the fact that the teams were dismantled so quickly.
That and the fact that they played in a football stadium.
Well the stadium issue has been solved and the stability of the players could be too.
Guess what Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, Gabby Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Logan Morrison, Emilio Bonafacio and Josh Johnson all have in common?
They will all be under 30 NEXT year.
Jose Ceda and Christian Yelich aren't far behind. With the Phillies showing their age and the Nationals and Braves still developing, the Marlins could make a few October trips and have the fans actually remember their names.
It wasn't that long ago that the Marlins were the poster child of small market teams that can't compete.
Now with a new stadium, new stars and a city ready to embrace baseball that stars would want to move to, they could be one of the big market franchises that makes baseball so unfair. (Would that make Jeffrey Loria a great owner or a crook, pocketing that revenue sharing dough?)
With the Mets rudderless, the Cubs many years away and uncertainty (if new optimism) Los Angeles and age creeping up on Philadelphia and a small window open for San Francisco, Miami could become THE big franchise in the National League.
Of course I am getting ahead of myself.
They actually have to WIN the World Series and my prediction will have to come true.
So let's start this season! First pitch in Miami is in a few hours (appropriately enough against the reigning World Champion Cardinals.)
Miami fans. Hope that I am right.
you know...now that I see that logo I think it has many colors, it could have looked much better if few colors were used in the logo, but it is a nice design
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