| The start of the 2005 baseball season looked | | | | 2000 against the New York Yankees. This is |
| so promising for the Florida Marlins. They | | | | the type of manager that can bring a certain |
| signed a clutch hitter in Paul LoDuca to a 3 | | | | level of excitement to the team and can bring |
| year contract. Next, they go out an reel in a | | | | in fans to the ballpark. |
| big free agent catch in Carlos Delgado with a | | | | |
| 5 year contract. With this pitching rotation | | | | This now brings me to the second problem. |
| and lineup, the season looked promising. | | | | South Florida may be looking at the final two |
| Everyone was predicting the Florida Marlins | | | | years of seeing the Florida Marlins as their |
| to win their first division title. | | | | baseball team. In 2008, the Florida Marlins |
| | | | will be evicted from Dolphins Stadium at the |
| They got off to a fast start after the first | | | | orders of Wayne Huizenga. 2006 is just |
| month of the season and they just fizzled. | | | | around the corner and there is still no |
| Lackadaisical play and no sense of urgency | | | | stadium deal. The City of Miami is backing |
| among the players. Now in the final two weeks | | | | the Marlins. However, it is the State of |
| of the season, the Marlins have a chance to | | | | Florida that is saying no. I guess the people |
| get into the playoffs as a wildcard and they | | | | in the State government don't care about the |
| are screwing up. "There is so much | | | | economy of South Florida. They must not |
| negativity, it is depressing. Everytime | | | | understand that having this team here brings |
| someone hits a homerun, it turns into a | | | | jobs to the local economy as well as the |
| funeral and we can't recover," says pitcher | | | | state in terms of tourism dollars. |
| A. J. Burnett. | | | | |
| | | | There is still one option that has yet to be |
| So what is the problem? First, I think | | | | explored. That is for the team to go public |
| manager Jack McKeon has lost his touch and | | | | on the stock exchange. Yes, it is possible, |
| there needs to be that managerial change. | | | | as the Orlando Predators of the Arena |
| Part of the problem lies with the players, | | | | Football League have demonstrated. They are |
| but the type of manager that would be needed | | | | listed on the stock exchange under the ticker |
| is one who is an excitable manager and who | | | | symbol PRED. Many companies go public to |
| can bring excitement to the team. The | | | | raise funds. Why not the Florida Marlins? If |
| players, seeing this excitement, can then | | | | Owner Jeffrey Loria and President David |
| feed off of that excitement and raise their | | | | Sampson really and truly care about keeping |
| level play on the field. | | | | the Marlins in South Florida like they have |
| | | | been preaching, then why not look at this |
| One manager that comes to mind that would fit | | | | option? |
| this profile is Bobby Valentine who is | | | | |
| currently managing in Japan. He his a proven | | | | If somebody doesn't get up off their ass and |
| winner. When he was the manager of the New | | | | start doing something, then start saying bye |
| York Mets, he consistently had them in second | | | | bye to the Florida Marlins in South Florida. |
| place. He even got to the World Series in | | | | |