1997 v. 2003: Left Field

We have already taken a look at the catcher, first base, and second base, third base, and short stop positions. Here is a look at how the current team that you guys have voted on looks like:

Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez
First Base: Derrick Lee
Second Base: Luis Castillo
Short Stop: Edgar Renteria
Third Base: Mike Lowell
Left Field:
Center Field:
Right Field:

Today we will continue on with left field. The left fielder for the 1997 team was Moises Alou. For the 2003 team, it was a little more complicated. Todd Hollandsworth, Jeff Conine, and Miguel Cabrera all split time out there. I had to give the edge to Cabrera because he was the best of the 3 and a star in the playoffs.

Moises Alou signed with the Florida Marlins prior to the 1997 season. Alou had a big season with the Marlins in 1997. Alou hit .292, had 23 home runs, and had a wOBA of .372. Alou was tenth in MVP voting. Alou also had a huge World Series. He led the team with a .321 average and hit 3 home runs. The Marlins would trade Alou after the 1997 to the Houston Astros for Oscar Henriquez, Manuel Barrios and Mark Johnson.

Miguel Cabrera signed with the Marlins as a free agent out of Venezuela. Cabrera rose through the Marlins minor league system with Adrian Gonzalez and Dontrelle Willis. Cabrera along with Willis made their MLB debuts in 2003. They both had a major impact on the Marlins world series run. Cabrera hit a walk-off home run in his first Major League game. In the World Series, Cabrera, who was only 20 years old at the time, got knocked down by a Roger Clemens inside fastball, two pitches later, he belted the Clemens offering into the right field seats. Cabrera was the youngest player to hit cleanup in World Series history.

We will now took a quick look at a comparison of the two players right now statistically:

Player	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	wOBA	WAR
Moises Alou	619	.292	.373	.493	.372	3.6
Miguel Cabrera	346	.268	.325	.468	.335	1.3

Both left fielders are immense talents and are players that nobody will forget when Marlins history is brought up. Moises Alou posted some of the best single seasons statistics in Marlins history in 1997. Cabrera’s numbers in 2003 were not as strong, but his impact was just as strong in the Marlins World Series pursuit.

Please vote on the poll below on who you feel is the Marlins best World Series left fielder.

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