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Marlins Missing All-Star Game: Does ASG Miss Them?

By Sean Millerick |
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Jul 10, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) on the bench in the second inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

Mid-Summer Classic Misery Continues For Miami Marlins  

When Dee Gordon dislocated his thumb last Saturday, those that weren’t numb already to the woes of this snake bitten 2015 season had to of finally succumbed. 

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It’s now clear that at some point this off-season, Jeffrey Loria did not “Pay It Forward”, walked under a ladder, broke a mirror on that sumptuous luxury jet that was commissioned for the team, or some other supernatural explanation. Many Friends of the Fish likely had felt that way for all of June.

But the pain for much of the month was being assuaged by the staggering statistics being put up by Gordon and Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton was showing every sign of making a real run at a feat only seen eight times in history, as he was on pace for the prestigious club whose only membership requirement was having clubbed sixty home runs in a season.  Gordon had led baseball in average for much of the season, and was leading in hits.

The Home Run Derby was going to be like watching a video game, and Gordon would surely be standing beside Stanton the next day at the 2015 All-Star Game.

Perhaps there would be no playoff berth this year, but the talent of the team would at least be on display for the nation to see, and fans could feel good for at least a couple days of the lost season.

Of course, as we all know, that’s not how it turned out.  The Miami Marlins will find themselves without a player on the roster for the second time in their history tonight.

Gordon will attend in order to represent the team, while Stanton- who was also scratched from the last Marlin free All-Star Game in 2012- will not.

It’s worth taking a moment to applaud Gordon’s leadership here, and to sweep away any thought that he might be worth trading.  The club needs that kind of presence, presence that it is a bit deflating not to see being exhibited by the face of the franchise.

But if you would like to take the gallows humor approach to feeling better about the lack of Fish on the menu for tonight’s annual offering to the fans, you need only take a look at the Marlins historical track record for the Mid-Summer Classic.

For by doing that, you might find yourself realizing that tonight’s All-Star Game might end up being one of the best in team history.

Let’s start with the caption for the article.  I really hate the device of breaking down the fourth wall and speaking directly to you the reader, seems pompous, but I hope you’ll forgive the breach of etiquette. Many of you likely clicked on this article (thanks by the way) because of the picture of Jose Fernandez.

No, sadly Jose was not a late addition to the roster tonight.  That picture is there to represent what is without question the best performance by a Marlin in an All-Star Game in the last few years

Next: 2006-2016 Marlins' All-Stars

Jul 9, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez (16) delivers a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds during the third inning at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

2011-2015 Marlins’ All-Stars:

  • 2015: Not on the roster
  • 2014: Stanton 0 for 3, Henderson Alvarez DNP
  • 2013: Jose Fernandez 1 IP, no runs, 2 Ks
  • 2012: Not on the roster
  • 2011: Gaby Sanchez 0 for 1

Not a really impressive run of late. But any team can have a dry spell. Let’s look a little deeper into team lore.

Starting to seem like the All-Star Game isn’t really our thing.

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Hanley had an excellent showing at the plate, tying the franchise record for hits in an All-Star Game in ’08. But the four Marlin errors, three by the beloved Uggla, made that game the nadir for the club’s ASG showings.

2010 is the standout here, as Johnson was perfect for two innings, and ex-Marlin manager Joe Girardi lost.

If you ignore the fact he was there because he’d just won a championship, that personnel decision looked entirely justified for a night.

And yes, Hanley did pull down a string of consecutive starts- a team first.

But again, not much of a résumé.

Next: 2002-2005 Marlins' All-Stars

Aug 4, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Former Florida Marlins manger Jack McKeon gets a hug from former second baseman Luis Castillo during the tenth anniversary celebration of the 2003 World Championship before a game against the Cleveland Indian at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

2002-2005 Marlins’ All-Stars

This is an interesting period, as there’s tons of representation.

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Four guys on the roster in ’05, four again in ’04, if you count Trader Jack.

Winning records for three consecutive seasons, with a title to boot. But we’ve also just gone fourteen years without a Marlin knocking in a run, and Lowell and Castillo stand out at the top and bottom of this list for at least crossing the plate.

With three hits and three appearances, Lowell is easily the stand out in this four-year run, and arguably of the whole of 2002 -2010.  Amazing considering that includes four “Cabrera as a Marlin” showings, which even more amazingly never included a start from the future Hall of Famer.

Now I’d love to tell you it’s about to get better, but…

Next: Inception to 2001

Nov 2, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster walks along Boylston Street during the World Series parade and celebration. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Four years, nearly zero stats, though Renteria did manage to score.

But that small victory was dramatically outshone by the fact that in the first post fire-sale All-Star Game, the 1998 NL roster featured five 1997 World Champions that didn’t currently play for Florida.

  • 1997: Moises Alou gets a hit, Kevin Brown scoreless inning, three Marlins in the game, and we win our first title.
  • 1996: Kevin Brown and Al Leiter combine for no runs in effective relief.
  • 1995: The Jeff Conine Game.  All-Star MVP on a winning HR.
  • 1994: Conine DNP
  • 1993: Gary Sheffield 2 for 3, HR, 2 RBI, Bryan Harvey scoreless inning. Plus everything is awesome, we have a baseball team.

Which one of these, doesn’t belong, right? A glorious first foray into All-Star play.

The NL actually won three of these five games. Conine wins the MVP award, while Sheffield turns in the best performance in Marlins All-Star history in their first year.  

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In 1997, no one could have predicted what was to come. But in twenty-two seasons since that first All-Star game with a Marlin, no one has passed Sheff’s tally. And in eighteen seasons since ’97, you’d struggle to find two All-Star games where you were actually pretty satisfied with how your hero played.  It’s been that bleak.

So, there’s that.

Tonight’s conversation pre-game will likely be all about how the guy that, despite missing over two weeks, is still leading baseball in home runs isn’t playing. And neither is the guy leading baseball in hits.

And what a blow that is to the organization, and all the fans that voted.

By not being on the field to make a mistake, any commentary will have to focus on the stats that got them their, which are sterling.  So if you hear any Marlins chatter tonight, it’ll ultimately be positive.

Having two guys voted in is an immense honor, one to be celebrated.  And if you consider the history outlined above, it could well be the Marlin’s finest All-Star Game ever- without even taking the field.

Follow Marlin Maniac on Twitter @MarlinManiac for all your Miami Marlins news, opinion and analysis!

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