MLB 2015 Postseason Features Many Ex- Miami Marlins

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Sep 14, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) runs back to the dug out after hitting a fly ball in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time in five seasons, October baseball will not be featuring the prolific power of Miguel Cabrera, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer who the Marlins traded in 2007 for six under-performing players to be traded or cut later.

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The playoffs are often a bittersweet time for Miami Marlins’ fans, as not only has the team failed to make the playoffs since their title run in 2003, but they usually get to spend the postseason watching former stars or prospects make their case for why they should have never been let go in the first place.

With Cabrera’s Tigers having been declawed by Kansas City, and Josh Beckett being a year into retirement, the heartache in 2015 is considerably less than it has been in recent memory.

However, there are still plenty of former Fish out their making waves in the current chase for the Fall Classic. Let’s take a quick team by team look, so you can decide either who to root for, or who most lament having lost.

Next: American League

Oct 9, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Sam Dyson fields a ball hit for an infield single by Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Ben Revere (not pictured) in the 8th inning in game two of the ALDS at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

American League

Houston Astros- Hard not to root for these guys. Great story, and one very similar to what we’d like to see happen with the Miami Marlins, in terms of a young group of talent blossoming into a juggernaut. Of course, one of those young stars in an Astros uniform is former Marlin Jake Marisnick. Marisnick went 2 for 4 in their Game 1 win, and put up a stellar defensive season in the OF for the AL Wild card winner. On first glance, this trade feels like a clear miss for the Marlins, who received vertigo-ridden Jared Cosart in return. But based on the MLB ready talent dealt in the deal, you’d have to pick a Marlins Opening Day outfielder you’d rather have Marisnick- who batted .236 this year- start in place of before rushing to judgement. Or, just focus on the fact Colin Moran was also moved in the trade, and feel free to gripe away until Cosart turns in that first 30 start, sub 4.00 ERA season.

Kansas City- That was a lot about the Astros up there. But that’s because they are one of two teams that qualified for the postseason that will regularly be penciling in an ex-Marlin in the lineup card. The Royals will hope to last long enough to bump that tally to three by getting 2B

Omar Infante

back from injury. That said, Infante did lose his job down the stretch in September, and distinguished himself most this season by making a real run at becoming the

least deserving All-Star starter in recent memory

. Great guy, good locker room presence. But if you’d rather he was still with the Fish, bear in mind that if you multiplied the difference between his .220 BA and

Donovan Solano

‘s .189 mark by 3, he’d still have finished twenty points shy of

Dee Gordon

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New York Yankees- Andrew Miller and Nathan Eovaldi are your headliners here. Personally, having Miller off the roster is worth it for no other reason than it has dramatically cut down the number of “if only we still had Cabrera” comments made during the average telecast. Miller has admittedly turned into an above average reliever though since leaving the Marlins, falling into the rare class of being both acquired and dismissed in horribly pointless trades; the only saving grace is that when he was traded, his value was essentially equipment and soda money. Eovaldi meanwhile, despite leading the Yankees in wins, remained Eovaldi as he blended streaks of brilliance and ineptitude all season. The difference for him in the Bronx was that the Yankees have the offense to let a starter earn a win when he gives up three runs or more; Eovaldi did this eight times in 2015.

Texas Rangers- Sam Dyson. Average reliever in his time with the Marlins, and exceptional stopper for the Rangers since being dealt on Deadline Day this season; Dyson has held opponents to an ERA of 1.15 across 31.1 innings of work. Time will tell who won this trade, as it netted (fairly) only low-level talent in return.

Toronto Blue Jays- Obviously this will be the big write-up, considering the mega fire-sale, salary dump of an abomination the Marlins made in 2012. Wait, what’s that? Ah yes, by leaving Mark Buehrle off the postseason roster, the Blue Jays are actually not using any of the talent in that outright theft of the Toronto Blue Jays the Marlins committed when they made that deal. That’s right- no ex-Fish on the Blue Jays roster.

Next: National League

Oct 3, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Chris Coghlan (8) makes a leaping catch on ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Jean Segura (not pictured) in the first inning at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

National League

Chicago Cubs-

Hey, remember this!

Yea, good times.

Chris Coghlan

probably also remembers 2003, as it marked the first time he was drafted by an MLB team. Opting for college instead, three years later he’d be drafted as a Marlin in the first round, and would go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award in 2009. And then he settled comfortably into the career of a middling fourth outfielder, eking his way back to semi-regular status over the past two years with the Cubbies. Since hitting .321 in 2009, he’s hit over .256 twice, never faring better than .281. No trade to assess here either, as he was just released outright after the 2013 season.

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Los Angeles Dodgers- Hey, remember this! It’s an important starting point. With Miggy and the Tigers gone, Dodgers slugger Adrian Gonzalez easily ranks as the most prolific ex-Marlin playing in the 2015 postseason- despite never playing a game in a Marlins uniform. Another former first round pick, this was one was moved in a key deal with the Rangers in 2003 for reliever Ugueth Urbina, in a move that helped Miami secure a 2003 playoff berth and their second championship. Justin Ruggiano and Chris Hatcher also feature on the roster, making this your best bet if going solely on number of Marlins.

New York Mets- Nada. But will go out on a limb and say at least one player on the 40 man roster of this team is a Marlin next year.

Pittsburgh Pirates- Interesting mix of ex-Marlins here, as they feature one of more popular players in team history, as well as one of their biggest busts. Speaking of course of the great Allan James Burnett and Michael Morse. A.J. projects to hang it up after a 17 year career, the first seven of which came in Miami. And then there’s Morse, who did get a hit at some point over the Pirates last nine games. Between what Justin Bour did with more playing time and- more importantly- what Morse did with his playing time, not exactly sorry he’s off both the roster and the books. But A.J. Burnett…. Was always sorry he was allowed to leave; in an emotion many fans can identify with, he never really got along with Jeffrey Loria.

St. Louis Cardinals- All about the bullpen when you take a peak at the future 2015 World Champions in terms of former Fish. On the one hand, there’s the venerable Randy Choate, who will probably still be striking out a fearsome lefty a week decades from now when Julio Franco finally stops playing baseball. Then there’s Steve Cishek, who managed to close only three games for the Marlins this year before closing the door on Mike Redmond‘s career as manager. He had a brief Dysonnesque hot streak after being traded to the Cards for Kyle Barraclough this summer, before settling back into the depressing form that made him expendable this season. Barraclough meanwhile looks as if he could be an affordable fixture for years to come. Then again, Cishek looked the same way in 2012. Relievers are tricky.

Next: Ranking the Playoff Teams

Oct 9, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The benches for the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers clear in the 13th inning in game two of the ALDS at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

My Ranks

So, who am I rooting for? Well it would probably have been Pittsburgh, all outta love for Burnett. And sausage. But factoring in eliminations, here’s my order of preference. No Beckett/Mike Lowell/Kevin Millar level Red Sox love out there, so Marlin presence having little impact on my rankings.

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MLB 2015 Postseason Features Many Ex-Miami Marlins

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