Most Popular Fish of All Time

Jeff Conine

Mr. Marlin himself, Jeff Conine. Anyone who considers themselves a Marlins fan knows exactly who this legend is. Was he the best player that the Fish ever had? No, not even close. But he was one of the most consistent we had and has continued to work with the franchise even after his retirement.

Conine is the epitome of all that is Marlins. I personally believe that Conine is the best representation of what Marlins fans are. No matter how battered or beaten he was by the franchise, he still returned, he still showed loyalty to the team.

Mr. Marlin was part of the inaugural team and was drafted from the Royal in 1992 expansion draft. I believe that we could say that Conine was arguably the first face of the Marlins franchise. In his rookie season Conine went and batted .292 with 12 long balls and 79 RBIs, not to mention, one of the few bright spots on the dismal inaugural season.

Conine was also part of both World Series Championships in 1997 and 2003 making him the only player to be a part of those two rosters, as well as the inaugural season roster. Mr. Marlin also earned both of his All-Star appearances, including All-Star MVP, as a Marlin.

Much like the rest of the 1997 talent, Conine was sold off. Sent to the Royals in return for a minor league prospect, the fan favorite was gone. However, Conine returned back to the Fish just in time for the second World Series Championship and played a vital role the entire Post-Season.

After retiring, Mr. Marlin signed a one day contract with the Marlins in order to retire in the same city that gave him the opportunity to begin his career.