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Florida / Miami Marlins All-Time Top 10 Players

By Kevin Kraczkowski

NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Dontrelle Willis #35 of the Florida Marlins pitches against the New York Yankees on June 25, 2006 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Marlins in the first game of their doubleheader 2-1. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Dontrelle Willis #35 of the Florida Marlins pitches against the New York Yankees on June 25, 2006 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Marlins in the first game of their doubleheader 2-1. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) /
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25 Feb 1997: Pitcher Kevin Brown of the Florida Marlins. /

10. Kevin Brown (14.6)

Kevin Brown was a 6-foot-4, 195. lb. right-handed starter from Milledgeville, GA. Born on March 14th, 1965, he was the first round choice of the Texas Rangers back in the 1986 MLB Amateur Entry Draft, fourth overall off the board. He made his major league debut at the age of 21, starting a single game at the end of the season just three months after the draft. He earned the win, striking out four over five six hit innings and allowing two runs against the Oakland Athletics.

Despite his early debut, Brown didn’t use his rookie-status until the 1989 season. He didn’t appear in the majors in 1987, and started four games in 1988. He eventually posted a 78-64 record in parts of eight seasons with the Rangers, with a 3.81 ERA over 186 starts. He struck out 742 in 1278 2/3 innings, making the all-star team in 1992.

Just before the 1995 campaign, Brown signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Orioles, for whom he posted a 10-9 record with a 3.60 ERA in 26 starts. In late-December that same year, he signed another free agent deal with the Florida Marlins.

Kevin Brown played a 19-season major-league career, and his two seasons with the Marlins were amongst his best. In 1996 he led the National League with a 1.89 ERA over 32 starts, going 16-8 with 159 strikeouts in 233 innings and NL-best marks of a 0.944 WHIP and a 215 ERA+. Even though he also led the NL with three shutouts, he left four additional games with a shutout after completing seven or more innings.  He made his second all-star team and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

In 1997, Brown went 16-8 over 33 starts, striking out 205 in 237 1/3 innings. He registered a 1.180 WHIP and a. 2.69 ERA, making another all-star team. In five playoff starts, he went 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.364 WHIP, but the Marlins won the World Series anyway.

After the season, the Marlins traded Brown to the San Diego Padres for Steve Hoff, Derrek Lee, and Rafael Medina. Brown made the all-star team in his one season with the Padres (18-7, 2.38), later appearing in another two over five seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (58-32, 2.83). He closed out his career after a pair of seasons with the New York Yankees (14-13, 4.95).

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