Miami Marlins Best To Wear Jersey Number Series No. 2: Hanley Ramirez

Sometimes, Miami Marlins fans, the answer is obvious.

Particularly since our metric here since this series first started back in December with A.J. Burnett has been Miami Marlins WAR, this was really easy. For not only is our entrant here at No. 2 the best Marlins WAR holder in this jersey...he's the second best Marlins WAR holder ever (26.9).

Come on down, Hanley Ramirez. Gen Z readers, feel free to hail your king.

Obviously, Giancarlo Stanton (35.9) beats him out there on the strength of his franchise leading home run total and not being horrible defensively. He's the leader in multiple categories. Yet in most cases where Stanton is first, Ramirez is second. Unless you happen to be looking at batting average, offensive WAR, or stolen bases- in which case Ramirez enjoys a significant edge. He's Top 5 in essentiall everything, usually Top 3, and often Top 2.

There's definitely something to be said for that kind of category dominance.

In Miami Marlins franchise history, there have only been ten 20/20 seasons. Ramirez has four of them, had them all in a row, and did so with a .300 or better batting average every time. One of those years, he hit .342 and won the batting title. Another one of those years, he went 30/30. Three of his first five seasons he made the All-Star tram, and the only reason he didn't the first two times was because the Marlins were a losing team that featured Miguel Cabrera doing Miguel Cabrera things.

Going strictly by WAR, you can argue no other Marlins player has had that kind of success for that kind of a stretch. Gary Sheffield had to navigate a couple strike shortened years. Giancarlo Stanton alternated being awesome with being hurt. Miguel Cabrera...was not fast and never hit leadoff? Honestly, his 2004-2007 run probably needs to be included there as well, but there are certainly some style points for averaging 23 HRs and 51 SBs over your first two seasons.

Sentimentally, there's also the fact that Hanley burned brightest for the Marlins. With few exceptions, and I'd argue this is another case of Ramirez looking up only at Stanton, most of Miami's stars only go on to greater heights after leaving. Cabrera, Sheffield, Christian Yelich...those are just a few of many examples. Ramirez, however, aged poorly after being traded. If not immediately in terms of skill then absolutely in terms of staying healthy. Doing his best work in a Marlins uniform undoubtedly counts for a lot with many fans.

That being said, the end of the Ramirez era was an extended rough patch. Near the end of 2009, ultimate gamer Dan Uggla pretty much questioned his desire. In 2010, then manager Fredi Gonzalez suspended him for a game for not playing hard enough. Both Gonzalez and Uggla were gone by the start of the 2011 season. Ramirez remained, had a major injury and played horribly in 2011, only to be followed up by collective train wreck that was the Marlins 2012 experience. Ramirez was traded that summer.

Still, it's impossible to deny his place among Miami Marlins greats.

Honorable mentions here? No one comes to mind...

Kidding, Gen Alpha! With all due respect to Scott Pose, Marty Malloy, and Gorkys Hernandez, the conversation here starts and ends with Jazz Chisholm. The Marlins legend who once boasted he'd record a 9 WAR season here...and finished with just 6.9 WAR across his entire Marlins career. Staying healthy was just never really in the cars for Jazz, at least not until the 2024 season during which he was traded for current Marlins 20/20 threat Agustin Ramirez. When healthy though, he was electric to watch, in a way not seen in these parts since the prime days of the player spotlighted in this article.

Anyway, that's all for this chapter of Marlin Maniac's Best To Wear The Miami Marlins Jersey Number Series. Catch you on Opening Day with the final installment- you'll never guess who gets the nod.