3 Biggest one-hit wonders in Miami Marlins history

Three players who had only one great season for The Fish

Mike Jacobs
Mike Jacobs / John Capella/Sports Imagery/GettyImages
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The Miami Marlins/Florida Marlins had quite a few players who had great seasons, but there were some who never replicated that success. I'm avoiding players who had injuries, tragic events or lack of multiple seasons get in the way. I'm strictly focusing on players who had multiple seasons on the team, but only had one great/very good one.

The Miami Marlins/Florida Marlins had three on-hit wonders in the team's history...

3. CF PRESTON WILSON

The list starts with CF Preston Wilson. Wilson played on the then Florida Marlins from 1998 to 2002. Wilson was part of a blockbuster trade, that also involved the division rival New York Mets on May 22, 1998. He was traded just 4 years later to the Colorado Rockies on November 16, 2002. How did Preston do on The Fish?

Preston Wilson debuted with the then Florida Marlins in 1998. He batted .065/.194/.161, with a home run and an RBI in 14 games and 31 AB. He was worth an atrocious -0.5 WAR for that "cup of coffee". In 1999, he batted a much improved .280/.350/.502 with 26 home runs and 71 RBI, in 149 games and 482 AB. He was worth just 0.6 WAR for that performance. The 2000 season would see him have that big season.

In 2000, Wilson batted .264/.331/.486, with 31 home runs and 121 RBI in 161 games and 605 AB. This was a breakout season for the slugger, who was worth 2.0 WAR for that performance. This was his best season with the team. 2001 wasn't a bad season for him, as he batted .274/.331/.494 with 23 home runs and 71 RBI, in 123 games and 468 AB. While he was worth an improved 2.8 WAR, he didn't have a big year counting stats wise.

Preston Wilson's final season with the Marlins came in 2002, when he batted .243/.329/.429, with 23 home runs and 65 RBI, in 141 games and 510 AB. He was worth 1.4 WAR for that season. That turned into his final season on the team. 2000 was his sole big season on The Fish, as otherwise he was unable to truly put everything together again.

NEXT: A CY YOUNG WINNER

2. SP DONTRELLE WILLIS

It almost feels wrong to say this about the former Cy Young contender and 2003 World Series winner. Willis pitched for the then Florida Marlins from 2003 to 2007. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs as a prospect in 2000, he would later be traded to the Detroit Tigers in the worst trade in franchise history.

Dontrelle Willis debuted in that World Series winning season, with a solid 3.30 ERA/3.45 FIP, with 8.0 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 27 games and 160.2 innings pitched. It was a solid debut, but he unraveled in the playoffs, with a terrible 8.53 ERA in 7 games and 12.2 innings pitched. Willis was more of a mid-rotation starter in 2004. That season, he produced a 4.02 ERA/4.01 FIP, with 6.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9, in 32 games and 197.0 innings pitched.

2005 was the best season of Dontrelle Willis's career, he produced a 2.63 EA/2.99 FIP, with 6.5 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9, in 34 games and 236.1 innings pitched. He was worth an amazing 7.3 WAR. He even won 22 games, though pitcher wins are a terrible statistic.

Willis was never the same after that season, delivering a 4.49 ERA/4.70 FIP, with 6.4 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9, in 69 games and 428.2 innings pitched. That 2005 season was one for the record books, but sadly the rest of his career was not.

NEXT: A HOME RUN MACHINE

1. 1B MIKE JACOBS

Perhaps the most clear one-hit wonder, Mike Jacobs played for the then Florida Marlins from 2006-2008. He was acquired as a prospect from the New York Mets on November 24, 2005. The Fish traded him to the Kansas City Royals on October 31, 2008 in what was at that point more of a dump.

Mike Jacobs debuted in 2006 with a .262/.325/.473 batting line, with 20 home runs and 77 RBI in 136 games and 469 AB. It looked like a promising debut, though he was actually worth just -2.9 WAR for his career. The reason why he is on that list is his big 2008 season.

How did Mike Jacobs do in 2007? He batted .265/.317/.458, with 17 home runs and 54 RBI, in 114 games and 426 AB. It was the aforementioned 2008 season that pu him on this list. He batted .247/.299/.514, with 32 home runs and 93 RBI, n 141 games and 477 AB.

Mike Jacobs struggled with strikeouts, getting on base, hitting for contact and defensively. That said, he had that 30 homer season that was a pretty big deal at the time. He never repeated that performance and in fact was out of the Major Leagues by the 2012 season.

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