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Happy Independence Day! The Miami Marlins are doing something that has only been done in two other seasons. The Fish are doing great this season, getting to 14 games above .500 after beating the Boston Red Sox 2-0 on Thursday. The Miami Marlins were 14 games .500 in 1997 and won the World Series. The Fish then did the exact same thing in the 2003 season. Those were special seasons and what if this season goes the same way?
The Miami Marlins might be having a historic season.
The team you expect doesn't always win the World Series. The 2002 Anaheim Angels were a Wild Card team, behind the 103 win New York Yankees and their division winning the 103 win Oakland Athletics. It was Anaheim who won the pennant and the World Series that season however. The 2008 Philadelphia Phillies were a 92 win team, not as impressive as the 97 win Chicago Cubs. That season also had the 100 win Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the 97 win Tampa Bay Rays. Philly won the World Series.
Who thought that the 90 win NL Wild Card 2011 St. Louis Cardinals would win the World Series? The Philadelphia Phillies won 102 games and the Texas Rangers were a strong 96 win team. There were also the 97 win New York Yankees. It was St. Louis that ended up winning the Fall Classic however. Who expected the 88 win second NL Wild Card San Francisco Giants to win the World Series?
Would you have predicted the 83 win (!) St. Louis Cardinals to win the World Series?! What about the 93 win NL Wild Card Washington Nationals? How about the 88 win 2021 Atlanta Braves? I had to list all of these teams to make it clear that the most obvious team doesn't always win the World Series. It also doesn't mean that the playoffs are a "crapshoot". The fact is that the Miami Marlins have a chance at the playoffs. Good pitching wins championships and if Sandy Alcantara keeps bouncing back, The Fish will be very dangerous in a short series.
The Miami Marlins are a playoff team this season and don't assume a fast exit.