Worst of the Worst
A good amount of years ago we came up with our Son Los Marlins 'All-Time' Team. A few things have certainty changed since 2020, the Fish were in the Playoffs a couple times, Sandy Alcantara may or may not have (I mean, it's hard to take out any of those 5) sneaked into our 'All-Time' Rotation (we'll just call it a 6-man staff) following a Cy Young Award in 2022, Tanner Scott for the 'Pen! But for the most part, I'd say that list would stay almost intact.
Marlins X's John Rodriguez had a really cool graphic last week, depicting his Marlins Diamond & Gold Teams, even including a Manager for both.
Seeing as it's FanFest over at the Depot this weekend, where supposedly there will be ex "Alumni Announcements", thought we could have a little fun. Let's pull an episode out of Seinfeld titled "Biazzaro Jerry" and do an opposite list. Obviously talent won't have anything to do with it, as it's just for shits n giggles. So here are the worst players to lace up a pair of cleats in Marlins infamouy.
Ironic that the Player we chose behind the plate was actually Traded for one of the better Catchers in Team History. Jorge Alfaro was a big piece in the Deal that sent All-Star J.T. Realmuto (who in fairness requested a Trade, which doesn't curry much favor round these parts either) to the Phillies. Unfortunately, every Season quickly became worse for Alfaro while wearing a Marlins Uniform, both at the Dish and behind it (how many past balls?). To the point the Fish moved Alfaro to Left Field in 2021 before ultimately moving on all together.
Side note: Christian Bethancourt should be his backup, and would have probably manned the position had it not been the Marlins Off-Season catching acquisition going into a Year they desperately needed a Catcher, was so bad that he didn't even last half the Season before being Released.
Yes, our First Baseman is another Catcher. Miguel Olivo played in just a grand total of 6 games over at First during parts of two different stints as a Marlins Backstop. As a matter of fact, Olivo's production both at the plate (had a pair of 16 home run seasons '06/'07) or behind it (was lauded by Jose Fernandez in 2013 for his guidance) were not the issue. It's how both of those stints ended. Causing a massive brawl in Shea Stadium during the penultimate Game of the Mets infamous Season of 2007, then walking out on the Fish over lack of playing time during the 2013 Campaign.
Though you don't associate Second Base with the Career of Rafael Furcal, it's the only Position the long time Shortstop played for the Marlins. All 9 Games Worth! The pure audacity came recently when during a podcast interview Furcal had this to say about his tenure in South Florida. Kind of shocking words from a guy who was straight up gifted $3 Million Dollars from the Franchise in 2014.
Speaking of gifts, you can view the Fish bringing in Tim Anderson to play Shortstop a year ago as just that. Anderson was inked on a 1 year $5 Million Dollar contract to show absolutely no power or botch a big double-play or 2 late in Games. T.A was released before the All-Star break.
If you've watched any of the Caribbean Series going on right now (Arriba Mexico btw), you've seen a familiar face for Marlins fans in one Isan Diaz playing for Team Puerto Rico. Part of the now very infamous Christian Yelich Trade, Diaz was to be the Marlins Infielder of the future. Derek Jeter and his baseball people couldn't have been more wrong.
Justin Ruggiano truly came out of nowhere in 2012, and in a year full of star players/no results in Miami, had himself by far one of the better Seasons on that Team. That momentum carried over into a starting role in the Outfield in 2013, a year which Ruggiano broke a Club record late in the summer by going 0-42 at the plate, at the time only 4 AB's shy of a Major League record.
Lewis Brinson goes down as the biggest bust as far as prospects are concerned and arguably the worst player in Franchise History solely based on the countless opportunities received wearing a Fish uni. There was 2018, '19, '20 and 2021, all in which Brinson received rep after rep in the Marlins Outfield thanks to being the center piece of the Yelich Trade (Diaz included). Yelich's punk ass had too requested a move from Jeter's Marlins, while 'Sweet Lew' accumulated a NEGATIVE 3.1 WAR combined playing for the hometown Team.
Did somebody say the words and name "worst" & Jeter?! Avisail Garcia signed a 4 Year $53 Million Dollar contract with the Fish just a few months before Jeter exited the Organization. 'Avi' would go on to produce Seasons of -1.1, -0.5, and -0.2 Wins Above Replacement before the Marlins decided to pay him just under $25 Million Dollars of his remaining Contract just to go away, in what goes down as the hands down worst Position Player signing in Team History.
Stay tuned, we got Pitchers on deck.
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