2003 – Team 103 HR

Lore & Background

The franchise began play as an expansion team in the 1993 season as the Florida Marlins. The Marlins originally played home games at Joe Robbie Stadium, which they shared with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). In 2012, the team moved to LoanDepot Park (then known as Marlins Park), their first exclusive home designed for baseball. As part of an agreement with the park owner, Miami-Dade County, to use the stadium, the franchise changed its name to the Miami Marlins prior to the 2012 season.

Reader's Guide

In 2003, the Marlins finished ten games behind the Braves, but captured the NL wild card. They defeated the Chicago Cubs four games to three in the 2003 National League Championship Series, coming back from a 3–1 deficit. In the 2003 World Series, the Marlins defeated the heavily favored New York Yankees in six games, winning the sixth game in Yankee Stadium. Josh Beckett was named the Most Valuable Player for the series after twirling a five-hit complete-game shutout in Game 6. Skipper Jack McKeon became the oldest manager ever to win a World Series title.

Did You Know?

• The Marlins have the second lowest winning percentage and fewest postseason appearances (four) among active MLB franchises.
• Jeff Conine was the only player to appear for the Marlins in the World Series in both of their championship seasons.
• All four of their playoff appearances came as wild card teams, making them one of two MLB franchises (along with the Colorado Rockies) to have never won a division title.