Miami Marlins: Whose Number Should Be the First Retired?

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The Miami Marlins officially entered the league in 1993 along with the Colorado Rockies. During that time, there have been many stars that have played for the Fish. Yet there are still no officially retired team numbers.

Teams retire the numbers of players and coaches to pay respect to their accomplishments and what they brought to the franchise. The New York Yankees have by far the most retired numbers at 21, not counting Jackie Robinson’s #42. The Rockies, Mariners and Blue Jays are all tied for the fewest retired numbers at one apiece.

The Miami Marlins, for having such a short history, have accomplished quite a bit for a franchise. Some of these feats include two World Series championships, five no-hitters, four Rookie of the Year Award winners, seven Gold Glovers, and eight Silver Sluggers. That’s not terrible for a team that has been around for 24 years.

There have also been multiple alumni of the Marlins who have joined the Hall of Fame. These include Ivan Rodriguez (2003), Tim Raines (2002), Mike Piazza (one week in 1998), Tony Perez (managed the Marlins in 2001), and Andre Dawson (1995-1996). However, none of these Hall of Famers joined as Marlins, leaving the team without representation in Cooperstown.

Though there are no retired numbers or Hall of Famers, the Marlins have still put together very good teams in the past. However, they sold these players to other teams for discount rates. Miguel Cabrera is a perfect example.

We will take a look at the top five candidates for having their number retired in the near future.

Mike Lowell

Lowell grew up in Miami, Florida and went to Florida International University. In 1995 Lowell was drafted by the New York Yankees and made his debut with the Yanks in 1998. Before the start of the 1999 season, Lowell was acquired by the then Florida Marlins for Mark Johnson and Ed Yarnall. Lowell made his debut with the Marlins in 1999 after recovering from testicular cancer.

Beginning in 2000, Lowell was thrust into the spotlight as the starting third baseman for the Fish and he did not disappoint. In his first season with full exposure, Lowell slashed .270/.344/.474 with 22 homers and 91 RBI. Lowell went on to appear in three All-Star Games and win a World Series with the Marlins. Among some of Lowell’s accolades were a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award.

Lowell finished his tenure with the Marlins in 2005 after being traded along with Josh Beckett to the Red Sox for a few minor leaguers. Among those the Marlins received were Anibal Sanchez and Hanley Ramirez. As a Marlin Lowell batted .272/.339/.462 and hit 143 home runs, which ranks him fourth in Marlins franchise history. Lowell also currently holds the Marlins’ record for franchise RBI. After continuing an illustrious career in Boston, Lowell retired in 2010.

Luis Castillo

Castillo was signed as a Marlin back in 1992 as an undrafted free agent at the age of 17. After spending five years in the minors, Castillo made it to the big leagues in 1997. Joined alongside Edgar Renteria, the Marlins had the youngest middle infield in National League history. Due to a heel injury, Castillo was not a part of the 1997 Marlins World Series victory. After a dismal start to the 1998 season, Castillo was sent back to the minors for the remainder of the year. From 2000-2005, though, Castillo was the sole second baseman that the Fish utilized.

Castillo finished both the 2000 and 2002 seasons as the stolen base champion of the National League. In 2003 he slashed .314/.381/.397. Castillo played 10 seasons with the Marlins. In those 10 seasons, Castillo won one World Series, made three All-Star appearances, and won three Gold Gloves. Castillo has played in more games than any other Marlin and is the Marlins’ stolen base leader with 281.

Castillo was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 2005, making room for the Marlins to utilize a Rule 5 pick from the Diamondbacks by the name of Dan Uggla. After being released by the Phillies in 2011, Castillo retired from baseball.

Gary Sheffield

Sheffield was one of the better Marlins to ever wear the jersey. Playing for the team from 1993 through 1998, Sheffield had a successful five years with the Marlins. I remember watching Sheffield and his bat-waiving stance as a kid. Growing up in Miami, I always based my stance off of how Sheffield would stand.

Drafted in 1986 by the Milwaukee Brewers, Sheffield was traded to the Padres in 1993. The Florida Marlins acquired “Sheff” in a deal in 1993 that included likely Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman. Sheffield batted .288/.426/.543 during his time with the Marlins and is number seven in franchise home runs. In his short time with the Marlins, Sheffield won a World Series, made two All-Star appearances, and won a Silver Slugger.

Sheffield was sent to the Dodgers in 1998 along with Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, and two others for future Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile. Piazza was traded a week later. After playing for the Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Tigers, and Mets, Sheffield retired in 2009

As of right now, Gary Sheffield is the singular Marlin that has the greatest chance of making it to the Hall of Fame that would be likely to enter as a Marlin. Though there are certain questions of steroid use and BALCO connections that could be clouding that possibility. Finishing with 13.3 percent of the vote in the 2017 election, Sheffield’s Hall of Fame chances stayed alive for another year.

Jeff Conine

Every child has that one baseball player that they grew up imitating in the field. Many kids when I was growing up were idolizing Ken Griffey Jr. While I did stand up straight like him in the batter’s box, I was growing up in South Florida and imitated many of my favorite Marlins. With the upright stance of Griffey, I had the bat wag of Gary Sheffield. When I was in the field, though, I was always Jeff Conine robbing home runs from going over my backyard fence.

Conine is one of the more deserving individuals of having his number retired. The man’s nickname is “Mr. Marlin” for crying out loud. Mr. Marlin was drafted in 1987 by the Kansas City Royals. The Marlins picked Conine as the 22^nd pick in the 1992 expansion draft. 1993 marked Conine’s first full season in the big leagues and he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

Over his eight-year career Conine batted his way to .290/.358/.455. Conine was on the roster both of the times the Marlins won the World Series. Over his almost 20-year career, Mr. Marlin spent eight of those with the Marlins and went to two All-Star games as a Marlin. In 1994 and 1995 Conine was a top-25 vote-getter for MVP. Conine is second in Marlins history in the RBI category with 578 and second in total games played as a Marlin. In both tenures with the Marlins, Conine was granted free agency after the 1999 and 2005 seasons. Mr. Marlin retired from Major League Baseball in 2007.

Jose Fernandez

Very rarely do we see a talent in the major leagues and immediately know that the player is destined for greatness. We see it in players like Mike Trout and Kris Bryant. They make plays that you just stare at in amazement and you find yourself asking, “Did that really just happen?” Jose Fernandez had that kind of flair. I remember watching him pitch and thinking to myself, “There’s a future Hall of Famer.”

Even on his off nights, he still brought amazing stuff to the game. I remember the last time I saw him pitch in person. It was at Tropicana Field against the Rays in October 2015. I was sitting behind home plate a few rows back, just watching in amazement. The Marlins lost that game, but that had no effect on the impression his pitching left on me. I still remember waking up in September of last year and seeing the update that Fernandez had died in a boating accident as reported by ESPN’s James Walker.

Sadness aside, we cannot forget how great of a pitcher he was. Fernandez averaged 11 K/9 and in his two healthy seasons did not have fewer than 12 wins. With a career ERA of 2.58, there is no doubt of the amount of talent that he had.

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Fernandez comes in at number one as he is most likely to have his number retired this year by the Marlins, though there has been no official date provided.

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