Miami Marlins: Just who Is playoff Michael Jordan for the ‘Fish’?

Josh Beckett – Period.

Okay, so the answer for most dominant Miami Marlins playoff performer was probably pretty predictable. It has to be Josh Beckett.

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And the best explanation for that is the fact picking which 2003 playoff performance of Beckett’s to put up here against Jordan’s sixty-three point barrage was actually the hardest part of this whole exercise. Four of his 2003 postseason starts make the shortlist for all-time Marlins dominance. Two of those easily surpass Livan’s Game 5 gem, and a case exists for arguing for all four of them do so.

But the easy answer is Beckett’s very own Game 5 NLCS performance against the Chicago Cubs.

Expecting a different answer, weren’t you? Yes, Beckett’s Game 6 effort in the World Series was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen on a baseball diamond. No, I didn’t just pick this because it beautifully matched up with another Chicago sports team. Or, as pointed out above, for the symmetry of Hernandez doing the same thing in the same game of the same round.

It’s not even entirely because Beckett’s Game 5 was a do or die affair. After all, Michael Jordan actually lost that sixty-three point game this whole thing is based on. So winning can’t be the whole story. It does help though. The Marlins could have lost Game 5 of the 1997 NLCS or even Game 6 of the 2003 WS, and still had other chances. Not so when Beckett took the mound down 3-1 and facing seeming certain elimination.

His line that day, back against the wall. Just a mere 9 IP, 2 H, 11 K. That’s right, a complete-game shutout. Three hits and two strikeouts better than his CG shutout in the Series, and without a safety net.

When it comes to Miami Marlins playoff excellence, maybe no one was ever quite like Mike. But I’m certain no one else was ever close to being like Josh.