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Miami Marlins: Dan Uggla, baseball’s Scottie Pippen

By Sean Millerick

WASHINGTON - AUGUST 10: Hanley Ramirez #2 of the Florida Marlins is congratulated by Dan Uggla #6 after scoring in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 10, 2010 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - AUGUST 10: Hanley Ramirez #2 of the Florida Marlins is congratulated by Dan Uggla #6 after scoring in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 10, 2010 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) /
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Rightfielder Gary Sheffield of the Florida Marlins (Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule /Allsport)
Rightfielder Gary Sheffield of the Florida Marlins (Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule /Allsport) /

Miami Marlins: Baseball’s Scottie Pippen

Why is it unarguably Uggla for me though?

Tenure is a big part of the story. So no arguments for one-year Marlins wonders Moises Alou or Ivan Rodriguez. Some might suggest Gary Sheffield, who was statistically the second-best hitter in all but two of his Marlins seasons. But I would suggest in turn that Sheffield was widely regarded as Miami’s best hitter since the moment he arrived in South Florida.

Sheffield was the star, the Jordan, in a way Alou and Jeff Conine never were.

Sheffield also was, beyond dispute, the best player on the team in 1996. To be blunt, he was the best player on any NL team in 1996 and wins that award in a landslide if he wasn’t on the Miami Marlins. So he’s definitely out for consideration here, just the same way Hanley Ramirez is despite playing second fiddle to Miguel Cabrera for his first two seasons.

If you eventually take over the No. 1 spot, and not just because the greatest player in the world wanted to play baseball for a year, you’re not eligible.

No, the clear answer is the Miami Marlins All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla. Let’s dive into why.

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