Miami Marlins All-Time Top 30, No. 30: Livan Hernandez

In honor of the Miami Marlins 30th anniversary, time to countdown the top 30 players in franchise history. First up, at No. 30, Livan Hernandez.

If you’re a Miami Marlins fan old enough to have voted in a general election, there is a good chance you have serious questions about how Livan Hernandez could only be No. 30 on such a list.

Then again, if you’re a Marlins fan whose childhood overlapped with the advent of the social media age, you might be asking yourself just who in the world is this Livan Hernandez guy?

Welcome to the 30th season of Miami Marlins baseball, and my All-Time Top 30 countdown of the best players in franchise history. For starters, this list only considers Marlins WAR, not their career total. Otherwise, the Top 5 would be very different from what it’s going to end up being. Extra credit points were also awarded for winning a championship, as well as major awards. Then, and only then, was there a little input from what essentially passes for “the eye test.”  Ultimately, it was that last part that got Livan on here — the list just felt wrong without him. Well that, and an overwhelming fan vote on Twitter.

Full disclosure, some of this article originally appeared as part of a Top 20 series for the Marlin Maniac site back in February of 2016. Only a few of the player profiles were completed, but the first one in the series was Hernandez. That ranking was based on a ranked choice ballot disseminated to the entire staff (four people) at the time, as well as a couple friends and longtime fans. Further proof that if heart was the only metric being used, Livan blows away much of the competition. And all it took was four simple words:

“I love you Miami.”If he didn’t have us already, he certainly had us then.Eisler Livan Hernandez, No. 61 in your program and No. 1 in the hearts of many Miami baseball fans, kicks off our All-Time [Top 30] series. Fleeing from Cuba in 1995, and signing with the Florida Marlins in 1996, Hernandez would technically debut late that season when rosters expanded in September. And if you didn’t remember that three inning mop-up appearance against the Braves, the two of us are probably in pretty good company.Because it was the next year that got him on this list.Called up for keeps in June of 1997, Livan was quickly embraced by Miami’s Hispanic community, and thrilled fans as he compiled a 9-3 record and 3.18 ERA that was good enough to finish second in the Rookie of the Year voting to some nobody named Scott Rolen.  He’d enter the postseason on a three-game losing streak actually, and found himself in the bullpen to start the playoffs. But starting with a brilliant four innings of relief in Game 2 of the NLDS, he found his stride just in time.

Editor’s Note: You can finish reading the article here.   

Ultimately, Livan’s greatest strength was his ability to keep Miami in games. In his lone full season with the Marlins in 1998, he racked up a franchise record nine complete games. For my money, that’s a record that is never being broken. Throw that in with a dominant 1997 postseason and what he meant to South Florida, and he’s a no brainer addition to the Top 30.

Back next week, with No. 29 on the All-Time Miami Marlins list.