In an earlier entry, we mentioned that Luis Castillo is one of three Marlins to have won both of the Marlins’ World Series titles, but only one of the three was a starter in both.  That man in Jeff Conine.

Conine would become an original Marlin, taken in the Expansion Draft from Kansas City after appearing in 37 Games for the Royals.   He would become a starter at Leftfield for the Marlins, participating in all 162 Games and finishing third in National League Rookie of the Year voting.  Conine had 174 Hits that year, a career-high, but he was a more complete player over the next two seasons, going to the All-Star Game in both years with .300 years.  Conine belted at least 25 Home Runs in 1995 and 1996, and he was established as one of the better players on the Marlins roster.

1997 was a strange year in Baseball, mainly because the Marlins, a team that was only in existence for four years, winning it all.  Conine had his weakest year to date, but he was a solid part of their championship.  The Marlins unloaded all of their stars, including Conine, who was sent to Kansas City.

Late in the 2003 Season, he was traded back to Florida (this time from Baltimore), and he helped them win their second World Series Title.  Conine played for the Marlins until he rejoined the Orioles as a Free Agent after the 2006 Season.

With the Marlins, Conine had 1,005 Hits, 120 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .290/.358/.455.

A member of the rare 500 Home Run club, Gary Sheffield accomplished that feat over eight teams, with two of them being clubs he had at least 100 HR.  The Marlins were one of those teams.

The Marlins were Sheffield’s third team, and he was traded from San Diego to Florida midway during their expansion season.  Sheffield had the power, speed and average, and he had his best season with the Marlins in 1996.  That year, he smacked 42 Home Runs, 120 RBIs, and led the NL in OBP (.465), OPS (1.090) and OPS+ (189).  Sheffield won the Silver Slugger that year, and was sixth in MVP voting.

Sheffield had a down year in 1997, but it didn’t end that way.  The Marlins shocked everyone by winning the World Series in only their fourth year of existence, with Sheffield hitting a Home Run in every series.  There should have been so much more for Sheffield in South Beach, but right after the Marlins won it all, they went into garage sale mode, with Sheffield being traded during the ’98 season to the Dodgers.

A product of the New York Yankees organization, Mike Lowell made it to the parent club late in 1998, appearing in eight Games.  The loaded Yanks traded Lowell to Miami for three players, and Lowell would become their starter at the hot corner the following year.

Lowell may never have been the elite Third Baseman of the NL, but there was a time where he was in that upper-tier.  He had his first 20 HR year in 2000 and would then have three straight from 2002 to 2004, all of which earned Lowell a trip to the All-Star Game.  His best season as a Marlin was 2003, where he posted career-bests in Home Runs (32), RBIs (105), Slugging (.530) and OPS (.881).  Lowell was a Silver Slugger this year, 11^th in MVP voting, but more importantly, aided Florida in winning their second World Series.

After having a down year offensively in 2005, (though he did win his first and only Gold Glove), Lowell was traded to the Red Sox.  With the Marlins, Lowell produced 965 Hits, 143 Home Runs with a Batting Average of .272.

When Jose Fernandez was 15, he and his mother successfully defected from Cuba (on their fourth attempt) and settled in Florida.  A baseball prodigy, Fernandez would become a First Round Pick in the Amateur Draft in 2011, and two years later, he was a Miami Marlin.

Fernandez wasn't just a rookie with a great story, and he was a phenom who won the National League Rookie of the Year with a 12-6 Record, a 2.19 ERA, and a league-leading 5.8 H/9.  Fernandez had a sub-1.000 WHIP, was an All-Star, and finished third in Cy Young voting, completing one of the most dynamic seasons by a Pitcher under 21.  

Named the youngest Opening Day Pitcher since Dwight Gooden in 1986, Fernandez's second MLB year went off the rails with a torn UCL in May.  Fernandez underwent Tommy John Surgery and returned late in July of 2015.  With an advanced repertoire, Fernandez was an All-Star again in 2016, and by late September, he had 16 Wins and 253 Strikeouts, but tragedy would rear its ugly head.

Fernandez died in a boating accident on September 25, 2016, at the age of 24, ending what could have been one of been a spectacular career.  As it stood, Fernandez left us with what might have been.