No matter who wins the World Series, the Cleveland Indians or the Florida Marlins, the Marlins have already made history.
What’s such a big deal about those flying fish in the snazzy teal uniforms? Here’s the reel story: The team is only 5 years old. That’s the fastest any expansion team has ever made it to the World Series. (Before this, the 1969 “Miracle Mets” had the record: They made it to the Series in their eighth season and went on to beat the Baltimore Orioles.) And the Marlins are the first wild-card entry to make it to the Series.
When the playoffs started, the Marlins weren’t given much of a chance to even make it through the first round. But they made an impressive sweep of the San Francisco Giants. (The Giants, known for their awesome comebacks, fell down and stayed down!) Then, people thought that surely the Marlins would choke when they faced the defending National League champs, the Atlanta Braves. But the much-feared Atlanta pitching staff couldn’t get the job done; the Marlins continued to make a splash, taking the series four games to two.
Rookie Marlins pitcher Livan Hernandez was a highlight of the Atlanta series. He pitched a magnificent three-hitter in Game 5 to get a win against former Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux. Hernandez was named Most Valuable Player of the National League Championship Series.
If you haven’t watched the Marlins yet, do it! (You might see Muscle Boy, the team’s unof-ficial, 9-year-old mascot, who flexes during the opposing team’s pitching changes.)
