ANGLER UP:

Fish Fry: Why Marlins fans should root for the Yankees. (Sam Eifling, October 17, 2003, Slate)

Where the Cubs and Red Sox are cursed with never winning the big game, the Marlins are cursed with never losing it. In playoff series, Florida is now 5-0 all-time, and I use that term loosely, considering the franchise started playing way back in 1993. Another title would be the second in six years. They've never lost a deciding game, never watched anyone but their Scrooge ex-owner rip out their guts. These are formative experiences for any fortified fan, and their absence is the No. 2 reason, behind that nefarious fire sale, why a recent World Series champion playing in the middle of 5 million people (including almost 2 million of Hispanic origin, many of whom serenade the team with that haunting "Maaaar-leeeeen" call) drew only 16,290 fans a game this season, third-lowest in the majors. (It was, however, a 60 percent increase from 2002.) Another World Series win, and what's the lesson for Fish fans? Come back in six years to pick up another commemorative hat?

Dan Levatard was on NPR's Only a Game yesterday, talking about how amusing South Florida finds it that they've been paying attention to the Marlins for about eight minutes and they're in a World Series, while obsessive Cubs and Red Sox fans are shut-out again. He also talked about how clueless theur young team is about baseball history and whatnot, Luis Castillo in particular. He's apparently a notorious spaceshot, who loses his mitt between innings, gets on team planes not even knowing where they're going, and heading to the batter's box with no idea what they guy on the mound throws. So they were in St. Louis during an Old-Timer event and someone asked the little speedster if he'd like to meet one of the all-time stolen base greats--Lou Brock. Castillo apparently had never heard of him. But a few minutes later, someone walks up to introduce a distinguished older gentleman and Castillo gushingly greets "Lou Brock!" But it was Stan Musial.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 19, 2003 11:36 AM