My Marlins Tale

Recently, an issue has come up, and that has involved my relationship to the Florida Marlins. However, before everyone jumps on me for being a bandwagon fan, it might be wise to listen to the story behind the decision. Here is how my loyalties have gone as a baseball fan over the years.

I'll be honest. Baseball has never really been of great interest to me. I find the game to be extremely slow, long, and monotonous. However, I, like most sports fans, enjoy a day at the ballpark as much as the next guy. I was a Marlins fan from the dawn of their existence up until the end of last season. Through that time, the Yankees were always my second favorite team, as my father and grandfather are both huge fans for as long as I can remember. The three of us even went to Yankee Stadium a few years ago. Even this didn't deter me from my Marlins fan-ship though. During the Marlins/Yankees World Series, I didn't think twice before donning my Marlins jersey, even with my Dad standing next to me in his Yankees gear.

I had no problem watching this team lose year after year, so long as they made a commitment to winning. I care about a team that cares about me. That's why I've been a Panthers fan through it all; they don't dismantle their team after a run of success.

The Marlins first sell off destroyed me as a young child. I had to watch many of my favorite players from over the years go all across the baseball world. However, I understood (or at least tried to) the economics behind the move. I forgave, and dealt with another five years of futility before the Marlins once again went on another World Series run.

Then it happened again.

Much like a horror story, the Marlins gave away every single player on the team that wanted more than a nickel raise. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I'll take this shame, as this still wasn't enough to deter me. I still attended games, and watched many on FSN.

This offseason was the final straw. I always said to myself that if the Marlins were stupid enough to give up either Miguel Cabrera OR Dontrelle Willis, I would have to consider resigning my loyalties. When BOTH went, the choice wasn't very difficult. No player had more fun playing the game than Dontrelle Willis, and I loved watching him on the mound. Even when he wasn't sharp, his joyous attitude was great entertainment. Miguel Cabrera has the potential to be one of the greatest players in the game, and yet he was dealt away too, without a second thought.

It became more than apparent to me that this management, these cheap, frugal *expletives*, have no interest in the fans. They don't care.

You guys are enjoying the thoughts of what Cameron Maybin is going to do? Great. Get ready to see it in another uniform when the time comes.

Can't wait to see Andrew Miller finally realize his potential? Awesome, but it won't be in a home uniform in Miami.

Call me a traitor, call me a quitter, call me what you will. All I know is a refuse to support a team that refuses to support me.

This is where the fans have gone. Battered, beaten and betrayed emotionally, we look for another team. One that actually gives a damn.