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September 13, 2007
A Fish Story...Four Years Later...
From the Palm Beach Post -
It would have been a great crowd for a spring training game. Played on a back field. In the rain.
But not for a major-league baseball game on a sunny Wednesday.
Forget the announced attendance of 10,121 for the Marlins-Nationals game at Dolphin Stadium. When Byung-Hyun Kim threw the first pitch, 375 spectators could be seen. That is what happens when two of the worst teams in baseball meet for a 1:05 p.m. game on a 91-degree September afternoon.
"It's a little sad when you can pretty much count how many people are in the stands," Marlins first baseman Mike Jacobs said.
The Marlins, who prevailed 5-4 in 12 innings, moved the game from the usual 7:05 p.m. slot in deference to the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which began at sunset.
The next time someone says George Steinbrenner is bad for baseball, introduce them to Jeff Loria.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at September 13, 2007 02:54 PM
Comments
Demolition Derby night time!
Under a thousand people at a ballgame is just pitiful. I'm sure Joe Girardi is really upset about being fired.
Steve, do you think the Marlins would still be 63-83 if Joe was managing, or do you think it's all about the injuries to their pitching staff?
Posted by: baileywalk ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 13, 2007 04:08 PM
I think Girardi could have had them at .500 this year. Their pitching is bad - but, it's not that much worse than the Phillies. I doubt Joe would have them 20 games under.
Posted by: Steve Lombardi at September 13, 2007 04:33 PM
Since this is Florida, I guess Katherine Harris certified the 10,121 attendance figure.
Posted by: Mrs. Peterson-Kekich at September 13, 2007 05:14 PM
And just think, Florida fans, you have Bud Selig to thank for having Loria as an owner. Had he not been so desperate to get John Henry's group in charge in Boston, MLB never would've bought Loria's Expos, thereby freeing him up to buy the Marlins.
I've often wondered what would've happened with the Expos had MLB not bought the team. Somebody would've done so, presumably, but the franchise was in such awful shape that I can't see Loria getting anything other than pennies on the dollar. Would he have been in a position to buy the Marlins in that case? I don't know enough about his net worth to answer that one.
Posted by: Mr. Furious at September 13, 2007 05:17 PM
Or to Carl Pohlad, who just ran one of the best baseball GMs out of town.
Posted by: chris at September 13, 2007 05:27 PM
I have been saying Jeffrey Loria is bad for baseball for years. http://herzy69.blogspot.com/search/label/Jeffrey%20Loria
When I saw the 375 folks at that game the other day on PTI, my wife thought first it was joke, then she said it was sad. It is indeed a sad day for baseball, and why exactly does MLB allow Jeffrey Loria to continue to buy and destroy teams?
Posted by: Jeff Herz at September 14, 2007 07:10 PM