The Team: Florida Marlins
The Year: 2021
W/L Record: 113-49
Run Differential: 818 RS vs. 527 RA +291 Runs
Awards: Donovan Pace - 5th Cy Young Award, Donovan Pace and Dexter Fowler - Gold Gloves
All Stars: 3B Julio Ramos, SP Donovan Pace, SP Brett Hunter, C Jose Ceballos, RP Alan Jackson
League Leading Stat Categories: 20 Complete Games, 63 home wins, 3.02 Team ERA, Opponent's BA .223, Opponent's OBP .287, Opponent's Slugging .343, 77% QS, 2.73 Starter ERA, 527 Runs Against, 21 shutouts
Lineup/Bench Rotation/Bullpen
CF Dexter Fowler Donovan Pace
SS Rudy Delgado Brett Hunter
3B Julio Ramos Greg Attaway
1B Alan Brooks Jim Cote
LF Dave Brubaker Dennis Clapsaddle
C Jose Ceballos CL Alan Jackson
RF Duque Ortega SU Andy Corban
2B Elvis Andrus SR Santos Rodriguez
SR Allan Geddes
MR Shane Craven
LR Micah Travi
OF Alec Fifield
OF Tim Hennebery
C Jeff Churgin
3B Erick Himmerstein
IF Ricky Wethington
IF Craig Winters
The Key Players: On offense the Marlins were towards the top of the National League in run scoring. The team was balanced, with some speed and some power. Their lead horse was 3B Julio Ramos. Ramos was a 26 year old, switch hitting infielder who was as outstanding with the glove as he was with the bat. 2021 was his breakout year hitting .312 with 35 homeruns, 110 runs, 123 RBI, and a .915 OPS. He lost out in the MVP race to a future HOF player in Frank Prywes, but he was a very worthy candidate. Helping him in the middle of the Florida lineup was 1B Alan Brooks who also enjoyed his breakout season. He hit .285 with 33 homeruns, 90 runs, 105 RBI, and an .874 OPS. Those two, however, were the only power threats the Marlins boasted.
The rest of their offensive attack came from a balanced attack relying heavily on speed. Dexter Fowler and Alec Fifeld platooned in CF and combined for .268, 14 home runs, 78 RBI, 101 runs scored, and 24 RBI. Fowler also pulled down the gold glove for CF that year. In the infield Rudy Delgado hit .290 with 9 HR and excellent defense. Elvis Andrus hit .264 with 9 HR, 60 SB, 119 runs scored, and 46 RBI. Tim Henneberry, Duque Ortega, Dave Brubaker rotated through the corner positions on their way to a .280 batting average, 40 HR, 31 SB, 182 runs, 180 RBI.
It wasn't a great attack, but given the lopsided nature of their home ballpark (heavily favoring the pitching staff), but it was good enough to support baseball's best pitching staff that year. The leader, and Cy Young winner for 2021, was none other than Donovan Pace. Pace started 32 games and went 24-3 with a 1.93 ERA. He pitched 234 innings in 2021 and struck out 261 while allowing only 14 HR. He held his opponents to a ridiculous .200 OBA and walked only 38. It was the kind of utter dominance that Pace became known for and why he is regarded as FCM's greatest pitcher of all time.
Pace wasn't alone in that rotation, no one in their regular rotation had an ERA over 3.20 that year. Pace's wing man was Brett Hunter who went 21-7 with 182 Ks in 213 IP. Second year players Greg Attaway chipped in a 13-4 record with 199 Ks in 208 IP, Jim Cote managed a 3.07 ERA in 134 IP with 116 Ks, and Dennis Clapsaddle had a 3.20 ERA in 132 IP with 120 Ks. A very impressive group of young pitchers to say the least!
The bullpen wasn't as good as other iterations of the Marlins, but it was anchored by a future HOFer in Alan Jackson. Jackson went 9-3 with 41 saves and 72 Ks in 79 IP and a 2.26 ERA. Andy Corban and young Alan Geddes also had sub 4 ERAs to help support the Marlin bullpen.
What Sets Them Apart: This Marlins team was the follow-up to the dominant 2020 team we'll see later on in our list, but this team was an exceptionally talented group. Hunter and Pace may be the best 1-2 in FCM history and Ramos was a ridiculously talented MVP candidate this year. Their 113 wins and nearly +300 run differential are among the best in FCM history.
Interview with the Owner: Hokey's Thoughts
Coming Next: 22nd Best Team in FCM History: North Side HOFers Put Everyone On Notice
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