Rockies and Marlins are Brothers Separated at Expansion
By Editorial Staff
Yesterday, the Rockies left South Florida. Thank God. I loathe watching Marlins’ home games. It’s like watching high school baseball. Attendance for yesterday’s contest was 11,442. That’s roughly 30% capacity at whatever the hell they call that stadium. I’ve never been there, but, by all accounts, the place is a dump. Still, the poor amenities are no excuse. Marlins’ faithful ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Florida is a young, talented club on the rise. Staff ace, Josh Johnson, is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. Hanley Ramirez is the best shortstop outside of Denver and outfielder Logan Morrison is a blossoming star. They are 13-7 and sit just 1.5 games back of the vaunted Phillies in the NL East.
Yesterday’s game was baseball at its very best. It was a perfect day for a Sunday matinee — roughly 85 degrees with low humidity. The game itself featured two of NL’s best teams and two top aces facing off against each other. Yet, only 11,500 people made it out to watch. Honestly, I think 11,500 was an overstatement. At one point during the broadcast, I tried to count fans. I’m convinced that there were no more than 2,000 people in attendance.
Over the broadcast, crowd noise was virtually non-existent. It was so quiet that you could easily make out what was being shouted from the stands. One fan was coming in so clear that the broadcasters actually commented on some of the things he was saying. It was like I had the unfortunate seat next to a drunken heckler, only, he was on my couch and I couldn’t tell him to leave. I don’t blame Root Sports for the annoyance. I blame Marlins’ fans.
The Marlins and Rockies are expansion brothers, each playing their inaugural seasons in 1993. Interestingly enough, both franchises started off playing in football stadiums, but the Rockies built beautiful Coors Field and the Marlins are still sharing a home with the Dolphins. Many point to the shoddy facilities as an excuse for Florida’s poor attendance. Perhaps that’s correct. We’ll find out the answer next year when the Marlins open their new Downtown Miami stadium.
Even if their current digs are as bad as advertised, that’s no excuse for completely abandoning the team. I understand that the fan-base has had to endure a few fire sales in the past, but they’ve also been rewarded with two World Series titles in just eighteen seasons. Only the Yankees have more championships over that span. Not to mention, there are numerous franchises that have never won a World Series.
This brings me to my final point. As Rockies fans, would you trade places with the Marlins? Would you give up seventeen years of Coors Field for two World Series titles? I guess it all comes down to how much you like winning. For me, that’s a tough call. Coors Field provides a tremendous baseball watching experience. I can’t imagine attending a Rockies game anywhere else. Hopefully we’ll have both the stadium and the titles soon.
I’m curious to know what Rockies’ fans think. Would you switch places with the Marlins? Let me know in the comments section.
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