However, in 1991, as part of Major League Baseball's two-team expansion ( they also added the former Florida ( now Miami ) Marlins ), an ownership group representing Denver led by John Antonucci and Michael I. Monus were granted a franchise ; they took the name “ Rockies ” due to Denver's proximity to the Rocky Mountains, which is reflected in their logo.

The Rockies joined the National League in 1993, along with the Southern Florida franchise, the Florida Marlins.

In addition to hiring Leyland as manager, the Marlins signed third baseman Bobby Bonilla, outfielder Moisés Alou, and pitcher Alex Fernandez to lucrative free-agent contracts, raising expectations to levels far beyond anything in franchise history.

The Marlins ' slumped to 54 – 108, the worst record in the major leagues that year, and the most losses in franchise history.

The Marlins also turned their first ever triple play in franchise history on July 28, 2002.

Retaining a core of stars from their title team and hoping that newly acquired 1B Hee Seop Choi would emerge, the Marlins fell short of reaching the postseason, but they posted the third winning season in franchise history, boasting an 83-79 record.

Willis holds many Marlins pitching records including single season victories ( 22 ), franchise losses ( 54 ), complete games ( 15 ), shutouts ( 8 ), innings pitched ( 1, 022 ⅔ ), and is second in franchise victories ( 67 ).

On December 16, 1992, Santiago signed with the newly established franchise Florida Marlins and hit the first home run in team history.

The Marlins may have won the 2003 World Series, but up until playoff time, their Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes franchise was outdrawing the major league club most nights of the week.

The Marlins, in only their fifth year of existence, became the second fastest expansion franchise to win a World Series ( the Boston Americans, now known as the Red Sox, were a charter team in the expansion American League in 1901 and won the first World Series in 1903 ).

Before signing with the Pirates, Simon signed with the Florida Marlins and New York Yankees in the 2000 season, but did not play in the majors for either franchise.

* Florida Marlins, former name of the Miami Marlins, a Major League Baseball franchise based in Miami Gardens, Florida

* The Florida Marlins baseball franchise in Major League Bseball

On June 6, 2006, Schmidt struck out sixteen batters against the Florida Marlins, which tied the franchise record for most strikeouts in a single game, originally set by Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants on October 3, 1904, against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The franchise played in the IL through 1955 ( winning five championships ), but was sold and moved to Miami as the Marlins for the 1956 campaign.

He also passed former Marlins Gary Sheffield and Derrek Lee for second on the franchise home run list.

Upon the Baltimore Orioles ' severing of their affiliation with the Miami Orioles following the 1981 season, the franchise reverted back to the Marlins name, and actually participated in the FSL season as an independent entry.

Then on April 25, Wright hit a two run home run in a 5-1 victory against the Miami Marlins, giving him 735 career RBIs, passing Darryl Strawberry for the most in Mets franchise history.

) Hagerstown would not be able to maintain AA standing, though ; after the Suns ' and Keys ' owners failed to claim an Eastern League expansion franchise for Bowie in 1993 ( coinciding with the Florida Marlins ' and Colorado Rockies ' addition to the majors ), they instead chose to move their existing franchise there as the Bowie BaySox.

An inaugural member of the Florida Marlins who was with the franchise for both of its World Series titles, he earned the title Mr. Marlin for his significant history with the club, and his ties to South Florida.

The Marlins beat the Cleveland Indians in a seven game World Series to break the New York Mets ' record as the youngest expansion franchise to ever win a World Series title.

During the season, the Marlins to made one of the biggest trades in club history as Los Angeles got P Brad Penny, 1B Hee Seop Choi and Double-A left-hander Bill Murphy in exchange for P Guillermo Mota, C Paul LoDuca and OF Juan Encarnacion.

On May 9, he got his second win of the season against the Florida Marlins, giving him 330 for his career.

On May 22,, Gonzalez got his 2, 000th career hit in a game against the Florida Marlins, though his season ended early when he had Tommy John surgery in August.

He got his first hit ( a single ) in his first at bat ( against Steve Trachsel ) in a 3 – 2 Marlins victory.

Lowell got his second championship ring after the Marlins won the 2003 World Series against the Yankees in 6 games.

On August 5, he entered a game in the eighth inning with the Marlins leading 7 – 5 and got his first save as a Marlin in an 11 – 5 victory over Arizona.

Bazardo got his break in 2000, when the Florida Marlins signed him as an undrafted free agent.

But he rejected that offer, as well as an offer by Florida Marlins to become the bench coach with a guarantee to become the team's manager in 2006, although he subsequently got that job.

But Girardi was nearly fired in early August when he got into an argument with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria during a game.

While Hermida was sidelined, Aguila got most of the at bats in right field until the Marlins signed Joe Borchard ; afterwards, Aguila was part of a platoon in center field with Eric Reed and Reggie Abercrombie.

Before the 2008 season, Fenway Park's capacity was increased to 37, 373, where it remains following additional renovations for the 2009 season, making its total capacity the fourth smallest, ahead of Marlins Park, the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, and Tropicana Field.

ESPN the Magazine published a full-page opinion piece about the Marlins and was extremely scathing in its criticism of David Samson.

Since its inception in 2001, Lexington has produced numerous major leaguers including: 2009 National League All-Star Hunter Pence ( Outfielder ) of the San Francisco Giants, John Buck ( Catcher ) of the Florida Marlins, Mike Gallo ( Pitcher ), who is currently a free agent, and Josh Anderson, ( Right fielder ) who is currently a Free Agent.

In the 1997 World Series, the Marlins played before crowds of over 67, 000 fans — the highest postseason attendance figures in MLB history, only exceeded by Cleveland Stadium, home of the Cleveland Indians during the 1948 World Series, old Yankee Stadium prior to its mid 1970s renovation, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the temporary home of the Los Angeles Dodgers ( before Dodger Stadium was opened ) in the 1959 World Series.

Alou went on to lead the team in average in its two series against the Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins.

The 1969 baseball realignment coincided with the addition of four teams, whereas its 1994 realignment creating extra divisions in both the American League and the National League came a year after the league added the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins.

When Marlins Park opened in 2012, Coors Field became the third oldest stadium in the National League, despite its relatively young age.

It is renowned for its diving and sport fishing, with Black and Blue Marlins reaching even the 1. 000 pound mark.

The National Conference League launched a series of Summer Divisions in 2009 but failed to repeat its summer experiment in 2010 leading three clubs: East Leeds, Milford Marlins and Shaw Cross Sharks to join the Rugby League Conference.

In Los Angeles DePodesta made a blockbuster trade in the middle of the 2004 season: the Dodgers sent the team's starting catcher, Paul LoDuca, its set-up man, pitcher Guillermo Mota, and outfielder Juan Encarnacion to the Florida Marlins for the high on-base percentage first baseman Hee-Seop Choi and power pitcher Brad Penny and pitching prospect Bill Murphy, who was in turn flipped with Koyie Hill and Reggie Abercrombie to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Gold Glove center fielder Steve Finley and catcher Brent Mayne.

Greensboro's downtown stadium opened its gates to a crowd of 8, 540 on April 3, 2005 with a Grasshoppers exhibition game against the Florida Marlins.

One of those teams, the Florida Marlins, recruited Dombrowski to become its first general manager ; he was appointed on September 19, 1991.