In 1997, the Marlins finished nine games back of the Division Champion Atlanta Braves, but earned the wild card berth.

He made another start on July 26 against the Florida Marlins, but pitched poorly allowed five runs ( four earned ) in three innings and was credited with the loss.

Leiter started Game 7 for the Marlins, pitching 6 innings and giving up two earned runs while being credited with a no decision.

He earned his first major league win in a complete game against the Florida Marlins June 1.

" He earned a World Series ring with the Florida Marlins in 1997.

Trachsel was promoted to the Major Leagues in September and made his debut on September 19 against the Florida Marlins going seven innings with five strikeouts while giving up two earned runs and taking the loss.

He went 5 innings and yielded 4 earned runs in his one postseason start, in game 2 of the division series against the Florida Marlins.

He did not clear waivers, however, and on April 4, 2006, he was claimed off waivers by the Florida Marlins, and earned a spot on their opening day roster.

Robertson made his Major League debut on September 7, 2002, for the Marlins, pitching 4⅔ innings and allowing four earned runs in a 4 – 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

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.

In the World Series, Saunders started game 4 against the Cleveland Indians, but took the loss after giving up six earned runs in two innings pitched ; nonetheless, he earned a ring as the Marlins defeated Cleveland in seven games.

On April 3, 2008, he earned his first win as a home starter since a 2002 win with the Marlins against the Cubs .< ref >

On June 1, Utley hit his Major League-leading 20th home run and drove in his National League-leading 50th run as part of a comeback win against the Florida Marlins that propelled the Phillies back into first place in the National League East ; the 1-for-2 performance capped a productive week for Utley that earned him the National League Player of the Week Award, his fifth, for the first time since April 23 – 29,.

The Marlins chose Santana in the 1999 rule 5 draft, and traded him to the Minnesota Twins who kept him on their roster for the 2000 season, in which he toiled to a 6. 49 earned run average at only 21 years of age.

In his fourth appearance out of the bullpen, he allowed eight runs ( seven earned ) over 3 innings ; the Marlins optioned him to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes on May 14.

However, over his next three games with the Marlins, all in relief, Vargas allowed 13 runs ( 12 earned ), four home runs, and five walks in 10 innings ; he struck out five batters.

Villone struggled in Florida, posting a 6. 85 earned run average with the Marlins.

The Marlins have the distinction of winning a World Series championship every year they qualified for the postseason, doing so in 1997 and 2003 — both times as the National League wild card team.

These acquisitions helped to keep the team in contention, and although they finished ten games behind the Braves, the Marlins captured the NL wild card.

The Marlins made the playoffs as a wild card team, and defeated the San Francisco Giants in the National League Divisional Series, and then the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series, before going to the World Series, which Florida won in seven games.

A baseball purist ( or " traditionalist ") heartily dislikes the changes that have taken place in Major League Baseball over the years, which include regular season interleague play ( prior to 1997, the teams in the American League never played the teams in the National League during the regular season ), the addition of a wild card team in the post-season playoffs, the four new expansion teams ( the Rockies, Marlins, Diamondbacks, and Rays ) added in the 1990s, and the reconfiguration of the leagues into three divisions.

In the ninth inning, when a wild pitch moved base runners onto second and third with no outs, and the Giants with a 2 – 1 lead, Schmidt proceeded to strike out the heart of the Marlins ' lineup in order ; cleanup hitter Miguel Cabrera, Josh Willingham, and then Jeremy Hermida.

That year, the Florida Marlins won the wild card to advance to the playoffs for the first time in their history.

Two teams would later surpass that, as the Florida Marlins won the 1997 World Series in their fifth year ( also becoming the first wild card team to win a World Series ) and the Arizona Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series in their fourth year of play.

The Marlins finished second to the Atlanta Braves in the National League East by nine games, however, their 92-70 record was enough to secure the National League's wild card play-off spot.

Tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the wild card playoff spot, the Marlins decided to reacquire one of the most popular players in franchise history, sending right-handed pitching prospects Denny Bautista and Don Levinski to Baltimore for Conine.

In 2001 he was traded back to the Marlins, where he hit. 285 with 16 home runs by mid-season to earn his second All-Star berth.

The Marlins ' franchise got its second no-hitter from ace Kevin Brown on June 10, 1997.

The underdog Marlins went on to face the Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series, and won in seven games.

On February 29, the Marlins were recognized on Sports Illustrated's magazine for the 5th time ( 11 / 3 / 1997, Edgar Renteria who had a walk-off hit in Game 7 of the World Series ; 5 / 25 / 1998, Mike Piazza after his trade from the Dodgers ; 11 / 3 / 2003 ; Josh Beckett, after winning World Series MVP and 3 / 12 / 07 Dontrelle Willis, chronicling global warming with Willis in a flooded Sun Life Stadium.

In the 1997 National League Championship Series, Brown, riddled with the flu, proceeded to pitch a complete game in Game Six, defeating the Atlanta Braves and helping the Marlins reach the World Series, which they eventually won over the Cleveland Indians.

* Jeff Conine ( 1993 – 1997, 2003 – 2005 ) — Jeff Conine has the distinction of being the only player to appear in the opener of the Marlins ' inaugural season and in both the 1997 World Series and the 2003 World Series won by the Marlins.

Despite being known more for his defensive abilities, Johnson led the Marlins in the 1997 World Series with 10 hits.

* Gary Sheffield ( 1993 – 1997 ) — Sheffield hit 112 home runs with the Marlins from 1994 to 1998, including a club record 42 in 1996, and made the All-Star Game in 1996.

He lead the Marlins to victory in the 1997 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, making a spectacular catch against the right field fence in game 5.

Once again in the playoffs, and just like in 1997, the Giants faced the Florida Marlins in the NLDS.

In 1998, Henderson and Valenzuela were gone, but newly acquired ( from the 1997 World Series champion Florida Marlins ) pitcher Kevin Brown had a sensational year ( his only one with the Padres ) and outfielder / slugger Greg Vaughn bounced back after a poor 1997 season and hit 50 home runs ( overlooked in that season of the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa race ).

Coincidentally, having won a championship while managing the Florida Marlins in 1997, Tigers manager Jim Leyland could have achieved this same feat had the Tigers defeated La Russa's Cardinals in the 2006 World Series.

Later that year, the Indians hosted the 1997 World Series, which they lost to the Florida Marlins in seven games.

He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles ( 1990, 1991, and 1992 ) with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 1997, Leyland was hired by Wayne Huizenga to manage the Florida Marlins and promptly led them to the franchise's first championship.

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.

This was particularly evident during the Marlins ' World Series appearances in 1997 and 2003.

In the 1997 National League Championship Series, Brown, riddled with the flu, proceeded to pitch a complete game in Game Six, defeating the Atlanta Braves and helping the Marlins reach the World Series, which they eventually won over the Cleveland Indians.

* 1997 Florida Marlins