Would you rather have been the Astros or the Marlins the last 10 years?

Summers where the Astros are out of it early are miserable to me.

I want them to field a team competitive enough to win a world series..and not every team that is competitive enough to win one actually does each season.

In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004 and 2005, in particular, I thought we had teams that had real legit shots at winning a ring. Those years were tons of fun.

Watching the Marlins turn literally no one out for games...empty stadiums...selling off every player so there's no sense of longevity or attachment to any player....no thanks.

 

I think they were better than "decent to good" in 98, 99, 01, 04 and 05.

And I know what you'd take. You already said that.

 

One other thought:

there is zero goodwill built for this franchise around those two championships. none at all. they ask for a new stadium over and over again and get turned down. they can't get anyone to show up for their games.

they won two titles...and no one seems to care. that's pretty hollow. it will be even more hollow when/if they move out of town.

 

As Max said it must be frustrating to be a Marlins fan. I think of lot of that has to do with off the field stuff like the stadium and relocation threats along with the constant shuffle of players. I would hate to go through that as a fan. However, strictly talking about on the field results i think i would rather enjoy the Marlins results, hands down.

I think a similar comparison would be would you rather be the Rockets or the Utah Jazz the last 15 years? starting in 93 the Rockets have won two title, but basically haven't had any playoff success since then and have missed the playoff about half of those years. The Jazz on the other win 50+ games every year and are in contention for a title, but could never get over that hump.

I would rather be the Rockets for the last 15 year, just like i would have rather the Astros had the Marlins results. A couple title more than makes up for rebuilding years.

 

2006 they finished over .500. disappointing on the heels of a pennant, but not "pretty bad." i'd argue they were about as good in 06 as they were in 97.

we're picking nits, but the point is, they had enough talent to win it all in 98, 99, 01, 04 and 05. particularly when you consider that teams like the 06 cards won the series. i'll take that every day over hollow championships for an empty fanless franchise.

 

Reasonable points, but it's outside the scope of the question. Strictly, on the field results I'd take the marlins

 

The marlins off the field stuff is clouding the question. What if it were posed like this: In the next ten years would you rather have the Astros win two title, but struggle and not contend in other years? Or, have made content in most of the years, even making world series, but never winning one?

 

I hear ya. But the on the field results were hollow. That's really my point. The idea that these on the field results would necessarily endear you and the rest of the fan base more to the team/franchise is clearly false. Because it hasn't happened. No one cares about this franchise...despite winning two titles. The Astros have yet to win one...they've drawn 3 million fans 3 times in the past 5 seasons.

 

I think I have to take the Marlins. Which is another reason why their fans suck.

Even though they've been using blatant money-saving tactics, they've made some pretty savvy moves picking up young talent, and they've done a good job of developing that talent and turning it into success.

On the other hand, the Astros have, for the most part, squandered their youth movement and overpaid for washed up veterans.

 

You have to define "struggle and not contend"....I mean we had Florida teams that were absolutely out of it in June. That's just miserable. And that's been repeat performance. I hate those summers when it's like that here.

 

How about something like the what the marlins have done the past ten year. Two championships, two horrid sub-70 win seasons, 6 nonplayoff seasons with somewhere around 75-82 wins a years.

 

You wouldn't give a crap about the Marlins if you were a Marlins fan.

You'd have no players to be the guys you wished you could be. No Biggio/Bagwell.. shoot, even the Yanks have Jeter, the Cardinals have Pujols (and had a guy like Ozzie, etc.)

The Marlins have NO one. Jeff Conine is their "guy", and that's because they've traded for him multiple times mid-season.


Without a real identity, all they have is a few "bought" championships...even moreso than the Yanks. I'd hate to have them.

Along with reasons others have mentioned, such as hating years when the 'stros aren't competitive starting in July.

 

Also with zero connection from one championship team to the next?? And no players here for any length of time at all? Constantly turning over the roster?

 

Again how about like the Marlins. Win one early on with high price veterans like Oswalt, Berkman, Lee, but after the championship trade reshuffle the roster, getting rid of the establish high priced veterans and rebuild with a young nucleus. Go through a few terrible years, but keep the young nucleus around for ~6-7 years. There is a slow but constant improvement as they go through the growing pains of a young team. Ultimately it culminates with another championship towards the end of ten years. Immediately after which there is a regression back towards a .500 ball club.

 

I prefer what we had. I prefer the connection to Bags and Biggio. I prefer sustained success. I would have LOVED to have seen a championship. But I wouldn't trade. I don't know if I'd say the same thing in other sports...but baseball is just different to me.

 

They "bought" the championship in 97 (just like the diamond did in 01, or the Yankees and Red Sox try to do every year), but i don't see how you can say that they bought it in 03.

The Marlins main problems are it's ownership, stadium, and really a fan base that does really support pro sports. It sucks to be a Marlins fan just like it sucked to be an oilers fan right before they moved.

As max said, the marlins problem really revolves around the lack of goodwill between the franchise and the fans. But as i see it, it's not all about losing as except for 2 years the marlins really haven't be that bad. And i doubt it really about roster reshuffling either. All teams and especially good teams have to do that in this day and age. Heck this year there will only be two starting position players from the Astros WS team of two years ago still on the roster. The RedSox win the WS in the first time in forever and almost immediate rebuild by letting go of Pedro, Damon, Caberra, Robert, Mueller, Miller, Foulke, etc. Did they lose any goodwill?

It's more about the ownership jerking the fans around w/ relocation and stadium issues. If the Chicago cubs had the exact same roster and results as the marlins the last ten years i doubt people would view the Marlins results from the same perspective.

 

I can't imagine being one of only 1000 people in a stadium.