In defense of respect: the world champion Marlins are eager to show disbelievers—and that means you—that last season was no fluke

Sporting News, The, March 8, 2004 by Kevin Baxter

McKeon also is trying to instill a sense of leadership in his aces. He put Beckett and Penny each in charge of a group on the first day of pitcher-catcher workouts, and Penny in particular seemed to respond. He brought Castro some water at the end of the session and made the other pitchers in his group get a drink for their catchers. Anyone who was around Penny last year would be stunned at that gesture.

At least one division rival expects the Marlins to avoid a letdown the year After winning it all. "You can't count those guys out," says Phillies pitcher Kevin Millwood. "They have great pitching down there, and they're still going to be a very tough team. It's going to be a tough division all the way through."

The fans in Florida seem less convinced. Season-ticket sales reportedly have stalled at about 7,000, though the club did sell a record 16,000 individual-game tickets at its fan fest last month. There's also little support for spending public money on a new retractable-roof stadium, which the team says it must have if it is to remain in south Florida.

The players, however, are focusing on their own business.

"Last year, no one believed in us," says Willis, who celebrated his Rookie of the Year season by opening a trading session at the NASDAQ, appearing with Pierre on an ESPN segment and trading stories with MTV's Daly. "They started believing in us after Game 6. I guess we have to renew our membership every year. We're going to have to show them again we can play.

"We were confident last year, but now we know what it takes." TSN

Kevin Baxter covers baseball for the Miami Herald.

RELATED ARTICLE: Pudge goes from first to worst.

Ivan Rodriguez's shiny black Bentley is parked outside the Tigers' spring training complex, but the yacht is back home in Miami. Did he leave his title hopes there, too?

During the offseason, Rodriguez went from being a major piece of the Marlins' championship squad to the face in the 119-loss Tigers' facelift. He found an owner, Mike Ilitch, willing to commit for four years and $40 million. Rodriguez took a one-year deal from Florida a year ago believing he'd get a long-term commitment if the team won. When he instead was offered two years guaranteed with a pay cut, and all but a few million dollars deferred, his time in teal and black was up.

"I think I knew that way early," Rodriguez says. "I just knew they were trying to go a different way. Really, what happened was we didn't have enough conversation. We didn't have enough communication between the team and myself and my agent (Scott Boras). But I can't do anything about that. I just wish the Marlins the best this year, and I move on."

Pudge followed the Tigers on TV growing up and counted Lance Parrish among his favorite players. But he had no idea what kind of baseball town Detroit was until Ilitch flew him in for a physical.

Within 36 hours of the signing, Rodriguez's face was on ads selling season tickets for an organization whose most recognizable names last year belonged to the coaching staff.