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Marlins MIA

199792–70 (0.568)★ 1997 World Series Champions
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GM: Dave Dombrowski

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1997, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$50M
Surplus $M
-12
Win %
0.568
TAB
-0.0
WAB
+7.0
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
37.1
Dead money %
7%
Depth Players
6.0
Dead WAR
-4.0

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1997 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RCharles Johnson123
BGregg Zaun50
RRob Natal4

1B

RJeff Conine145
LJim Eisenreich29
LDarren Daulton⇄18
LCliff Floyd9
BBobby Bonilla2
BGregg Zaun1
RRuss Morman1

2B

BLuis Castillo70
RKurt Abbott54
LCraig Counsell51
RRalph Milliard8

3B

BBobby Bonilla149
RAlex Arias37
RJohn Wehner6
RJosh Booty4
RKurt Abbott4

SS

REdgar Renteria153
RAlex Arias11
RKurt Abbott7

LF

RMoises Alou90
LJim Eisenreich43
BJohn Cangelosi34
LCliff Floyd24
RJohn Wehner10
RKurt Abbott10
LTodd Dunwoody6
LDarren Daulton⇄1
RJeff Conine1

CF

BDevon White71
RMoises Alou55
BJohn Cangelosi23
LMark Kotsay14
LCliff Floyd9
LTodd Dunwoody8
LBilly McMillon⇄1
RJohn Wehner1

RF

RGary Sheffield132
LDarren Daulton⇄31
RMoises Alou22
RJohn Wehner19
LJim Eisenreich13
LCliff Floyd6
BJohn Cangelosi6
RRuss Morman2

DH

LJim Eisenreich4
BBobby Bonilla3
LDarren Daulton⇄3
RGary Sheffield1

Starters

RKevin Brown6.4 WAR
RAlex Fernandez3.7 WAR
RLivan Hernandez2.0 WAR
LAl Leiter1.1 WAR
LTony Saunders0.9 WAR
RPat Rapp⇄0.7 WAR
LKirt Ojala-0.2 WAR
RRick Helling⇄-0.9 WAR

Bullpen

★ RRobb Nen35 sv
RJay Powell0 h
LDennis Cook0 h
LFelix Heredia0 h
RRob Stanifer0 h
RMark Hutton⇄0 h
LEd Vosberg⇄0 h
RAntonio Alfonseca0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 1996)

PlayerfWAR
Alex Fernandez3.7
Moises Alou3.3
Bobby Bonilla2.6
Craig Counsell1.1
Dennis Cook1.1
Tony Saunders0.9

Key subtractions (gone from 1996)

Player1996 fWAR
John Burkett2.5
Greg Colbrunn1.7
Quilvio Veras1.0
Yorkis Perez0.4
David Weathers0.4
Jerry Brooks0.0

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Marlins. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1997; everyone else is shown as a 1997 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Kevin Brown 1997 +6.4 +129.1 4.5 +124.6 $0.7M 2.50× –
Alex Fernandez 1997 +3.7 +64.5 7.0 +57.5 $1.9M 2.19× –
Charles Johnson 1997 +4.8 +42.6 0.3 +42.3 $0.1M 1.12× –
Moises Alou 1997 +3.3 +42.0 4.5 +37.5 $1.4M 1.60× –
Livan Hernandez 1997 +2.0 +23.3 1.1 +22.2 $0.5M 1.49× –
Bobby Bonilla 1997 +2.6 +23.6 5.6 +18.0 $2.1M 1.12× –
Gary Sheffield 1997 +2.4 +23.2 6.1 +17.1 $2.6M 1.22× –
Jeff Conine 1997 +1.7 +10.9 2.8 +8.1 $1.7M 0.81× –
Tony Saunders 1997 +0.9 +7.4 0.1 +7.2 $0.2M 1.02× –
Jay Powell 1997 +1.3 +6.8 0.2 +6.6 $0.2M 0.67× –
Al Leiter 1997 +1.1 +9.2 2.9 +6.3 $2.6M 1.02× –
Devon White 1997 +1.3 +8.5 3.4 +5.1 $2.7M 0.83× –
Craig Counsell 1997 +1.1 +5.1 0.1 +5.0 $0.1M 0.56× –
Dennis Cook 1997 +1.1 +5.8 0.8 +4.9 $0.8M 0.67× –
Edgar Renteria 1997 +1.0 +5.0 0.1 +4.8 $0.1M 0.61× –
Gregg Zaun 1997 +1.2 +4.8 0.2 +4.6 $0.2M 0.52× –
Pat Rapp↔ 1997 +0.7 +5.3 0.8 +4.5 $1.2M 1.02× –
John Cangelosi 1997 +0.7 +4.5 0.5 +4.0 $0.8M 0.83× –
Cliff Floyd 1997 +0.6 +4.3 0.4 +3.9 $0.6M 0.83× –
Robb Nen 1997 +0.6 +6.8 3.1 +3.7 $4.8M 1.34× –
Felix Heredia 1997 +0.5 +2.7 0.2 +2.5 $0.3M 0.67× –
Darren Daulton↔ 1997 +0.6 +3.8 1.8 +2.0 $3.2M 0.83× –
Kurt Abbott 1997 +0.3 +1.5 0.7 +0.9 $1.9M 0.56× –
Ed Vosberg↔ 1997 +0.1 +0.3 0.1 +0.2 $2.3M 0.67× –
Jim Eisenreich 1997 +0.2 +1.5 1.4 +0.1 $6.0M 0.83× –
Matt Whisenant↔ 1997 -0.0 -0.2 0.0 -0.2 – 0.67× –
Antonio Alfonseca 1997 -0.1 -0.3 0.1 -0.5 – 0.67× –
Alex Arias 1997 -0.1 -0.7 0.5 -1.1 – 0.58× –
Kurt Miller 1997 -0.3 -1.4 0.2 -1.6 – 0.67× –
Billy McMillon↔ 1997 -0.3 -1.7 0.1 -1.8 – 0.83× –
Mark Hutton↔ 1997 -0.4 -2.0 0.2 -2.2 – 0.67× –
Luis Castillo 1997 -0.7 -3.2 0.2 -3.4 – 0.56× –
Rick Helling↔ 1997 -0.9 -4.6 0.1 -4.7 – 0.67× –
Donn Pall 1997 -0.2 -1.0 – – – 0.67× –
John Wehner 1997 -0.4 -2.5 – – – 0.83× –
Josh Booty 1997 +0.1 +0.6 – – – 0.58× –
Kirt Ojala 1997 -0.2 -1.5 – – – 1.02× –
Mark Kotsay 1997 +0.1 +0.6 – – – 0.83× –
Ralph Milliard 1997 +0.2 +0.8 – – – 0.56× –
Rob Natal 1997 +0.2 +0.9 – – – 0.52× –
Rob Stanifer 1997 -0.5 -2.7 – – – 0.67× –
Russ Morman 1997 +0.1 +0.8 – – – 0.83× –
Todd Dunwoody 1997 +0.2 +1.5 – – – 0.83× –
Total—+37.0+425.950.1+378.1—

Trades

Every graded 1997 deal involving the Marlins — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 14 total.

1997 · SFG / MIA
SFG · Brian Sabean +$175.2M
Robb Nen
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$175.2M
Joe Fontenot, Mick Pageler, Mike Villano
SFG came out ahead by $175.2M
1997 · PHI / MIA
PHI · Lee Thomas +$20.0M
Billy McMillon
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$20.0M
Darren Daulton
PHI came out ahead by $20.0M
1997 · MIA / NYM
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$16.0M
Fletcher Bates, Scott Comer
NYM · Joe McIlvaine −$16.0M
Dennis Cook
MIA came out ahead by $16.0M
1997 · MIA / WSN
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$11.2M
Cliff Floyd
WSN · Jim Beattie −$11.2M
Dustin Hermanson, Joe Orsulak
MIA came out ahead by $11.2M
1997 · HOU / MIA
HOU · Gerry Hunsicker +$146.4M
Moisés Alou
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$146.4M
Manuel Barrios, Óscar Henríquez, Mark Johnson
HOU came out ahead by $146.4M
1997 · KCR / MIA
KCR · Herk Robinson +$5.6M
Matt Whisenant
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$5.6M
Matt Treanor
KCR came out ahead by $5.6M
1997 · MIA / SDP
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$2.4M
Chris Clark
SDP · Kevin Towers −$2.4M
Ed Vosberg
MIA came out ahead by $2.4M
1997 · MIA / OAK
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$4.8M
Eric Ludwick
OAK · Sandy Alderson −$4.8M
Kurt Abbott
MIA came out ahead by $4.8M
1997 · MIA / SFG
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$6.4M
Brandon Leese, Bobby Rector
SFG · Brian Sabean −$6.4M
Pat Rapp
MIA came out ahead by $6.4M
1997 · MIA / COL
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$9.6M
Craig Counsell
COL · Bob Gebhard −$9.6M
Mark Hutton
MIA came out ahead by $9.6M
1997 · TEX / MIA
TEX · Douglas Melvin +$90.4M
Rick Helling
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$90.4M
Ed Vosberg
TEX came out ahead by $90.4M
1997 · MIA / KCR
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$7.2M
Blaine Mull
KCR · Herk Robinson −$7.2M
Jeff Conine
MIA came out ahead by $7.2M
1997 · ARI / MIA
ARI · Joe Garagiola +$39.2M
Devon White
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$39.2M
Jesus Martinez
ARI came out ahead by $39.2M
1997 · SDP / MIA
SDP · Kevin Towers +$137.6M
Kevin Brown
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$137.6M
Steve Hoff, Derrek Lee, Rafael Medina
SDP came out ahead by $137.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

1997 payroll
$50.1M

What the front office was committed to as of 1997, 1997–2003. Pre-2015 has no contract-terms data — forward italic $ are realized actuals (hindsight, not commitments known then). Control labels (ARB/FA) are point-in-time.

current $ guaranteed $ actual $ (hindsight) arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent

Guaranteed / signed (16)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Alex Fernandez277.000$7.0MFREE AGENT$7.0M$7.0M
Gary Sheffield289.000$6.1M$10.3MFREE AGENT
Bobby Bonilla3411.000$5.6M$4.2MFREE AGENT
Kevin Brown3211.000$4.5MFREE AGENT
Moises Alou307.000$4.5MFREE AGENT
Devon White3412.000$3.4MFREE AGENT
Al Leiter3110.000$2.9MFREE AGENT
Jeff Conine317.000$2.8MFREE AGENT$3.5M
Darren Daulton3514.000$1.8MFREE AGENT
Jim Eisenreich3815.000$1.4M$1.0MFREE AGENT
Dennis Cook349.000$850kFREE AGENT
John Cangelosi3412.000$525k$550kFREE AGENT
Ed Vosberg3511.000$130kFREE AGENT
Russ Morman3511.000—FREE AGENT
Donn Pall359.000—$200kFREE AGENT
John Wehner306.000—$275kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (10)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Robb Nen274.000$3.1MARB 3FREE AGENT
Pat Rapp295.000$792kFREE AGENT
Kurt Abbott284.000$650kARB 3FREE AGENT
Alex Arias295.000$450kFREE AGENT
Cliff Floyd244.000$390kARB 3FREE AGENT
Charles Johnson253.000$290kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mark Hutton274.000$164kARB 3FREE AGENT
Kurt Miller243.000$163kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rick Helling263.000$125kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rob Natal315.000—FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (17)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Livan Hernandez221.000$1.1MPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jay Powell252.000$208kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Gregg Zaun262.000$205kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Luis Castillo211.000$154kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Felix Heredia221.000$153kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Antonio Alfonseca250.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Craig Counsell262.000$150kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tony Saunders230.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Edgar Renteria201.000$110kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Billy McMillon251.000$54kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Whisenant260.000$26kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Josh Booty221.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Todd Dunwoody220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mark Kotsay210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ralph Milliard23–—
Kirt Ojala280.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rob Stanifer250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 1997 acquisition stacked onto Marlins's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0).
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