Miami Marlins Tickets

Most expansion teams do not perform very well for the first decade of their existence; however, the Miami Marlins (formerly the Florida Marlins) are a notable exception to this rule. Founded in 1993, the Marlins would proceed to win two World Series titles over the next 10 years. Despite this success, the Marlins are probably best known for the way they dismantled their 1997 championship team during the off-season, a move that created much enmity among fans. During the infamous fire sale, the Marlins traded away star players like Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield, and Jeff Conine. The very next year, the Marlins lost 108 games.

Marlins Ballpark, Home to the Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins took on a new look in 2012, and the revamp was highlighted by the opening of its new stadium, Marlins Ballpark, which was completed for the start of its 2012 season. The new Marlins Ballpark is located at the site of the former Orange Bowl in Miami's Little Havana near downtown. Despite having one of the smallest capacities of all MLB parks, Marlins Ballpark features a retractable roof with glass panels in the outfield, colorful home run feature with animated aquatic birds, swimming pool, and see-through backstop that doubles as an aquarium.

Miami Marlins and the National League East

In the National League East division, the Miami Marlins compete against the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Nationals. Since the team's inception, the Marlins have never won the East division. However, in both of its Wild Card playoff berths, the team advanced to and won the World Series in 1997 and 2003.

Miami Marlins 2012 Team Outlook

With a new name, a new look, and a new stadium, the Miami Marlins decided to shed their usually parsimonious persona and spend big in the free-agent market this offseason. They struck quickly by signing shortstop Jose Reyes and closer Heath Bell, two of the best players available at their respective positions. In addition, they solidified their starting rotation with pitchers Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano. If ace pitcher Josh Johnson can recover from his shoulder injury, the pitching staff of the Marlins could be among the best in the National League. Without a doubt, the Miami Marlins will be fielding one of their most exciting teams in years in 2012.