The Miami Marlins have experienced a whirlwind of ownership changes over the past few decades, but despite this apparent rejuvenation of leadership, the team’s on-field performance has largely remained stagnant.
From the early years of the franchise’s existence to the more recent tenure under current owner Bruce Sherman, the Marlins have struggled to establish themselves as a consistent contender in Major League Baseball (MLB).
So, why haven’t these ownership changes resulted in lasting improvement for the team?
The Ownership Timeline and Its Impact
To understand the current state of the Marlins, it’s important to review the history of their ownership transitions. The franchise was founded as the Florida Marlins in 1993 and initially owned by an ownership group led by H. Wayne Huizenga.
The team quickly became successful, winning two World Series titles in 1997 and 2003, but Huizenga’s decision to sell the team in 2002 marked the beginning of a pattern of instability.
In 2002, the team was sold to a group headed by Jeffrey Loria, a controversial figure in MLB ownership circles. Under Loria’s leadership, the Marlins made several bold moves, but the team never seemed to maintain a consistent identity.
Loria was criticized for cutting costs, trading away star players, and maintaining a generally poor relationship with both fans and the media.
In 2017, Loria sold the team to a group led by businessman Bruce Sherman and former Yankees star Derek Jeter, ushering in the Marlins’ most recent ownership change.
While the transition from Loria to Sherman and Jeter was heralded as a potential turning point for the team, the Marlins’ struggles have continued. Despite having a new ownership group with financial backing and high hopes, the franchise still finds itself in the MLB’s bottom tier.
The Leadership of Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter
Bruce Sherman, a financier with a background in private equity, purchased the team with hopes of turning it into a more sustainable and profitable enterprise.
Sherman and his group made it clear that they intended to modernize the Marlins, improving the organization’s infrastructure and focusing on long-term growth.
However, the changes under Sherman’s ownership have been slow to materialize. While the team did take steps to revamp its scouting and player development systems, the on-field product has not seen a drastic improvement.
Despite making some notable trades and signing a few high-profile free agents, the Marlins have not been able to consistently contend for playoff spots.
One of the most high-profile moves was the hiring of Derek Jeter as the team’s CEO and part-owner in 2017. Jeter was brought in to bring credibility to the Marlins, given his status as a Yankees legend and successful businessman.
Initially, there were hopes that Jeter could use his wealth of knowledge and experience to restore the Marlins to relevance.
However, Jeter’s tenure with the Marlins ended abruptly in 2022 when he stepped down as CEO. While his departure was framed as a mutual decision, many observers believe that the ongoing financial constraints placed on the team were a contributing factor.
Jeter had pushed for more investment in player development and a higher payroll, but his vision clashed with ownership’s unwillingness to spend.
His departure highlighted a key issue that has persisted under the Marlins’ new ownership: the team’s reluctance to commit significant financial resources to build a competitive roster.
Financial Constraints and the Lack of Spending
A major reason for the Marlins’ continued struggles is the franchise’s persistent financial constraints.
Despite the ownership change in 2017, the team has been reluctant to spend on high-quality players or make long-term commitments to their roster. This has limited their ability to acquire top-tier talent, both through free agency and trades.
In a market like Miami, where the team must compete with established powerhouses like the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, financial constraints are especially problematic.
While ownership has focused on building through the draft and player development, they have been unwilling to open the checkbook to add the key veterans needed to round out the team.
Instead, the Marlins have frequently traded away their best players, including fan favorites like Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich, in an effort to build for the future.
Moreover, the team’s struggles to attract and retain top-tier talent have been compounded by the difficulty in drawing fans to their stadium, loanDepot park.
Despite its modern amenities, the ballpark remains underutilized, with attendance often ranked near the bottom in MLB. This lack of fan engagement hurts the team’s bottom line, further limiting their ability to reinvest in the roster.
The Failure to Build Consistency
While the Marlins have shown flashes of brilliance in certain seasons, their inability to build a sustained period of success has hindered their long-term growth. Ownership has often made changes to the roster, cycling through players and managers in search of a winning formula.
However, the constant turnover has made it difficult for the team to establish any level of consistency, and rebuilding efforts have been disjointed.
The Marlins’ inability to consistently draft and develop talent has also been a major hindrance.
While the organization has produced a handful of standout players, including reigning NL Rookie of the Year, the team has struggled to supplement its roster with a deep farm system or well-rounded big-league talent.
This inconsistency in player development is a direct result of ownership’s failure to invest in the necessary resources to create a sustainable and successful pipeline of talent.
