Spirited Marlins Fought Like Trophy Fish

Afterward, once the loudspeakers finally had been turned off in the Florida Marlins’ champagne-drenched clubhouse, Charles Johnson reflected on the accomplishment.

The exhausted third-year catcher shook his head in disbelief as he replayed the National League championship series in his mind, wondering if the rest of the baseball world realized what had occurred here. And as Tuesday night became Wednesday morning at Turner Field, Johnson and his teammates reveled in their moment.

“We beat this pitching staff, this team, in their house to win the pennant,” Johnson said. “We beat three Cy Young Award winners in a seven-game series.

“Do you know how tough that is? Believe me, it’s tough.”

But obviously not too difficult for the Marlins.

They won Game 6 of the championship series, 7-4, to reach the World Series in their fifth season, faster than any expansion franchise. The Braves won the NL East Division title, but the Marlins won the season series against their division foes, 12-6, including the playoffs, becoming the first wild-card team to advance this far.

Players, coaches and Marlin officials danced to the title song from the “Men in Black” movie soundtrack, the unofficial anthem for this team whose uniform colors are teal and black. This is new territory for the Marlins, but they like what they’ve seen so far.

“We’re having so much fun with this because we’ve always been on vacation at this time of the year,” said first baseman Jeff Conine, an original Marlin. “Guys are going crazy because we haven’t played too many meaningful games in August or September yet, and now we’re in the World Series.”

Even owner Wayne Huizenga partied long after the Braves’ demoralized, tomahawk-waving crowd had left the stadium.

Huizenga ran a victory lap around the Turner Field infield with some Marlin fans, producing one of the stranger sights of the postseason. But billionaires are allowed to have fun too.

“I didn’t see much of the game because I was praying a lot,” said Huizenga, who might be reconsidering his decision to sell the team.

“There is just nothing to describe the feeling of going to a World Series. I hope everyone in South Florida will enjoy the moment as much as we are.”

Huizenga did his part during the off-season, spending freely and wisely to acquire several high-profile free agents. Then he hired Manager Jim Leyland. The players said that was Huizenga’s best move.

“Leyland got us here,” Marlin outfielder Gary Sheffield said. “Yeah, we went out and got people and we’re a talented ballclub. But Leyland is the guy who kept it all together.”

Leyland led the Pirates to consecutive league championship series appearances from 1990-92. The Pirates lost seven-game series to the Braves in ’91 and ’92.

“I guess I had to take the heat because I had never [reached the World Series] before,” Leyland said. “But . . . even if I had never [won a pennant], my career wouldn’t have been empty because I always went out there and did my best.”

The Marlins embody their manager’s tough-guy approach; they overcame an inconsistent offense, batting .199 for the series.

Two rookie pitchers started for Florida because of Alex Fernandez’s season-ending rotator cuff injury and Kevin Brown’s stomach virus. The Marlins defeated four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux in Games 1 and 5, and the Braves’ other Cy Young winners, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, in Games 3 and 6.

After all of that, the Braves conceded the Marlins had earned their fun.

“They’re a real good ballclub,” Brave Manager Bobby Cox said. “They gave us a run for the money all season.”