Where the Marlins are going, they won't need roads.

The Florida Marlins, under the specter of contraction twice, have finally garnered enough support for a new stadium, to be built in Little Havana. The stadium will be ready in 2012 and it appears that the Marlins will stay put in Florida. What won't stay put, however, is the name. Instead, they will change their name to the "Miami Marlins". Now all they need to do is change to the Leagues, and then, in 2015, the Cubs will finally win the World Series. Well, that is if Marty McFly's autobiographical movie is to be believed is to be believed.

A Recipe For Success?

The NLCS has just begun, and I noticed some strange parallels....

Florida Marlins
- Founded in 1993
- Because of the 1994 strike, won the World Series in their 4th full season, 1997, over the Cleveland Indians
- The 1997 team was mostly high paid veterans with a first year manager and had Livan Hernandez
- Reduced the use of their feminine teal in 2003 in favor of black
- Won their 2nd World Series 6 years after their first in 2003 over the New York Yankees
- The 2003 team had younger, career Marlins and a couple of key veterans

Arizona Diamondbacks
- Founded in 1998
- Won the World Series in their 4th full season, 2001, over the New York Yankees
- The 2001 team was mostly high paid veterans with a first year manager
- Dropped the use of their feminine purple in 2007 in favor of red and black
- Has a chance to win their 2nd World Series 6 years after their first in 2007 over the Marlins' first victim, the Cleveland Indians
- The 2007 team has younger, career D-Backs and a couple of key veterans, one of which is Livan Hernandez

So that's the blueprint for success. If an expansion team were to join the league next year, they should have pink uniforms and pay a bunch of veterans (including Livan Hernandez) and a new manager a lot of money in 2011 to win the World Series, then in 2017, change their colors to black and red and have a bunch of younger players. It won't start a dynasty, but it will give you as many world titles as the Cubs....