Marlins to Induct World Series Hero Josh Beckett into Hall of Fame
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Former Miami Marlins legend Josh Beckett will receive a big-time honor on Sunday at LoanDepot Park.
Beckett, who was a big part of the Marlins' 2003 championship run, will be the newest inductee into the Marlins Hall of Fame.
The Impact of Josh Beckett
Beckett played for Miami for the first five seasons of his MLB career. From 2001 to 2005, Beckett won 41 games with a 3.46 ERA. He had an outstanding fastball and curveball that made hitters confused and hitless.
There's no season that Marlins fans will remember more than 2003. It was only the second time in their franchise history that the Marlins made the postseason as a wild card team. The team was loaded with talent, including Luis Castillo, Ivan Rodriguez, Mike Lowell, Derrek Lee, Jeff Conine, Miguel Cabrera, and Dontrelle Willis.
Many people underestimated this team entering the playoffs. No one but the Marlins themselves gave them hope in series against the San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, and the New York Yankees. Beckett, only 23 at the time, was masterful on the mound in the series against the Cubs and Yankees.
The Marlins were down 3-1 in the National League Championship Series against the Cubs. Beckett dominated the Cubs at home to force the series to a Game 6. Beckett allowed just a walk on two hits while striking out 11 in a complete-game shutout. The Marlins won 4-0 on that Saturday afternoon.
In Game 7, the 72-year-old manager Jack McKeon took a chance on the young Beckett once again. In just two days of rest, Beckett silenced the Cubs offense, allowing just one run over four innings. The Marlins won the game 9-6 and advanced to the World Series. Everyone was pulling for the Cubs to win. No one expected the Marlins to go to the World Series. The team started 19-29 in the first half of the season. People didn't take them seriously.
The Cubs franchise suffered for so long. The Marlins ruined their hopes of a title, but the Cubs would win later on in 2016.
Oct 25, 2003, on a 56-degree night in New York, Beckett didn't look worried whatsoever. Game 6 of that World Series is a game no one will forget in the Marlins organization. To see a young Beckett pitch with so much confidence and focus was outstanding. Beckett and catcher Rodriguez had a game plan, and they executed.
The Yankees, who had a stacked lineup with Jason Giambi, Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, etc couldn't figure him out. Beckett did something that hadn't been done since Jack Morris in the 1991 World Series. Beckett tossed a complete-game shutout and only gave up five hits. Marlins won 2-0, and Beckett earned World Series MVP.
Sunday will be a special day for Beckett and his family. Marlins fans will forever be indebted to his contributions to the team.
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After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.