Hanley Ramirez and Florida Marlins Get New Stadium

The name change worked for the Rays—why not for their state rival Marlins?

The Florida Marlins' request for a new stadium was approved by Miami-Dade county and will be built by 2012. At that time, the Florida Marlins will try to capture the magic of a name change, becoming the Miami Marlins. The new stadium will have a retractable roof, for the humid and rainy days that Miami will encounter.

The famous maxim goes, "If you build it, they will come." But does the adage apply to Jeffrey Loria's Marlins? Probably not. Interest in baseball has never been abundant in the relaxed Floridian atmosphere.

When the young 2003 Marlins marched through the playoffs and upset the Yankees to capture a World Series flag, who cared? Not enough people, as Loria did what he does best—dismantle a contender due to lack of payroll support. He took away piece-by-piece a balanced, competent roster because of the Marlins' perennial budget concerns that have become of flagrant notice to fans and analysts alike.

AJ Burnett left for the cold climate and enticing riches of Toronto, while Carlos Delgado departed for the Big Apple with teammate Paul Lo Duca. Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett left for better opportunity in Boston via trade, but the Marlins got back a young kid named Hanley Ramirez.

Little did they know, they had struck gold.

Ramirez made immediate impact and is now, arguably, the best player in baseball. He forms the best offensive (and quite possibly the worst defensive) double-play combination with Rule 5 draftee and slugger Dan Uggla—another stroke of genius for Florida (or luck, however you see it). Ramirez can't be expected to stay long with the numbers he's put up, and the Marlins history of breaking up young, playoff-caliber teams.

Remember that stadium? Apparently, the stadium is being erected in the hopes of retaining Hanley through at least 2014, which is when his current contract expires. Payroll budget, under the shrewd care of Jeffery Loria, will receive a substantial increase when the new stadium pops up. Hanley Ramirez will remain the face of the franchise.

Could the new stadium in Miami be 'The House That Hanley Built'?

Let's try to tap magic out of name changes before we start talking about such nonsense.