The Miami Marlins are the worst team in baseball right now, and I wouldn’t expect that to change when the season ends in late September.  So far they’ve accrued a record of 13-39, which equates to a .250 winning percentage.  Those wins have only produced one series win which occurred April 29-May 1 when they took two out of three from the visiting New York Mets.  They rank last in the majors in runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage.  With those statistics, it probably won’t surprise you when I say the Marlins average home attendance is 17,730, second worst in baseball. 

So, it’s no surprise to me that Miami’s owner, Jeffrey Loria, is under heavy scrutiny by the league and fans for what occurred in Miami over the past couple of years.  In 2009, the city of Miami agreed to build a new stadium for the Marlins, which would end up costing $634 million.  Over $200 million of the funding would come directly from tourist tax dollars out of Miami-Dade County.  After the first season the Marlins spent in their new ballpark, Loria did the unthinkable.  He conducted what many people called a fire-sale of his most talented (and highest paid) players.  The lack of talent and experience that the ball club was left with has led to their struggles so far this season.

So, does Jeffrey Loria’s lapse in judgment (for lack of better words) warrant executive action taken by the league office?  In my opinion, yes; but that doesn’t necessarily mean there is an avenue that the league can pursue to correct the situation.  There is absolutely no chance at this point in time that the league could force the club to relocate.  The aforementioned $634 million stadium built several years ago definitely assures that.  It would be socially, morally, and even legally reprehensible to merely suggest such a thing, given what the people of Miami-Dade County have given to the project.

That leaves the prospect of a league takeover.  I think the only reason this idea has crossed the minds of baseball fans is because of the recent takeover of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011.  However, that action was under very specific pretenses.  It was only the fiscal shortcomings and irresponsibility of the McCourt family that allowed the league to take such actions.  Jeffrey Loria has done nothing similar to what the Dodgers’ owner did in previous years.  Yes, he has made questionable decisions regarding player personnel, but that alone does not entitle the league office to take action against his ball club.  It is, after all, his ball club.