All-Time Marlins: February 2nd Birthdays

Each day, we take a dip into the wealth of information available on thebaseballcube.com and fish out which Marlins, Marlins minor league affiliates, and former players on both has a birthday on that date. Today, there’s two such athletes.

Scott Maine (33)

Scott Maine is a 6’3”, 195 lb. left-handed pitcher from Jupiter, Florida. In the sixth round of the 2007 draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks chose him with the 193rd overall pick out of the University of Miami. In four seasons for the Canes, he posted a 16-8 record with a 4.26 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and 158 strikeouts in 205 innings.

Maine spent three seasons in Arizona’s system, making his way up to the Reno Aces in 2009. After that season they packaged him with Ryne White and sent him to the Chicago Cubs for Aaron Heilman.

Maine played in the Cubs system for three seasons as well, spending 41 games with Chicago and putting up a 1-1 record and a 4.83 ERA, striking out 42 in 41 frames and holding opposing batters to a 1.44 WHIP. Just before the 2012 roster expansion, the Cleveland Indians claimed him off of waivers, and he pitched in an additional nine major league contests for them. After the season, he was waived and signed by the Toronto Blue Jays, then again waived and picked up by the Marlins for the 2013 campaign.

Maine split his time in Florida’s system between the GCL Marlins, striking out 15 in 10 ²⁄₃ scoreless innings, and the New Orleans Zephyrs, earning a 9.35 ERA in 8 ²⁄₃ innings. The Marlins released him in July.

After a few games with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in 2013 for the Cincinnati Reds, Maine didn’t again appear in affiliated ball. He’s since played independently for the Bridgeport Bluefish, the Laguna Vaqueros, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, and the Sugar Land Skeeters in 2017.

Jason Vargas (35)

Jason Matthew Vargas was a 6’, 215 lb. left-handed pitcher from Apple Valley, California. The Florida Marlins picked him in the second round of the 2004 draft, 68th overall out of Long Beach State University.

Vargas appeared for the Marlins with the Jamestown Jammers, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Jupiter Hammerheads, and the Carolina Mudcats through 2005, and made his major league debut that same year for Florida. He started 13 games, posting a 5-5 record with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. 2006 would see him split his time between the Albuquerque Isotopes and the Marlins, the latter for whom he posted a 1-2 record and a 7.33 ERA, with a 1.86 WHIP. He struck out a total of 84 batters in 117 innings for Florida.

After the 2006 campaign, Florida traded Vargas with Adam Bostick to the New York Mets for Matt Lindstrom and Henry Owens. Vargas has since appeared with the Mets, the Seattle Mariners, the Anaheim Angels, and the Kansas City Royals. Mostly a starting pitcher, he’s accrued an 85-81 record in 12 major league seasons, with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.31 lifetime WHIP. The Royals granted his free agency after the season. He was 18-11 with a 4.16 ERA in 2017. The Marlins should probably give this guy a call. I’m just saying.

Thanks for reading a little bit today about the guys who make up Marlins’ baseball history, and if February 2nd is your birthday, too, well then Happy Birthday to you, as well. Join us here tomorrow for more history, and everything else having to do with the Marlins.