Brad Penny looks back at historic 2003 season

On Friday, the Marlins celebrated “Flashback Friday” for the third time in 2023. In honor of the franchise’s 30th anniversary, the Marlins wear teal pinstripe uniforms and bring in players from the past.

This time around, the Marlins brought infielder Mike Lowell and pitcher Brad Penny, who were integral parts of the 2003 World Series-winning season. Penny threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Lowell.

“It’s fun seeing Mikey (Lowell),” Penny told the media. “Anytime Mikey, he has always been a great teammate one of my favorites and I played with him here and in Boston, and it’s just good to see from your face to be in a place that so many memories.”

Penny had a 4.13 ERA and 3.92 FIP, won 14 games and threw 196 ²⁄₃ innings for the 2003 team. He also earned two wins over the favored New York Yankees in the World Series that year. and how big it was for Florida and coming back to watch the Marlins play against the Cubs.

When asked about the memories that Penny made in ‘03, he immediately went to the relationships that he made throughout his Marlins tenure:

“That team was different than the other teams I played for. I tell people all the time, you go to dinner, it’s usually like four here before they’re kind of split up at night. But that team, it was you go do it was going to take four hours because there’s 20 people or so guys coming.”

The Marlins went through a lot of challenges to get to baseball mountain top that year. They hired Jack McKeon mid-way through the season and they had to face some tough opponents in the playoffs, including the Chicago Cubs who were in town on Friday.

“I think you don’t look at that as a player,” Penny said. “That’s just noise that you don’t even pay attention to. The only time we really questioned anything was going into Chicago. We thought we’d beat San Fran, but when we had to be (Mark) Prior and (Kerry) Wood back to back, that’s two great pitchers at their park you kind of question.”

Penny had two stints with the Marlins: from 2000-2004 and in 2014 (the final stop of his career. He posted a 4.12 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 807 ²⁄₃ innings pitched, 483 strikeouts, and a 1.332 WHIP.

Baseball-Reference

Continue to come out to LoanDepot park on Fridays to watch the Marlins play in their teal uniforms and meet more alumni.