For the past decade, Marlins fans have known that only three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and October disappointment. Between periodic spending sprees and corresponding fire sales, it's been a long roller-coaster ride with a team that's less reliable than Randy Choate's fastball. In the end, we can expect only heartbreak. Until now, that is. One man has taken on the challenge of saving the Marlins organization from itself. Major League Baseball's $325 million man, Giancarlo Stanton signed the largest contract in the history of North American professional sports last November — making Stanton the face of the Marlins for the next 13 years. In signing that contract, the superstar worked to convince ownership that he needed the teammates to back him. The Marlins followed that up with new additions and aimed to build a winner. After sitting out the final weeks of last season when he got nailed in the face with a heater, a recovered Stanton has returned in 2015 with fire in his toned abs. If Stanton can bring this team back to the promised land of the postseason, Jeff Conine might have to give up his title of Mr. Marlin.
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Readers' choice: Giancarlo Stanton