Marlins Think Open Roof Solves Losing Streak

Team is keeping the roof at Marlins Park open Tuesday after winning under a clear sky on Monday night

Before the Miami Marlins snapped their six-game losing streak on Monday night, Larry Beinfest made a phone call to team president David Samson. He made an odd suggestion: open the roof at Marlins Park.

"[Beinfest] said 'Hey, we've lost six in a row. I've got an idea. Let's open the roof and see what happens,'" Samson told the Miami Herald.

"I said, 'What's the temperature?' He said, 'It's going to below 80. It's going to be 79.' I said, 'Let's just try it.'"

After owner Jeffrey Loria and manager Ozzie Guillen approved, the Marlins opened the roof, and the team complied with a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.

Even though a strong pitching performance from Josh Johnson or some timely hitting during a first-inning rally are actually what put the Marlins over the top on Monday, the team seems to think the open roof was a good luck charm.

"The danger of this strategy is we win tonight and all of a sudden we hear from the man upstairs [Loria] the roof will be open at all-times, bring your umbrellas," Samson joked.

He may have spoke too soon. On Tuesday afternoon, the team announced via the Marlins Park Twitter account that the roof would be open at the stadium for a second straight night.

The Marlins have not explicitly said they believe the open roof is the reason why they won on Monday, but it is pretty clear they at least want to give it a chance to repeat the feat on Tuesday.

The team usually leaves the roof closed on game days, unless the Miami weather meets a number of requirements, including temperature, relative humidity and chance of rain. Samson told the Herald the team hopes it can leave the roof open for 11 of 81 home games this season. Before Monday, it had been open for only four games.

Even though the Marlins' front office is taking a superstitious approach to the Marlins park roof, at least one official does not give any credence to the theory that an open roof equals wins: Guillen.

According to Samson, the manager told him before Monday's game, "'What do I care? We lose six when it's open, we win six when it's closed, do whatever you want.' Ozzie was great. We decided to do it.'"

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