Miami Marlins right handed phenom Jose Fernandez threw his last pitch on Tuesday, September 20th against the Washington Nationals. He completed eight innings and struck out 12 batters from one of Major League Baseball's best lineups. The kind of performance baseball lovers would have seen for years from the talented kid who was always smiling and electrifying.
Early Sunday morning, he died tragically in a boating accident. He was 24 years old. Far too young to die. When you least expect it, death and life come together in an ungodly fashion and take a bright young person away. Nearly two years ago, the fine young St. Louis Cardinals talent Oscar Taveras died in a drunk driving car accident. The feeling this morning is eerily similar. A shot to the stomach.
The baseball world lost a true stud. What is a stud? When someone is merely doing their job and it becomes an event to watch them do that job, that person is a stud. When Fernandez pitched, it was an event. Akin to a Saturday night PPV boxing match or playoff game in October.
On July 28th, Fernandez faced the Cardinals for the last time and surrendered 5 runs and lost. A fellow Cuban star connected to Fernandez's path, Aledmys Diaz, hit a home run off of him. It was a true event to watch the two childhood friends square off. You could take away the other players on the field and leave the pitcher, catcher, and the hitter standing between them at the plate and it would be electrifying entertainment.
There should have been more Fernandez and Diaz showdowns. For years to come. More back and forth talent contests. Fastballs clocking in close to 100 mph taking their chances with premium bat speed.
Man, that's just tough to swallow.
That's the kicker. We will never know what Fernandez could have been and it's painful to imagine the numbers he would have put up. He had the makings of Felix Hernandez with a dash of Max Scherzer and Carlos Martinez thrown in for good measure. His MLB career will conclude with a 38-17 record, 2.58 ERA, and 589 strikeouts in just 471.1 innings. His ERA+ was 150, which is ridiculously unfair to hitters in any ballpark. He averaged 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
He was the kind of pitcher who made the best hitters in baseball glare back at him after a strikeout as if they were mentally calling the baseball police for the pitcher being especially mean to their bats. Fernandez was a special talent who defied natural description.
More so, he was a budding family man. His young wife is expecting their child and Fernandez couldn't have been more excited. In an Instagram post showing off his wife's beautiful baby bump, he talked about the journey a kid would take them on and preached, "family is first." He wasn't just a talented athlete. Fernandez had his priorities straight and was a good guy.
He was heavily involved in a charity foundation that fought cancer and raised awareness for its victims called Live Like Bella. He wanted to do good things. This is a guy who saved his mother from drowning when they were defecting from Cuba. It didn't matter if there was a baseball diamond or not, Fernandez brought his A game every single day of his life.
Now, he is gone. Way too soon. 24 years old isn't long enough for anyone, but Fernandez made a dent in his short yet robust life.
I'll remember the fiery competitor that was easy to admire and respect.
I'll remember the smile that illuminated a packed stadium every time it stretched.
I'll remember the look on a hitter's face when he was overmatched by a Fernandez offering.
Most of all, I'll remember the kid's heart that seemed larger than life.
Jose Fernandez was on top of the world, and now he is out of it for good.
Take a few moments today. Watch some highlights. Watch him pitch. It will make you feel better about the game of baseball.
