Last night around 3:00 am one of MLB’s star pitchers, Jose Fernandez for the Miami Marlins was killed in a tragic boating accident. He was twenty four years old when he died. Jose had begun a dominate career in the majors at an early age of just 21 years old. In 2013 he won the Rookie of the Year Award.  With a 2.19 Earned Run Average he was one of the league leaders in this category. Ever since then he had been a dominate force in the Marlins pitching rotation. Besides winning the Rookie of the Year award Jose Fernandez was a two time All-Star. He also was in the top five for strikeouts this year. Right now the MLB is mourning in their loss of such a young superstar.  Major League Baseball commissioner  Rob Manfred said, “All of Baseball is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. He was one of our game’s great young stars who made a dramatic impact on and off the field since his debut in 2013. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, the Miami Marlins organization and all of the people he touched in his life.”  

Besides being a great baseball player, he was an even greater person . He came to the ballpark every day with a smile on his face and he had a real connection with the fans and the players he played with. On his team and on the opposing team. Pirates manager, Clint Hurdle was one of the personnel on the other side of the field that had a relationship with Fernandez. He said “We had a lot of commentary that night. Since then, whenever we played them, he’d come up and put his arm around me like he’s an old soul. ‘Hey, papi! How you doing, man?’ When I walked around that corner today, I saw his picture and thought it was another news story. Then I stopped and saw the caption. It took my breath away.”  

Jose Fernandez was such a great young superstar in Major League Baseball and he had a great future. It’s such a shame that he was killed in that tragic boating accident. He will be missed by many the fans and players on both sides of the field