It’s difficult to put into words the feeling one gets when becoming aware of a shocking death. It’s a moment that leaves you numb, unable to process the significance of the reality in front of you. Waking up Sunday morning to a text message from a friend left me in that state.
My first thought, which was likely the first thought of many, was that it was some kind of mistake or hoax. The internet has killed off other athletes and celebrities, only to realize a few minutes later via a tweet from the person themself that they are alive and well. That was my hope as I frantically googled Jose Fernandez’s name.
My heart sunk as I saw article titles from sources like ESPN, Yahoo and CNN, the kinds of news outlets that don’t often make mistakes to that degree. As I realized one of my favorite players to watch would never take
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Fernandez threw every pitch with a fearless intensity that reminded me of Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez.
From the moment I saw Fernandez, I could tell he was born to pitch in big moments. Every time he was in a big moment, that was when he had his best stuff. Take his last start on Sept. 20 for instance. Facing one of the best teams in baseball, the Washington Nationals, Fernandez pitched eight innings and gave up no runs with just three hits and 12 strikeouts. It was one of the five best outings in all of baseball this year, and a tragic but fitting end to a short but remarkable career.
Fernandez should have had another 15 years to spread his excitement and passion around baseball. Losing him leaves baseball with a hole that no other player would have left, even the talents of Kershaw, Stanton, Mike Trout, or any of the other superstars in the game today. None of them have made the same impact that Fernandez made because of just how unique he