BASEBALL MOURNS
Cubs, Cubs Sox Sox react to shocking death death of of Marlins Marlins ace
We waved at each other and smiled, then he skipped ahead to the Miami Marlins dugout.
It was Wednesday, the last time I saw Jose Fernandez alive, just hours after watching perhaps the greatest pitching performance of his Miami Marlins career.
Today, we are coping with the sickening news that he is dead.
Fernandez was killed in a boating accident early Sunday. He was 24. Details are slowly trickling in. Pictures of his boat are being disseminated. The boat hit some rocks. He was ejected. The boat landed on him.
We will find out more about what exactly happened, but that doesn’t much matter.
One of the greatest young stars in baseball, a joyous, irrepressible and charismatic Cuban- born young man who was the embodiment of the American dream, is dead.
The Marlins immediately canceled their game against the Atlanta Braves, which was absolutely the right call.
I happened to be there watching Fernandez in the last start of his life Tuesday against the Washington Nationals.
He was nothing short of sensational. He gave up three hits and struck out 12 in eight innings against the Nationals, retiring 21 in a row at one point.
Marlins hitting coach Barry Bonds was spotted hugging and kissing his cheeks in excitement when he came out of the game.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly called it easily his finest performance this season.
The Marlins say it might have been the best outing of his career.
Who would ever have had the sickening thought it would be the last game of his life?
He was pitching’s answer to Mike Trout and Bryce Harper: A player who made his debut at 20, was an All- Star two months later and National League rookie of the year two months after that. By 2018, Fer-