![Fernandez at the 2016 All-Star game. [image source: Arturo Pardavilla III- Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/9/25/660x290/b_502x220x82/fernandez-at-the-2016-all-star-game-image-source-arturo-pardavilla-iii-wikimedia-commons_2105251.jpg "Fernandez at the 2016 All-Star game. [image source: Arturo Pardavilla III- Wikimedia Commons]")
Jose Fernandez was one of the best pitchers in the major leagues until his tragic death in a boating accident which occurred on Sept. 25, 2016, two years ago today. Fernandez was not only known for his special talents as a pitcher, but he was also known for his energetic personality that showed the resemblance of a little boy,
About Jose Fernandez
Jose Fernandez was born on July 31, 1996, in Santa Clara, Cuba. Due to his energetic personality, he was known to people as "Nino" and some people went by "Delfi" which is the short form for his nickname -- Delfino.
As Cuban citizens aren't allowed to leave the country, Fernandez made three unsuccessful defection attempts which even saw him spend a year in prison as a teenager due to his unsuccessful attempt. On his fourth try, he was successful in defecting but he faced a bump on the way. During their defection, his mother fell overboard and without knowing that was his mother, Jose jumped into the water to save her.
Fernandez was always a great baseball player throughout his whole life. When he was 13 years old, he hit 93 MPH. When he came to America, he went to Alonso High School in Tampa, Florida. In his senior year of high school, the Florida High School Athletic Association ruled him ineligible to play but he appealed their decision and won.
Fernandez won the state championship in both his sophomore and senior year.
Fernandez's path to the big leagues
As he is from Cuba, he was eligible to be signed at the age of 16 by a major league organization as he was considered an international free agent. The Reds attempted to pry him away from school by offering him $1.3 million but he declined their offer as he wanted to go to school.
Fernandez was taken by the Marlins with pick 14 in the 2011 MLB draft and was given a $2 million signing bonus. He made his professional debut the same year by throwing 4 1/3 innings.
His first full season in the minor leagues was absolutely outstanding. At the A level, he went 14-1 with a 1.75 E.R.A. He struck out 158 batters and only gave up 89 hits which gave him an outstanding opponent average of .191.
Ultimately, that would be his only full season in the minors as he started the 2013 season on the major league roster. He made his MLB debut on April 7 where he pitched five innings and struck out eight batters which made him the seventh pitcher being 21 or younger to strike out eight or more batters in his major league debut. Fernandez finished the 2013 season with a 12-6 record and a 2.19 E.R.A. He struck out 182 batters compared to 111 hits given up which gave him a very good opponent average of .182. He won the rookie of the year award and came third for the Cy Young award.
Fernandez's 2014 season was cut short due to a right elbow strain which ended up in him having to get Tommy John surgery.
In eight starts, Fernandez pitched 51 2/3 innings with 70 strikeouts over 36 hits given up and posted a 2.44 E.R.A. with an opponent average of .188.
Fernandez returned on July 2, 2015, where he struck out six batters in six innings and also hit a home run. Fernandez made 11 starts in the 2015 season where he had a 6-1 record with a 2.92 E.RA.
In his first full season back, Fernandez was showing people the pitcher he really was and the potential that he had. Fernandez went 16-8 with a 2.86 E.R.A. in 29 starts. He pitched 182 1/3 innings where he struck out a whopping 253 batters and only gave up 149 hits. On September 20 which ended up being his last start, he went eight innings and struck out 12 batters with only giving up three hits and no walks.
According to Martin Prado, Fernandez said that it was the best game he ever pitched.
In his major league career, Fernandez went 38-17 with a 2.58 E.R.A. He struck out 589 batters and gave up 357 hits in 471 1/3 innings pitched.
Fernandez's death
Fernandez was supposed to start on September 25 but manager Don Mattingly pushed his start back a day to give him extra rest and to line him up for a potential wild-card game even though the chances of the Marlins making the playoffs at the time were slim.
Since his start was pushed back a day, this allowed Fernandez to go boating in the middle of the night. He went boating on his "Kaught Looking" vessel with two other accomplices which one of them he only briefly knew.
The three went to a bar before going out in the water and consumed a considerable amount of alcohol as when the bodies were found, officers smelled a heavy scent of alcohol.
At around 2:50 a.m. on September 25, the boat, which was believed to be going at full speed, crashed into a jetty which caused the bodies to be ejected from the boat and the boat to be overturned. One of the bodies was found lying on the jetty while the other two bodies were found underwater.
As an autopsy was performed on Fernandez's body, it was revealed that Fernandez's blood alcohol level was way above the legal limit and that he had cocaine in his system.
Due to his shocking death, the Marlins game on September 25, 2016, against the Braves was canceled and lots of players around the league made tributes to Fernandez with all teams having a moment of silence before their game on September 25 with some teams hanging up his jersey in their dugout.
The worst part about his death is that five days earlier, he revealed via an Instagram post that his girlfriend was pregnant with his child and now his daughter will never get to meet her father and see the man he truly was.
Rest easy Jose.
