We're not taking the Jose Fernandez news too well...

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Series Review

We are back, baby!

Overview: The Fish have started brightly, winning three of four at home against the Rockies.
Positives: The bats have turned up in a big way. Miami scored ten in the opener and plated eight in the finale. Even the middle games had the team scoring more than the two or fewer we saw so often last year (47% of games, according to the TV broadcast). The bullpen is also off to a nice start. Steve Cishek saved two games, upping his streak to 31 opportunities converted in a row, plus the Carlos Marmol Express has made two stops without derailing.
Negatives: The lone loss of the series did see the some fielding woes rear their ugly head. Henderson Alvarez had a bit of a rough outing.
Line of the Series: The nod goes to Jose Fernandez, who dazzled in his six innings.

W, 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K

Highlight of the Series: There were other candidates, but did you really think we'd choose something other than the first #MONSTERDONG of the 2014 campaign?
Looking Ahead: The club stays home for a three game set with the Padres. Jose Fernandez pitches Saturday night, so don't miss it.

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Jose Fernandez Practices What He Preaches

Hey, remember last year when the #Barves got in a tizzy because Jose Fernandez dared to have fun after hitting his first major league home run? We're sure there were plenty of wet blankets who thought at the time, Let's see how Cuban Jesus reacts when someone shows him up with a home run trot. Then on Opening Day, this happened:

That was Carlos Gonzalez hitting a tape-measure shot off Fernandez in the sixth inning. Below is Gonzalez' reaction after the game:

"It was fun. It was nothing like he was mad at me. We have a really good relationship," Gonzalez said. "When he gets you out, he lets you know. So why not do the same thing when you get him?"

And indeed, Fernandez "yelled good-natured barbs at Gonzalez from the dugout" after he was pulled from the game.

Fernandez told the Miami Herald Tuesday:

"We were just joking around," Fernandez explained Tuesday of the stare down he gave Gonzalez as he rounded first and the subsequent good-natured barbs they yelled at each other from the dugout. "I told him, 'I don't know what I'm going to throw you next time.' He's like 'Don't even talk about it you struck out everybody.' We talked after the game. No big deal."

So it's nice to know that Jose is still approaching his job like the game it is.

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Well That Went Well (Except for the One Thing)

Jose Fernandez tied a franchise record by striking out nine opposing batters on Opening Day, something only Josh Beckett had done before (in 2004). But when we think back on 2014 Opening Day years from now, our first thought will probably be about Jose's mom and abuela laughing at his weak third-inning groundout: 

click to embiggen, via

It was a good first start for the reigning Rookie of the Year, however. Here's his line in the Marlins' 10-1 win over Colorado:

6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 0.262 WPA

Last Miami did not score their tenth run of the season until Game 5. This can mean only one thing, as Ted texted me after the game: the Marlins will probably be shut out over the next 3 games.

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Loria Shells Out the Dough (Sorta...) for Jose

Jeffrey Loria did something recently that is a little out of character: he willingly gave one of his players a bigger raise than necessary. Sun Sentinel Marlins reporter Juan C. Rodriguez tweeted Sunday that reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez will earn $635,000 this season, well above the $500,000 he was scheduled to make under his rookie contract (though still at a ridiculously steep discount relative to what he could get in the open market).

Notorious for his reluctance to pay pre-arbitration players anything above CBA-mandated minimums (and also for low-balling players in salary arbitration on multiple occasions), Loria is definitely taking a new tack with regards to Fernandez. A day before he was awarded the ROY last fall, Fernandez was surprised by a visit from his grandmother, Olga, who left Cuba to see him for the first time since his defection six years prior. Loria and the team helped orchestrate the reunion, a fact Fernandez made sure everyone knew:

Ther is no way i could ever thank Jeff Loria for all he has done for me!! He gave me a chance and now my grandma! pic.twitter.com/eQ5D0Dlkyv
— jose fernandez (@josefernandez77) November 11, 2013

Considering the fact that Giancarlo Stanton (the other All-Star that Marlins fans would love to see rewarded with a long-term deal) seems less likely to agree to any kind of contract extension with the Marlins by the day, perhaps Loria has learned a lesson or two about building a relationship with his players long before he enters into a contract negotiation with them. Those lessons, plus a good-faith effort to build around his young stars, would go a long way toward making the Marlins a preferred destination among free agents in addition to giving them a better opportunity to retain talent.

But is a photo op and a modest raise all he can do? Loria could make an even bigger statement by doing what so many other teams have done with young stars and extend Fernandez's contract now, five full seasons before he can go on the open market. It will cost him more in the short term, but would also allow the Marlins to limit his salary during arbitration years and thereafter. It is what Tampa did with Evan Longoria, and Minnesota with Joe Mauer, to name a few examples.

This is a start, though, and hopefully the first of many management concessions to come in the ongoing relationship between Fernandez and the Marlins.

Speaking of dudes the Marlins should have locked up a long time ago, Giancarlo Stanton is either a reckless prankster, or he is resorting to possible self-harm as a negotiating tactic with Marlins brass. Regardless, we recommend he just leave the crocs alone...

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Taste the Happy, Michael: Fernandez Reunites With Grandmother

The Marlins released a heartwarming video about Jose Fernandez and his grandmother, Olga, who arrived from Cuba last weekend to see him for the first time since Fernandez defected as a teenager. Watch it below, we fucking dare you not to cry.

Also, Fernandez finished third in NL Cy Young voting. For some reason, six writers left him off their ballot.

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Jose Wins 2013 NL Rookie of the Year

Jose Fernandez has been named the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year. He earned 26 of 30 first-place votes, winning in a landslide. Fernandez is the fourth Marlin to win ROY (joining Dontrelle Willis, Hanley Ramirez, and Chris Coghlan), as well as the first Cuban-born player to win the award in the NL.

Fernandez was seated beside his mother and grandmother when the announcement was made. His grandmother, Olga, traveled to Miami Sunday in advance of the announcement, seeing him for the first time since he escaped Cuba with his mother and sister as a 15-year-old. More on that here.

Jose's resume is impressive. He was second in the majors with a 2.19 ERA, and led the big leagues in hits allowed per 9 innings with 5.8. He had the most WAR among rookies (4.2) and opponents hit .182 against him.

Our favorite Jose stat: in 28 starts he made this season, he gave up 0 or 1 earned run 15 times.

Plenty of past ROY winners have struggled to maintain their performance (cough, Coghlan, cough), but we're guessing Jose will continue to dominate in the years to come. Congrats Jose!

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The Best of Jose Fernandez in gifs

It remains to be seen whether he can overcome Yasiel Puig in the NL Rookie of the Year race, but one thing is certain: it's been a giftastic year for Jose Fernandez. Here are our favorite gifable moments from the Marlins' rookie superstar.

He baffled opposing hitters:

Like, seriously baffled them:



He made some sweet defensive plays:



He ran into some wardrobe difficulties that one time:



He seemed happy just to be in the majors most days:



He admired his first career home run:



But most of all, he made Marlins fans feel like this:

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Fernandez Goes Out With a Bang

Making his final start of the 2013 season, it wasn't enough for Jose Fernandez to notch his twelfth win and hold the Atlanta Braves to 1 run over 7 innings. The kid also hit his first career home run and made the Braves extra salty in the process.

The home run (a solo shot) came in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the middle half of the inning, Fernandez was visibly angry in the Marlins' dugout. He could be seen angrily pacing, and manager Mike Redmond had to intervene to calm him down.

Braves 3B Chris Johnson could be seen jawing with Hernandez during his at bat that inning, nonchalantly mouthing "Nope" after one of Fernandez' pitches sailed high for a ball. That is probably what got Fernandez worked up.

Then Jose came to bat in the bottom of the inning, and he found the perfect way to vent his frustration. He deposited a Mike Minor pitch in the Clevelander behind left field, taking a few seconds to admire his shot before trotting around the bases. Here is his pimped-out home run trot.

Of course, baseball being baseball, the Braves were not content to let the 21-year-old Fernandez enjoy what was the capstone to his impressive rookie campaign. When he arrived at home plate, Braves catcher Brian McCann said a few words to Fernandez. He basically told Fernandez to tone it down next time. "He talked to me like a friend, a father," Fernandez said after the game.

But Johnson was livid, and came running down the third base line looking like he wanted to continue the hostilities. Probably because Fernandez did this:

Both benches cleared, and Johnson was pulled away from the scrum pretty quickly, but there was no further escalation (Watch the whole incident below). Judging from the way Johnson immediately stood behind the home plate umpire when he arrived near Fernandez, it's pretty clear he didn't actually intend to throw a punch (which makes it worse in my mind - either start something or don't, but definitely don't act like you're going to throw a punch then place an obstacle in your way so you don't have to follow through on your own hollow threat).

Either way, the night belonged to Jose. He came out in the top of the seventh worked out of a two-out jam with runners on first and second, striking out Justin Upton and walking off the field to a well-deserved standing ovation.

UPDATE: Mike Redmond, ever the wet blanket...

Mike Redmond on Jose Fernandez's HR and the following beef: "It ruined the night for me... We don't show teams up." #Marlins
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) September 12, 2013

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Last Chance to See Jose Pitch in 2013

This is your public service announcement. Jose Fernandez is making his final start of the season. Having thrown 165 innings and change, he is almost certain to surpass his 170 IP limit tonight. If you are in Miami and haven't seen him pitch live, do it! As always, there are plenty of good seats still available.

Fernandez will try to cement his case to become the fourth NL Rookie of the Year in franchise history, don't miss it. TV coverage is on FoxSports Florida, in case you can't make it to the ballpark. After tonight, there really is little reason to pay attention to the Marlins as they continue their quest to lose less than 100 games.

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Get Your Jose While You Can

It's been no secret that the Marlins will shut down rookie pitching phenom Jose Fernandez when he hits the 170-innings mark for the season, and now we know exactly when that will happen. According to Joe Frisaro, the Fish plan to give Fernandez two more starts in 2013, and will skip his next turn in the rotation in part to ensure both starts will occur at home (ostensibly to give the team an attendance boost, scant as it may be).

So on Wednesday, rookie Brian Flynn will make his major league debut at Wrigley Field against the Cubs. Fernandez is slated to start on Friday night at home against Washington, then again on September 11 against Atlanta (also at home).

You have two chances to watch Jose again this season. DON'T FUCK THIS UP. This concludes our public service announcement.

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One More Jose gif for the Road...

Too perfect:

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All Jose All the Time

Love watching Jose Fernandez pitch, but wish you didn't have to wait at least 4 days between his starts? Now you can watch these gifs nonstop while you wait for the next Cuban Jesus start (h/t Fangraphs).

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All Jose Fernandez Everything

If you didn't watch Friday's game, you missed some dominance from Jose Fernandez:

During the 8-inning, 14-K shutout performance, Ted tweeted, "Our Fernandez-boner is approaching Stantonian levels." That begs the question: if Giancarlo is Sr. #Monsterdong, what shall we call Jose Fernandez? If the Internet cannot find a good solution, I'm not sure what I can believe in anymore.

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Jose Fernandez is not above photobombing a dude

Jose Fernandez may be a rookie, but he knows the fastest way to the Diehards' hearts. The Photobomb Expressway:

Pretty good stuff, but he still has much to learn if he wants to compete with the patron saint of photobombs:

UPDATE: It's been gif'd(!):

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Jose Fernandez' Innings Limit

The Marlins still expect to hold Jose Fernandez to a limit of 150-170 innings pitched this season, though with his stellar performance that limit will likely be closer to 170. The Miami Herald reported Thursday night that the team is wary of overworking the budding star, who threw only 134 innings in A and high-A ball last season.

Redmond said he never thinks about the long-term innings limit Fernandez is on when he takes the mound. He said he goes "solely on how he's doing that day."

"If he has a chance to win a ball game or whatever it is, and he's going good then we'll let him throw seven or eight innings," Redmond said. “I've never gone into a game going we can only let him throw six innings a day. I take it from game to game. If he has a chance to throw a complete game then I'll let him throw a complete game. If he keeps his pitches down and he has a chance he’ll go out there."

But protecting Fernandez's young arm for the long term is still important to Redmond. Fernandez, for his part, would love to pitch the entire season, but he said he has no problem with the Marlins' plans in part because they have been up front since the beginning.

The Marlins are being very cautious with Fernandez, and that is wise considering their chances of making the 2013 playoffs are effectively zero. The team took a bit of a risk in calling him up at the start of the season (and thus starting his arbitration clock early). Losing him for significant time due to injury stemming from overworking him is something the team cannot afford.

This is far different from the Washington Nationals' decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg last season for a number of reasons. First is the pennant race issue - no one will criticize the Marlins the way the Nats were trashed in some circles for benching their best starter. Strasburg was also coming off Tommy John surgery, while Fernandez is ostensibly healthy. Still, the team is right to slowly work up his inning count over a few seasons.

Right now, Fernandez is at 104 and 2/3 innings for the season. With 69 games remaining, it would be very surprising if he pitched into late September. If Fernandez continues to average just under 6 innings a start, we can expect roughly 11 more starts for Fernandez this season. His next will be on Tuesday at Colorado. Set your DVRs accordingly.

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Fernandez Deals in All-Star Game

If he's not starting, a pitcher in the All-Star Game rarely gets more than an inning of work (if any). Appearing as a 20-year-old rookie (the first since Dwight Gooden to appear in an ASG) Jose Fernandez made the most of his outing.

Three batters, two strikeouts, and one weak popup from reigning MVP and Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera. Fernandez let everyone know he is a force to be reckoned with, and not since Jeff Conine won the All-Star Game MVP in 1995 has a Marlin shone so bright at the Midsummer Classic.

He made us feel like this:

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Jose Fernandez Knows the Joy of the #Monsterdong

That was Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez after Giancarlo Stanton tied Saturday night's game in the bottom of the ninth with a classic #Monsterdong. Jose's reaction lets us know that he has not let pro sports suck the joy out of him just yet, which we love. We'd totally hang with Jose.

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Jose Fernandez is an All-Star

Nothing to add, but this:

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Jeffrey Loria is Still the Worst

We like to call Jeffrey Loria "George Steinbrenner with Less Money," and his latest move is pure Stein:

Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria personally mandated the lineup card change that flip-flopped starting pitchers Jose Fernandez and Ricky Nolasco in a doubleheader Tuesday and left Marlins players furious with his continued meddling, three sources with knowledge of the situation told Yahoo! Sports.

Loria insisted Fernandez, the team's prized 20-year-old rookie, pitch in the first half of the doubleheader at frigid Target Field instead of the scheduled Nolasco because the day game was expected to be warmer. The temperature at Fernandez's first pitch (38 degrees) was actually colder than at the beginning of Nolasco's start (42 degrees).

Nevermind the fact that the difference between 38 degrees and 42 degrees to someone who has lived below the 30th parallel all his life isn't even noticeable, it's as if Loria wants Redmond to fail. We're not huge proponents of team chemistry, but forcing your rookie manager to break protocol and give a 20-year-old rookie privilege over a veteran and staff ace is not exactly a great clubhouse move.

Indeed, if Loria was truly concerned about Fernandez' arm in the cold Minnesota weather (a legitimate concern), he should have asked Redmond to skip his start. The Marlins would have had to call someone up from the minors to pitch for him, but that happens often for double-headers. Instead, he gets to read another round of press about what a terrible owner he is. Nice move, Jeff!

UPDATE: Loria says he didn't do it.

"I had nothing to do with the decision," Loria told FOXSports.com on Friday. "I was informed of the decision by the baseball department. I told them it was their call.

"I don't make decisions on who to pitch and when, how to go about it — that's not my role. Sometimes they call me and tell me what they're doing. But I don't call them up and say, 'This is what is going to happen.' That's not true."

Loria could certainly be telling the truth, but his past actions have not exactly made him a trustworthy character. Certainly there will be more to follow.

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