Infamously cheap Marlins’ owner Jeffrey Loria will make sure that Jose Fernandez, MLB’s #7 top prospect, stays in the minors to begin 2013 so he can maintain control of Fernandez as long as possible without having to pay him well. That’s standard protocol for smaller-market teams, and its a real shame. The way teams protect young arms these days, the 20-year old phenoms are pretty much extinct. Gone are the days of Doc Gooden winning 17 games at age 19, or Fernando Valenzuela winning the Cy Young at age 20.
Jose Fernandez, age 20, is the type of guy that might be missing a year like that because of how free agency works, as cheap MLB teams hide behind the “Protect Young Arms” phony excuse. Fernandez went 14-1 last year between two minor league teams, with a dominant 1.75 ERA and 158 K’s in 134 innings, surrendering only 89 hits.
This is the last I’ll bash the Marlins, but what’s the difference between him pitching in the minors for another season, or in the majors right now? There are no expectations to win because Loria gave away the whole team in the offseason, and there’s going to be a couple thousand people in the stands either way. I say you bring him up and let him start to learn how to get guys in his division out—he’s got the stuff to do it, as shown at the 2012 Futures Game:
To recap:
- 99 mph ched, on the black, at the knees (called a ball because his catcher couldn’t hold it, even though he spotted it)
- 98 ched, black, knees (glove did not move, strike 1)
- 82 mph diving curve that he got away with because its 16 mph less and falls off the table (strike 2)
- 85 mph diabolical curve that starts middle away and finishes off the plate at the ankles (Mike Olt, have a seat)
Class dismissed.
Don’t think he could replicate that under the bright lights of Marlin’s Park?
The Marlins have averaged about 18,000 fans per game the last few years—less than half the Futures Game attendance.
And if that wasn’t enough, Fernandez is a Cuban defector, successfully escaping to America on his family’s 4TH ATTEMPT, after a previous attempt failed because the young pitcher jumped into the ocean to save his mother who had gone overboard. I think it’s safe to say he could handle the Big League pressure. Let’s just hope we see this guy sooner than later.
Source: El Nuevo Herald
Fernandez wears a custom Wilson A2000 L model glove, which you can make for yourself online using Wilson’s Custom Glove tool (click that link to see Fernandez’ glove on Wilson’s site). These are the specs:
LEATHER COLORS
- Palm – Black
- Web – Black
- Back Fingers – Black
- Thumb Strip – Black
- Wrist – Black
- Super Skin – No
TRIM COLORS
- Lacing – Black
- Welting – Black
- Binding – Black
STITCHING COLORS
- Wilson Back – Black
- Wilson Front – Orange Tan
- A2000 – Orange Tan
- Web Stitching – Orange Tan
- Shell Stitching – Black
Source: (Jennifer Podis/The Palm Beach Post)
On his feet, Jose Fernandez wears the Under Armour cleats you see above—the Under Armour Yard Mid ST cleat in black/white. These are also available online.
Here are the links:
Wilson Custom Glove Shop (this will take you to the specs for his glove)
Wilson A2000-L Model Glove (this model is not that common non-customized but can be found)
