The Marlins last night "fought sadness and grief to pull out an emotional 7-3 win" over the Mets, just one day after the death of P Jose Fernandez in a boat accident, according to Clark Spencer of the MIAMI HERALD. It was a night of "hugging and crying" at Marlins Park. Cameras zooming in on Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton "showed him crying throughout the top of the first inning." In the bottom of the first, Marlins 2B Dee Gordon purposely took Mets P Bartolo Colon’s first pitch right-handed "as a tribute to Fernandez." Gordon then switched to his natural left-handed position, and on the next pitch hit "his first home run of the season." After he "circled the bases, touched home plate, and returned to the dugout, he started sobbing" (
MIAMI HERALD, 9/27). USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale notes the Marlins "officially retired" Fernandez' No. 16 before last night's game. Marlins President David Samson said, "When generations of people come to Marlins games, they will always know Jose Fernandez was part of this franchise." The Marlins yesterday "didn’t feel like playing." Their clubhouse was "closed to the news media before the game, and they loosened up in a stadium as quiet inside as it was out." When the National Anthem ended, Mets players and coaching staff "walked across the field and embraced the Marlins." The players "stayed on the field, knelt in front of the mound and prayed, with many using their fingers to draw 16 on the mound." Gordon's lead-off home run was "one of the greatest home-run moments in the history of the game" (
USA TODAY, 9/27).
IN MEMORIAM: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jared Diamond notes every Marlins player "wore a black jersey" adorned with Fernández’ name and number, an idea the players "conceived and the league quickly approved." Samson said that Majestic Athletic, MLB’s uniform provider, "opened its plant in Philadelphia on Sunday night to make the jersey for the entire roster and flew them down to Miami." The Marlins went out for batting practice "without any chatter, with no music playing over the PA system." A vase of flowers "sat on one end of the bench." Meanwhile, the Mets "hung a Fernández jersey on the wall of the visitor’s dugout." After the final out, the Marlins "met at the mound, forming a circle around Fernández’s domain." When they went back to the clubhouse, they "left their caps behind as a tribute." An hour later, they "returned to toast the sky" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/27). Samson said of Fernandez' death, "There’s no sense to a life ending like that, in a way that is so meaningless. So it’s our job to make his life matter, and we’re going to do it forever" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/27). ESPN's Tim Kurkjian said, "I don't think any of us really knew what to expect what was going to happen in the game ... but it turned out be a really special night. … I've never seen two teams get together like that before a game. I've never seen guys from different teams hugging each other before a game like that." ESPN's Eduardo Perez added, "I have to applaud the Marlins family. Overall, what they were able to accomplish in remembering Jose . ... I was proud of the way the team handled the game from the get-go" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN2, 9/27).
SOUND OF SILENCE: The AP's Steven Wine wrote the atmosphere was "funereal at Marlins Park three hours before the first pitch." The animal race at the end of the fifth inning "was canceled, along with other in-game entertainment, and most of the Marlins' hitters decided to forgo walk-up music." Samson: "This is shallow, but the show goes on. There has been a lot of talking and a lot of crying and a lot of praying and a lot of trying to make sense of something you can't make sense of" (AP, 9/26). In Miami, Andre Fernandez notes fans last night "lined up" outside Marlins Park to honor Fernandez in a "procession that extended along on the west side" of the ballpark (MIAMI HERALD, 9/27). Samson yesterday said, "The fact is we have to play today. We're going out and doing the best we can as an organization, with heavy hearts and with an eye toward what matters, and that is honoring Jose -- and that is not just today, win or lose, but moving forward" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 9/27). MLB Network's John Smoltz said, "I applaud the Marlins organization for how they handled this in the sense that this could not have any protocol for even knowing what to do" ("MLB Tonight," MLB Network, 9/26). ESPN's Mike Greenberg said the Marlins organization for a "variety of different reasons has received an extraordinary amount of criticism." Greenberg: "While all of that remains valid, I thought they handled last night exceptionally well" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 9/27).
NOT A DRY EYE: Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria called Fernandez' death his "lowest moment." He recalled getting the phone call from Samson on Sunday morning, during which Samson said, "Jose's been killed." Loria responded, "What? What?" In West Palm Beach, Hal Habib notes Loria was in N.Y. when he got the call. Fernandez' agent Scott Boras also "recalled getting his phone call" at 4:30am in California "before hopping on a plane." Boras before breaking down said, "When you get here it hits" (PALM BEACH POST, 9/27). In New Jersey, Bob Klapisch notes Fernandez' image last night "kept flashing on the JumboTron screen, one more reminder of a life cut short." It was "unbearable to watch." Meanwhile, Gordon's first at-bat was a moment that "bordered on spiritual." He "couldn’t stop weeping by the time he got to the dugout." He "wasn’t even trying anymore, burying his head in his teammates’ shoulders as he walked the length of the bench" (Bergen RECORD, 9/27). In N.Y., Kristie Ackert writes, "There was crying in baseball Monday night. There were lots of tears and plenty of hugging, too." Gordon's home run was "one of the most emotional moments the game will ever see" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/27). The MIAMI HERALD's Spencer notes the Marlins "wept openly during a pre-game ceremony that felt more like a memorial service than a sporting event" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/27). Meanwhile, Spencer notes Stanton "made four trips to the plate and doesn't remember seeing the ball." He said, "We were hitting balls from underwater pretty much, our eyes full of water" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/27).
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE: In Miami, Greg Cote writes Fernandez was "all over the field, on everyone’s mind, in everyone’s heart." A crowd of 26,933 "pulled away from the first presidential debate to remember and help honor Fernandez." Photos of Fernandez and Tweeted condolences "were shown on the giant video screen before the game and between innings." His number was "painted onto the back of the pitcher’s mound." Fernandez’ name "stood out against a black background all around the stadium." Uniform patches honoring Fernandez "will appear" starting today (MIAMI HERALD, 9/27). In DC, Barry Svrluga writes every touch "appeared perfect" at Marlins Park last night (WASHINGTON POST, 9/27). ESPN's Pedro Gomez said he talked to many people in South Florida in recent days, and the "one thing they keep saying is Jose Fernandez was the most important athlete in the history of South Florida." Gomez: "The reason they say that ... is because (he) is one of the very few that was able to straddle both worlds down here" ("OTL," ESPN, 9/26).
OUR CONDOLENCES: On Long Island, David Lennon writes the Mets last night "provided a sympathetic shoulder for their hurting Miami pals, and on this special night, that was most admirable, even in defeat." The Mets "joined the Marlins for a group hug on the infield grass." Regardless of where the Mets "wind up at the end of this season, that was a moment to be proud of" (NEWSDAY, 9/27). The HERALD's Cote notes two busloads of Marlins players, coaches and staff on Sunday night "paid respects at the family home" of Fernandez’ mother and grandmother. Samson yesterday called Fernandez' death "unspeakable." Loria called Sunday the "saddest day of my life" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/27). In Tampa, Roger Mooney writes Fernandez "had everything," including "an electric arm and the 'it' factor to be the face of the game to a new generation of fans and Hispanics of every age" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 9/27).
