Marlins' manager sobs as he remembers José Fernández's infectious joy
His voice quivered and his eyes welled, but in a moment of sorrow, Marlins Manager Don Mattingly thought about joy.
Mattingly recalled the passion and joy of the team's star pitcher José Fernández at a press conference Sunday following his sudden death. The 24-year-old right hander died earlier that morning after a boating accident in Miami Beach.
"I see such a little boy in him," Mattingly said, holding back tears. "The way he played, there's just joy with him when he played and when he pitched."
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Mattingly's sentiment echoed that of the baseball world. Fans and fellow players mourned Fernández's loss on social media, recalling his love for the game, as well as the joy others had while watching him play.
"You just see that little kid that you see when you watch kids play little league," Mattingly said. "That's the joy that José played with."
A Coast Guard crew found Fernández on a 33-foot boat overturned on a jetty around 3:30 a.m. He was scheduled to pitch Monday for the Marlins, who canceled their series finale against the Braves on Sunday.
