Marlins to install plaques in memory of Jose and Felo

[SilverBullet]

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miami-marlins/article204100789.html

 

Plaques should be up on the West Plaza columns by tomorrow. The large signs that fans had been signing have been removed and couldn't be permanent because weather had already removed many of the signatures. No statues. Jose's mother also took home all of Jose's belongings that were encased in his locker during the 2017 season. Just my guess, this is probably the end of any permanent tributes for Jose. 

 

“The Marlins have been fortunate to have had some truly talented individuals within our organization through the years,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said in a statement. "Jose, on the field, and Felo, in the booth, each left a lasting legacy in Little Havana and throughout baseball. We wanted to commemorate them with plaques on the West Plaza for our fans and family members. Their memories will live on in our hearts and in our community.”

 

 

 

[Admin]

Perfect sized tribute.

 

 

[SilverBullet]

Perfect sized tribute.

 

That's an odd thing to say. Were you hoping on those dimensions all this time? What if it was, say, 6 inches bigger on each side? That would be too much for you? 

 

 

[Admin]

What if it was, say, 6 inches bigger on each side? That would be too much for you? 

 

Are you flirting with me?

 

 

[Rydawg]

Are you flirting with me?

 

I'm getting excited. I like where this is going.

 

 

[Admin]

I'm getting excited. I like where this is going.

 

This is a one on one affair, you can watch but keep your distance.

 

 

[Rydawg]

This is a one on one affair, you can watch but keep your distance.

 

That's fine with me.  I'm into voyeurism.  

 

 

[SilverBullet]

While I'm ok with this I have a question. I wonder if they'll do anything similar inside the Marlins clubhouse and/or somewhere inside the ballpark over time. Maybe I'm thinking too literal here but this plaque is outside the ballpark, not inside. I don't think it needs to be more plaques but something simpler like photos of Jose in various areas. For example there's various places around the park where they have photos of Charlie Hough throwing the first pitch, Jim Leyland, Jack McKeon, Counsell scoring the winning run in 97, Anibal's no hitter, etc. Maybe just eventually updating those pics to include Jose, and others as well. I don't want anything memorializing him or bringing up his death but just make sure he's not "left outside" when remembering memorable Marlins moments. 

 

 

[SilverBullet]

While I would be fine with something like that, I should also point out that at this point, many of the people in the organization had personal ties and friendships with Jose are pretty much gone in one form or another. Loria, Samson, Felo, Waltz, Hutton, Gordon, Ozuna, Stanton, Yelich, etc. Some teammates are still around of course but their numbers are dwindling.

 

A plaque is a nice gesture and very fitting given the present circumstances. I actually had a feeling Jeter & co. would be pretty level headed when making this decision.

 

Fair points but I meant more for the fanbase. I think I just meant I hope the plaque isn't a washing away of Jose's Marlins moments as if Jeter is saying "ok, there's the plaque, now let's never bring this guy up again." 

 

 

[fish20]

just saw pictures of the "plaque" for jose.  they did as little as possible to honor him it appears.  Just a small plaque with 16 on it and the years he lived.  no name on it.

 

 

[Admin]

[ATTACH]1805._xfImport[/ATTACH]

 

[THRILLHO]

FWIW the plaque honoring Felo on the other side of the wall is identical in size.  It has a microphone instead of the jersey number.

 

 

[THRILLHO]

It is just an appropriate tribute to both men. I don't see why more is needed.

 

I agree with you.  I mentioned that because it seems some people on social media took issue with the size of it.  The team chose something and used the same template for both men, which is totally fine and normal.

 

 

[SilverBullet]

[ATTACH]1805[/ATTACH]

 

Hmm

 

 

[Admin]

Hmm

 

I think it is a bit small, not sure why they couldn't at least toss his name on there.

 

 

[SilverBullet]

I think it is a bit small, not sure why they couldn't at least toss his name on there.

 

lol yesterday you said it was "the perfect size."

 

But really, I like it... I like the simplicity... I don't mind the size... I just feel like something is missing. His name would have been nice. It almost seems too "mysterious." When a kid walks by that plaque in 20 years, what's he gonna say? What's he gonna ask? What does that plaque tell him?

 

I said this yesterday too but I just don't want this to look like a plaque for the sake of "Ok, we made a plaque now let's forget about this guy and not even mention him ever again." Jose made his mistakes but his memories on the field can't and shouldn't be washed away. Even though I don't think that's the intention, I'm afraid of that being the implication.

 

 

[Admin]

lol yesterday you said it was "the perfect size."

 

I hadn't seen it yet. I thought it'd be a bigger plaque.

 

 

[SilverBullet]

I hadn't seen it yet. I thought it'd be a bigger plaque.

 

The article you responded to clearly stated the dimensions bro. 

 

 

[Admin]

The article you responded to clearly stated the dimensions bro. 

 

You think I read it? I didn't.

 

 

[SilverBullet]

You think I read it? I didn't.

 

THEN WHY'D YOU RESPOND TO IT????

 

 

[Admin]

THEN WHY'D YOU RESPOND TO IT????

 

Cause I felt like it. Sue me.

 

 

[SilverBullet]

Cause I felt like it. Sue me.

 

You're not gonna last here.

 

 

[SilverBullet]

Yea yeah I agree with all that but it'd be nice if everyone who walked by that plaque in the future knew the name of the person it was meant for. 

 

 

[DTrain]

This is why I was against the statue idea and in favor of what Jeter has done with the plaque. You need to think about how things will be 20 years from now. You can't make decision making based on present emotions and sentiment. That's what Loria would do. He always thought "in the moment" and never considered the bigger picture into the future.

 

Despite how tragic the untimely death of Jose was (and honestly he's one of my favorite players ever to wear a Marlins uniform), let's be real here. He was an all-star caliber pitcher for the Marlins over 76 starts. He was very possibly going to be traded after the 2016 season anyway. It's not like he's some kind of legend with an extensive Marlins tenure a la Roberto Clemente with the Pirates.

 

And the nature of his death factors in a little bit too. He didn't die like Clemente did---in a plane crash while en route to a charity project. I think that a modest tribute, such as the plaque they put up, makes the most sense for 20 years into the future. It's much more forward-thinking than having to explain to kids 20 years from now that some kind of elaborate monument, statue, or plaque display is a tribute to pitcher who was amazing for 76 starts before he killed himself and two other people in a boating accident while drunk out of his mind and on cocaine. I'm sure that Jeter's thought process was at least somewhat along these lines.

 

Well thought out post. 

 

I agree with all of it with one exception:

 

They don’t need to make s bigger plaque.  But they need to make a better plaque.  The one posted in this thread looks unfinished (to put it nicely).  

 

 

[SilverBullet]

Finally someone posted a pic of the Felo plaque and while I still think it would have been nice to include their full names on there, seeing them together actually makes them look better since they're both obviously so alike...