2 years ago today was Jose Day. The last Jose Day. We were going to come up short that year, but there was so much hope for the future. Jose was unhittable, the outfield was as good as any in baseball, Dee was back from suspension, JT looked like a really good catcher. The future sure looked bright, even if Loria still owned the club. I was at that game, and there was something in the air that we hadn't had for a long time - hope.

 

There was actual hope for the Marlins - something we haven't had too often. When he pitched at home, you always expected that the Marlins were going to win, almost like when the Hurricanes play a non-BCS team at home.

 

And fun, too. The Marlins tend to rip the fun out of the game. But Jose made baseball fun again.

 

If someone had told me that would be the last time we'd see him pitch, I doubt I would have believed it.

 

Let's say the boat flips over but everybody survives the crash. Maybe Jose serves a suspension but he wises up and stops the partying, especially on the road. Who knows - he could have put up Bob Gibson / Sandy Koufax numbers for years. With the way strikeout totals have increased, he could have raised his K/9 rate well past the 12.5 rate he had in '16 and threaten 300+ K every year.

 

I can't imagine we'll ever see someone like him again.

 

Dammit.

 

 

I work not too far from the ballpark, and will sometimes randomly decide to go after work.  I wound up going that day coincidentally and got to see his last start.  It does suck from a baseball perspective that his death changed the direction of the club for years.

 

 

It’s still so sad.  All of it.