From the moment he arrived in the big leagues as a hard-throwing 20-year-old with an effortless delivery and a devastating curveball , Jose Fernandez was special.The shock and heartache will linger for a while after Fernandez died early Sunday in a boating accident at age 24. The Miami ace was one of the games brightest young stars, his precocious talent matched by an infectious, fun-loving personality.My first impression of Jose was, `This rookie is way too comfortable. The first time that he pitched against us, it kind of caught you off guard because he was so animated, Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. The unwritten baseball rule is thats unacceptable, but it didnt take long before I realized that this guy just had a tremendous joy for playing the game. I was all-in shortly after that first time I saw him pitch.The future seemed limitless for Fernandez, who won National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2013. He missed much of 2014 and 2015 because of Tommy John surgery, but even that didnt appear to be that much of a setback, the way the right-hander was pitching this year.He was the guy for the Marlins who was their face. He was beloved, said Oakland first baseman Yonder Alonso, who went to college at Miami and like Fernandez was born in Cuba.Its a blow to the team, to the city, to everyone. Its a shocking thing, because hes 24 years old. A big-time shock, for sure.Amid the pain of this loss, Fernandezs career is worth celebrating. Here are some of the most illustrious stats and facts from his dazzling four years in the majors:THAT ROOKIE SEASON: Less than two years after being drafted in the first round -- and with no minor league experience above Class A -- Fernandez made his big league debut in April 2013. He would go 12-6 with a 2.19 ERA, beating out fellow Cuban Yasiel Puig for Rookie of the Year honors.According to Baseball-Reference.com, Fernandezs pitching was worth 6.3 wins above replacement that year, the fifth-highest total for a pitcher in his age 20 season. Only Dwight Gooden (1985), Bob Feller (1939), Christy Mathewson (1901) and Bert Blyleven (1971) have ranked higher.COMFORT ZONE: Fernandezs starts in his home ballpark were not to be missed. He made 42 of them, going an almost unfathomable 29-2 with a 1.49 ERA. His final two home starts this month were reflective of his career. Against the Dodgers and Nationals -- two division champions -- he pitched 15 scoreless innings, striking out 26.SLUGGING WITH SWAGGER: Fernandez hit .213 in 136 career at-bats with two home runs, the first of which touched off a bench-clearing incident against Atlanta in 2013 when the youngster flipped his bat and admired his prodigious shot to left field. Against the Braves this July, Fernandez came up as a pinch-hitter in the top of the 12th and hit a two-run double to lift the Marlins to a 7-5 win.RARE COMPANY: In his first full season since surgery, Fernandez was an All-Star this year, going 16-8 with a 2.86 ERA and 253 strikeouts. He averaged 12.49 strikeouts per nine innings, the fifth-best single-season mark for a qualifying pitcher. Only Randy Johnson (twice), Pedro Martinez and Kerry Wood have posted higher figures.---Follow Noah Trister at
www.Twitter.com/noahtrister . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies looked like they were going to celebrate a rare comeback victory. However, Carlos Estevez couldnt seal it.Estevez gave up a go-ahead, two-run single to Martin Prado during a four-run rally in the ninth inning that sent the Miami Marlins to a 5-3 win over the Rockies on Friday night.Colorado scored three times in the eighth to take a 3-1 lead, but Miami bounced back.My fastball wasnt there, my command wasnt there, Estevez said. Every pitch I throw I want to have my command. Today I didnt.DJ LeMahieu had four hits for Colorado, Carlos Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 16 games, and David Dahl hit safely in his 11th consecutive game in the majors.Miami ended a three-game losing skid and stayed even with St. Louis for the second wild-card spot, with Colorado falling four games behind.These losses are always frustrating, said Rockies manager Walt Weiss, whose team has just two wins when it has fallen behind after the seventh inning this season.In the eighth, LeMahieu scored from second to tie the game when Nolan Arenado hit into a forceout and Gordon threw a potential double-play ball into the stands.Dahl, who is hitting .356 since making his debut, then lined an RBI single off Fernando Rodney and Mark Reynolds extended the lead with a double.Brian Ellington (2-1) came in and got the last two outs of the inning. A.J. Ramos recorded his 32nd save in 34 chances after the Marlins rallied in the ninth.Its fun, Miami manager Don Mattingly said. Were trying to win every day, (the Rockies) need to win every day -- were very similar clubs in my mind that were both experiencing a shot at getting in the playoffs for the first time in a while.ddddddddddddMarlins pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki struck out on three pitches and remains two hits away from 3,000. He is in an 0-for-11 slump.Jorge De La Rosa gave up four hits and one run over six strong innings. Hes had a quality start in eight of his last nine outings.ICHIROS QUESTSuzuki didnt start Friday and manager Don Mattingly said there was no concrete decision on when the outfielder would be back in the lineup.No real plans, Mattingly said. I look at the matchups and I look at our guys. With the (Sunday) day game, it could be a better chance, but it really would depend on how (Marcell) Ozuna looks and how Giancarlo looks.TRAINERS ROOMMarlins: 1B Justin Bour (ankle) will not to return from the 15-day disabled until after the Marlins complete their three-game series in Colorado. ... RHP Bryan Morris (back), who is on the 60-day DL, will not return to the Marlins until September at the earliest, Mattingly said.Rockies: Gonzalez started after missing Thursday with a sprained left ankle. ... Daniel Descalso (shoulder) returned to the lineup after he went head-first into the wall Thursday.UP NEXTMarlins: RHP Andrew Cashner (4-7, 4.54 ERA) held the Cardinals to two runs in six strong innings in his Marlins debut.Colorado: RHP Chad Bettis (9-6, 5.16 ERA) was 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA in July. ' ' '
