Jose Fernandez wants to gift David Ortiz a home run at All-Star game
Jose Fernandez is probably going to tick some baseball purists off at Tuesday night's All-Star Game. And he probably won't care.
A staunch supporter of making baseball fun again, the Miami Marlins pitcher told reporters on Tuesday that he's pumped to throw to David Ortiz in what will purportedly be the last All-Star game of his baseball career.
Moreover, he's excited to toss Big Papi some meatballs.
"I told him yesterday that I am going to throw him three fastballs down the middle," Fernandez said, per ESPN.com news services. "I want to watch him hit a home run."
So...that's one way to make baseball fun. It'll also have Cubs fans eating their hats if it comes to pass on Tuesday night.
With the All-Star Game deciding home field advantage in the World Series--and the entire Cubs infield being, well, on Fernandez's team--there could be some tension in the dugout if Fernandez follows through on serving up some bone-in ribeyes to the league's leader in slugging percentage.
And to be clear, Fernandez says these offerings will be toned down and feature a cool, red center:
"90 miles per hour," Fernandez said. "So there is no chance he fouls them or misses them."
Are we sure Fernandez knows the All-Star Game means something? I like to think he does, and he's just saying this to see how many Cubs fans will clutch their pearls when Papi approaches the mound.
If not, well, that's fine, too. After all, he's already predicted the Home Run Derby winner: Giancarlo Stanton over Giancarlo.
Smartest person at Petco Park: Jose Fernandez.@TMobile #HRDerby pic.twitter.com/Bxe6zVvL2j
— MLB (@MLB) July 12, 2016
So really, Jose Fernandez can do no wrong.
Dan is on Twitter. Joe Maddon is already printing a "Grooved pitches get stitches" shirt.
