Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez admits beaning Rays mascot before game
Jose Fernandez was tired of Raymond's garbage.
As the Marlins' 23-year-old ace tells it, the Tampa Bay Rays mascot was goofing around irritatingly close to him as he attempted to warm up before Thursday's game at Tropicana Field. Per the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin, Fernandez admits becoming so annoyed he purposely beaned the fuzzy ray-person out of frustration.
"He was all over my business," Fernandez said. "I'm trying to concentrate. It was a little change-up that came out of my hand. Just part of the game, man. This is a game and I love to have fun."
According to Topkin, Tampa Bay Times columnist Martin Fennelly witnessed the plunking. Fernandez smiled when asked about the incident after the game—a 9-1 victory for Miami.
"He was too close," Fernandez said. "I'd never even seen that. You're trying trying to warm up, this is a big game. We're so close to the fight. I'm like 'Guy, I think you need to move.'"
Translation:
Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis backed up Fernandez's claim, saying Raymond was way too up in their business for comfort.
"I thought it was [expletive]," Mathis said. "He was to my right to start with and then he made his way behind me and I thought that wasn't right. You don't see that a lot...you don't see a [expletive] mascot dancing around you when you're trying to get ready."
While I hold a general line of "Don't throw baseballs at anybody for any reason because it's attempted murder," this situation leaves me conflicted, as I've seen just how annoying mascots can be. Then again, I've also seen how well mascot outfits hold up under extreme duress.
Lest we forget, in 2014 the Philly Phanatic pelted an unfortunate soul in a pig costume with a 98 mph weiner shot out of a weaponized, pneumatic hot dog cannon. And no one was hurt.
With that in mind, I'm calling this a wash. Raymond shouldn't have stepped to the Wu. Fernandez shouldn't bean anyone, no matter how padded and wrapped in sweat pillows they are.
Dan is on Twitter. RESPECT EACH OTHER, CHILDREN.
