In light of the passing of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez on September 25, 2016, baseball fans have proposed an award honoring the spirit of the man who lost his life in a tragic boating accident. Jose Fernandez embodied the characteristics that make baseball a fun distraction and entertainment option for millions of people the world over. He was pure joy. He loved his family, so much that he risked his life for them more than once. His family had more than a nuclear sense, it extended to the kinship of an entire people. It extended to the family he'd created at his workplace. He's left such a profound impact in just 24 years of life that he's made parents want to tell their kids about him. Quite literally, if you had an experience with Jose Fernandez, you never forgot it. Most importantly though, Jose Fernandez never forgot that every day was a gift and he should take the time to enjoy even the simplest aspects of it. We should then take the time to celebrate that aspect of his life in someone who embodies it the most every year going forward, so that Jose's impact is never forgotten.

We ask you, Major League Baseball, and those of you with oversight, to create an award honoring that legacy and to foster that kind of spirit going forward.