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Miami Marlins news: Manager Mike Redmond not surprised Jose Fernandez finding success

After a 3-0 victory over the Rockies on Saturday night, Marlins Manager Mike Redmond said he is not surprised by the success Jose Fernandez has had since being promoted. With Saturday's victory, Fernandez improved to 7-0 at home.

By Scott Gelman
Marc Serota

At the beginning of the season, he wasn't supposed to be a part of the equation.

To begin the year, the Marlins had no intentions of promoting rookie pitcher Jose Fernandez until he gained some experience in the minor leagues. However, because of offensive struggles and injuries within the starting rotation, Miami decided to promote the phenom, who continues to thrive.

After a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night, Fernandez earned his tenth win of the season and pushed his record to 7-0 at Marlins Park.

"He appreciates the opportunity to be pitching in the big leagues," Redmond said in a Sun-Sentinel interview. "But at the same time he's very focused an what he needs to do and what he needs to accomplish to be a successful pitcher in this league for many years to come. I think that's what separates him from a lot of guys and what makes him such a great player."

Fernandez also extended his streak of allowing two earned runs or fewer in a home start to 13 consecutive games, which according to STATS LLC., is the longest streak since 1921.

Despite the fact that he wasn't in their plans early on, Redmond couldn't say that he was surprised by the rookie's success.

"I don't know that I'm surprised," Redmond said in an MLB.com interview. "You take a guy with his caliber of stuff and his mentality and his confidence and you give him an opportunity and he's taken advantage of it and run with it."

Having been placed on a strict innings limit, Saturday may have been the last home start of the season for Fernandez. However, the Marlins recently said they were going to try and extend Fernandez as much as they could without going too much over the set limit.

Since June 1, Fernandez's 1.64 ERA is the second best in the National League. He also has the lowest ERA, opponents' batting average and strikeouts among rookie pitchers with at least 15 starts

"Maybe the only surprise is the fact that you just don't see that happen very often -- kid come from A ball to [the] big leagues and have so much success, become an All-Star," Redmond added. "Pitched as well as he has. He's been able to do it, and frankly, it's been a fun ride. We all look forward to coming to the ballpark to see him pitch. He's that good."

Fernandez continues to make a case to be the National League Rookie of The Year. With the NL's young talent, including Yasiel Puig, the innings limit may hurt his chances.

Regardless of whether he wins the award or not, Redmond knows the Marlins have something special in Fernandez.

"Throughout the years, you always hear about guys and how good they are, but until you actually put your eyes on them and get to see them you have to form your own opinion," Redmond said. "I'd heard so many good things about him, but now to be able to see it with my own eyes they're all true. 'This kid is special,' and he is."

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