Wednesday's Miami Herald contained a mysterious report about a mysterious pitching change before Tuesday's Marlins-Twins doubleheader: nameless "Higher-ups" had shifted top prospect Jose Fernandez to the early game, and "ace" Ricky Nolasco to the later one. Now, thanks to Jeff Passan, we know what was meant by "higher-ups": Jeffrey Loria.
Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria personally mandated the lineup card change that flip-flopped starting pitchers Jose Fernandez and Ricky Nolasco in a doubleheader Tuesday and left Marlins players furious with his continued meddling, three sources with knowledge of the situation told Yahoo! Sports.
Loria insisted Fernandez, the team's prized 20-year-old rookie, pitch in the first half of the doubleheader at frigid Target Field instead of the scheduled Nolasco because the day game was expected to be warmer. The temperature at Fernandez's first pitch (38 degrees) was actually colder than at the beginning of Nolasco's start (42 degrees).
That last bit is a brilliant knife-twist. You don't know shit about baseball, Jeffrey Loria. You don't even know shit about weather!
MLB history features owners who have meddled more, yes. But recent years have been fairly placid—hell, the surviving Steinbrenners seemingly want nothing to do with the Yankees. Loria, the gilded lifesize hemorrhoid, is baseball's big exception, interfering with manager after manager. If only wronging taxpayers and Québec had been enough!
Sources: Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria personally mandated pitching lineup change [Yahoo]