It’s hard to part with your favorite players.
The whole concept is really strange, when you think about it: We fans develop these connections with the players comprising our favorite teams just by spectating.
We spend most every night with them for six or more months, watching successes and failures, catching glimpses of personality through cameras trained on the dugout or an on-field celebration.
Most of the time, a favorite doesn’t become one based solely on performance. That type of connection is more of a personality thing.
For me, José Martínez has been that player.