Felix Hernandez

[fhernandez1.00]

Will Felix Hernandez put up the number he was able to put up at the end of last year?

[SABR Matt]

Perhaps not a 2.50 ERA...but I have him pegged for 3.25 or so with 15 HRA, 180-200 K, 60-70 BB in 185 IP

[Edgartohof]

Perhaps not a 2.50 ERA...but I have him pegged for 3.25 or so with 15 HRA, 180-200 K, 60-70 BB in 185 IP

That sounds about what I'm expecting, with a possibility of an even lower ERA. I would hope to get him a few more innings, but I know they want to keep him healthy since he's so young (heck, even I'm older than him!).

[SABR Matt]

Eventually he'll be cranking out 240 inning seasons if he stays healthy...but the Ms have said they want him to throw around 180 innings...so...that's about how many he'll throw.

[Mariner Fan]

Oh he just blew me away last year. I suppose we should expect a downturn in his performance but Wow he has great stuff!

[BoSox Rule]

He sucks. Trade him to the Red Sox. :laugh

[Edgartohof]

He sucks. Trade him to the Red Sox. :laugh

Not even for ManRam and a healthy Curt Schilling :D

[Edgartohof]

Throw in Ortiz as well, and I'd think about it.

[Mariner Fan]

No, we have a winner here.

[Naliamegod]

I wouldn't trade him for anyone short of Albert Pujols

[SABR Matt]

I wouldn't trade him for Albert Pujols.

[ichiro262]

I wouldn't trade him for anyone other than Johan Santana. But that wouldn't even be the best idea for the M's, since they already have two solid lefties. But yeah, next season I think we can hope for the best and expect better than average. I think that if we can get an '05 John Garland-ish season out of him it will be a great year (and he's definitely capable of that). I mean, I know we've only seen him for part of a year, but he reminds me a lot of a young Pedro -- that's exciting.

[Edgartohof]

I think we can hope for the best and expect better than average. I think that if we can get an '05 John Garland-ish season out of him it will be a great year.

I could see that, but with a fewer IP than Garland, ergo probably a couple less wins, but other than that, a solid 3.50 ERA, and with Felix, a good possibility of it being lower.

[TRIPxCORE]

Felix Hernandez. What can I say about this kid? I watched him pitch last year with great anticipation. It is downright scary how good this kid could be as long as the M's handle him right. I'd kill to get him on my Cubbies.

[Francoeurstein]

I wouldn't trade him for anyone other than Johan Santana. But that wouldn't even be the best idea for the M's, since they already have two solid lefties. But yeah, next season I think we can hope for the best and expect better than average. I think that if we can get an '05 John Garland-ish season out of him it will be a great year (and he's definitely capable of that). I mean, I know we've only seen him for part of a year, but he reminds me a lot of a young Pedro -- that's exciting.


Yea, a promising better Garland season maybe 2-4 less wins but i know as a fact 40+ more k's and a better era.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

What if he starts out like gangbusters? Say 12-0, 1.90 ERA, and 10 K/9. Will the M's have the cajones to still keep a tight reign on him?

[ill pill]

Let's just hope he doesn't get injured now!

[Mattingly]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/02/sports/02felix.184.jpg
Jeff Topping for The New York
Times
Felix Hernandez pitched for
the Seattle Mariners against
the Arizona Diamondbacks
in a spring game last month,
yielding one run in five innings.

Now Pitching for Seattle, a Reminder of Doc Gooden (the Early Doc Gooden) (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/sports/baseball/02felix.html)
PEORIA, Ariz. — Inside a glass case in the Metropolitan Museum of Art stands a blue-and-white porcelain vase from the Ming dynasty. Size: 19 inches tall. Weight: a few pounds. Age: about 566 years old. Origin: China.

On the mound the other night for the Seattle Mariners in an exhibition game against the Arizona Diamondbacks stood Felix Hernandez. Size: 6 feet 5 inches. Weight: 230. Age: almost 20. Origin: Venezuela.

And as carefully as the Met curators deal with that vase, so Mariners officials are looking after the new jewel in their midst, his head and his right arm bearing particular scrutiny, for all are aware of cautionary tales.

Under the Peoria Stadium lights here on a warm evening, Hernandez had his navy blue baseball cap lowered nearly to the tip of his nose and the cuffs of his white baseball pants covering the heels of his baseball shoes in the style of Pedro Martínez. And with the flair of Martínez, he dazzled the Diamondbacks in the five innings he was given to pitch.

The precious young pitcher, who has been nicknamed King Felix, allowed one run on three hits but only two were hard hit. He struck out eight batters, five looking.

Often, when a batter is called out on strikes, he will give some indication that the umpire, for want of a better term, is blind. Not with Hernandez. Each batter essentially nodded in agreement and dragged his bat back to the dugout. It was one of several good outings for Hernandez this spring.

[Mattingly]

What if he starts out like gangbusters? Say 12-0, 1.90 ERA, and 10 K/9. Will the M's have the cajones to still keep a tight reign on him?
Personally, I'd be worried about any injury to him. I'm far from a pitching expert, but his mechanics may be what should be watched the most, insuring that he's pushing off with his leg, rather than overusing his arm.

Also insuring that he's got a stable lifestyle would be great. After Gooden's 1985 season, it was outside influences which prevented many of us from watching further greatness.

[SABR Matt]

That's why when he got shin splints, they shut him down...he may even miss a rotation to start the season, though right now it looks unlikely. They don't want him pitching with a bum leg.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Personally, I'd be worried about any injury to him. I'm far from a pitching expert, but his mechanics may be what should be watched the most, insuring that he's pushing off with his leg, rather than overusing his arm.

Also insuring that he's got a stable lifestyle would be great. After Gooden's 1985 season, it was outside influences which prevented many of us from watching further greatness.
Gooden's main downfall was the Met's blatant overuse and not the drugs.

[Rennie Stennett]

The Go To Guy, a writer for the local fish wrapper, in Seattle, stated that the M's should turn the kid loose and let him throw deep into games. Billy Martin, while managing Oakland burned out some young pitchers by working them to death. I don't want that in this case. They have Felix #5 in the rotation, but he really is in a stopper position, considering he follows a couple of bums. It is possible that, aften, when Felix pitches, the M's could have a two game losing streak. So, when you look at like that, Felix is actually the Ace of the staff.

[Mattingly]

Gooden's main downfall was the Met's blatant overuse and not the drugs.
Overuse? I thought it was the nose candy.

I guess I didn't follow baseball closely enough back then to know how much he'd been used. He'd been the star of all of their media guides back then, was very popular.

[SABR Matt]

Felix is in an ideal spot in the rotation for the Mariners. He'll be facing a lot of teams' weakest starting pitchers, he'll be following Gil Meche in the order and have a chance to break up losing streaks...and he'll have plenty of offensive support. 16+ wins this year for the King.

[Mattingly]

How many innings per start you folks figure he'll do in his first 5 starts? I'm thinking 6, but not more than 7.

[Mariner Fan]

Grover will probably only keep him in for 6 innings unless his pitch count is low. He's starting tonight and I can't wait!

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Overuse? I thought it was the nose candy.

I guess I didn't follow baseball closely enough back then to know how much he'd been used. He'd been the star of all of their media guides back then, was very popular.

Here are Dwight's IP by age:

19-218
20-276.7
21-250
22-179.7
23-248.3

That pretty much trashed his arm. By age 25 his ERA+ was 98. :(

[Rennie Stennett]

Do you think the reason for this is the body is not fully developed at this age and all this work trashes it.

I know Felix really torks his arm when he snaps off that big 12/6 of his. It hurts me watching on TV.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Do you think the reason for this is the body is not fully developed at this age and all this work trashes it.

I know Felix really torks his arm when he snaps off that big 12/6 of his. It hurts me watching on TV.
Since Dwight was so good the Mets simply riding him I know the MAriners are being really careful with Felix. Ther is some research that a high work load at a young age is not good.

[Rennie Stennett]

Tuesday Night July 8th is Felix Hernandez Bobblehead Night at Everett Stadium, home of the Aquasox. The Soxs play the Eugene Emeralds @ 7:05pm

Be the first on your block to have a Felix Bobblehead.

[lostzuli]

Fransisco Liriano vs. King Felix, friday at the dome.