The King Has Surrendered

[AceKeptic]

Don't get me wrong, it's been a fun ride over the years, run support or no, but the harsh reality has been staring us in the face for too long already: It's time to cut him.

The DL is nowhere near good enough. Tried it; no sign of improvement. And this "eight runs in 2 2/3 innings" business SHOULD be the last sign they need.

Servais, you signed a contract extension just recently, and THIS is what you do to us?! Admit the truth: You don't know how to manage pitching, you don't know how to keep leads, YOU. DON'T. KNOW. WHAT. YOU. ARE. DOING!

If just simply dropping him and eating what's left of Felix's outrageous contract isn't enough, then maybe we can pawn him off on some NL team. At least that way, he can try and make some of his own run support.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Don't get me wrong, it's been a fun ride over the years, run support or no, but the harsh reality has been staring us in the face for too long already: It's time to cut him.

The DL is nowhere near good enough. Tried it; no sign of improvement. And this "eight runs in 2 2/3 innings" business SHOULD be the last sign they need.

Servais, you signed a contract extension just recently, and THIS is what you do to us?! Admit the truth: You don't know how to manage pitching, you don't know how to keep leads, YOU. DON'T. KNOW. WHAT. YOU. ARE. DOING!

If just simply dropping him and eating what's left of Felix's outrageous contract isn't enough, then maybe we can pawn him off on some NL team. At least that way, he can try and make some of his own run support.

At this point the FO could even get a bag of scuffed up baseballs in return. No team wants Felix and his approaching 6 era.

 

[ulmax]

he is a standing 8 count(dead on his feet)...........it has been real and it has been nice.....but right now ..................................it is not really nice.........its not official ....but...he is done

or to save himself he could go to the pin....seems the only out..if that even works

RAMIREZ!!!!.....and even that will not help...enough

 

[Voltaire26]

I don't go to other boards to troll, but King Felix is a big name and he has been a great pitcher for a while. Felix Hernandez needs to reinvent himself and add finesse to his repertoire. Case in point Justin Verlander who was washed up a couple of years ago. Be a little patient with him and he may pleasantly surprise you.

 

[seattlefan75]

I don't go to other boards to troll, but King Felix is a big name and he has been a great pitcher for a while. Felix Hernandez needs to reinvent himself and add finesse to his repertoire. Case in point Justin Verlander who was washed up a couple of years ago. Be a little patient with him and he may pleasantly surprise you.

Verlander his worst year wasnt as bad as felix now but he is still young enough to still be a 4th or 5th starter on a team but he will be out of the league if he doesnt do anything

 

[PolarVortex]

I don't go to other boards to troll, but King Felix is a big name and he has been a great pitcher for a while. Felix Hernandez needs to reinvent himself and add finesse to his repertoire. Case in point Justin Verlander who was washed up a couple of years ago. Be a little patient with him and he may pleasantly surprise you.

Not the best of comparisons. Verlander's dip into mediocrity only lasted about about one season (2014). In 2015 he missed about 40% of the season but when he pitched his ERA was at career norm. Since 2016 he has been just as good as he was earlier in his career.
Felix, on the other hand, has been on a downward spiral for four years and is getting steadily worse each year.
2014: 2.14 ERA
2015: 3.53 ERA
2016: 3.82 ERA
2017: 4.36 ERA
2018: 5.58 ERA

What made Felix so effective when he was dominant was the 11mph difference between his fastball and his changeup. Last two years there has only been a 4 mph difference which makes the changeup far less effective. So unless he figures out how to throw his changeup effectively at 78 mph instead of 85 mph, nothing is going to change for him. When he has been good this year, it has been because the curveball was working for him. That is the 're-invention' you are talking about. But the reality is that he isn't a curveball pitcher and his career is probably over. He is about one more bad start away from finishing the season on the DL.

 

[Voltaire26]

Not the best of comparisons. Verlander's dip into mediocrity only lasted about about one season (2014). In 2015 he missed about 40% of the season but when he pitched his ERA was at career norm. Since 2016 he has been just as good as he was earlier in his career.
Felix, on the other hand, has been on a downward spiral for four years and is getting steadily worse each year.
2014: 2.14 ERA
2015: 3.53 ERA
2016: 3.82 ERA
2017: 4.36 ERA
2018: 5.58 ERA

What made Felix so effective when he was dominant was the 11mph difference between his fastball and his changeup. Last two years there has only been a 4 mph difference which makes the changeup far less effective. So unless he figures out how to throw his changeup effectively at 78 mph instead of 85 mph, nothing is going to change for him. When he has been good this year, it has been because the curveball was working for him. That is the 're-invention' you are talking about. But the reality is that he isn't a curveball pitcher and his career is probably over. He is about one more bad start away from finishing the season on the DL.

Don't trade him to Houston ... you will regret it. As a side note, no regret for trading Verlander to Houston ... It's great to see him successful, the Tiger rebuild was not a good place for him.

 

[Duders]

Even announcers are now saying Felix is no ace and something needs to happen. Servais has got to get a set of chestnuts and do what needs to be done. When root sports (partial owners) say something Jerry Dipoto and Scott Servais better get their feces together and do something. But they have contract extensions so the dynamic duo can probably screw around as long as they like now. If nothing else, do it for Felix's sake. He knows he's lost it and they keep putting him out there to embarrass himself even more.

 

[ulmax]

I don't go to other boards to troll, but King Felix is a big name and he has been a great pitcher for a while. Felix Hernandez needs to reinvent himself and add finesse to his repertoire. Case in point Justin Verlander who was washed up a couple of years ago. Be a little patient with him and he may pleasantly surprise you.

agreed.........the "old school "way to do that is...go to the bull pin....but i ....certianly could not have said it better

but the mariners also need wins .....now.....for an opportunity to go to the playoffs......... this year

it could take a while for felix to remake himself

 

[Kernz]

I don't go to other boards to troll, but King Felix is a big name and he has been a great pitcher for a while. Felix Hernandez needs to reinvent himself and add finesse to his repertoire. Case in point Justin Verlander who was washed up a couple of years ago. Be a little patient with him and he may pleasantly surprise you.

He has had the opportunity to go to the other repertoire.

When I watched him start last night, I expected (but not hoped) him to start getting dinged on from the beginning.

Felix seems to realize his situation from the post-game interview I watched.

Question is: what will the Org do....if anything.

 

[ulmax]

i think the only thing holding back a trade of felix is his contract...a 10 YEAR GUY he can choose where he goes

the mariners would prob have to eat money on that.......wherever he would go

but i would let him take nicasio's place and trade nicasio instead..lolol

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Felix has known this for over a year but he still thinks he can over power hitters. This past off season he should have been working more on his finesse but he hasn't shown any consistency with it. Maybe another off season of tweeking and we'll see a different Felix.

 

[Kernz]

i think the only thing holding back a trade of felix is his contract...a 10 YEAR GUY he can choose where he goes

His contract ends after the 2019 season, correct? Fully guaranteed.

He has a full no-trade clause if he chooses to use it.

Just a hunch, that I don't see him wanting to finish his career anywhere else.

 

[ulmax]

a change of location can help him and the mariners at the same time....he needs to remake himself.,his contract is over next year.....if it takes him that long...all he does by staying with the mariners is be in the way...of a team trying to make a playoff push

i would take prospects..and two or three and eat some cash maybe up to 50-70 pct of his
i think 26 mil

 

[ulmax]

rebuilding teams are the only ones that will prob want him...at this time.........that is harsh(hard core)....but i think it is.... the way it is

texas and detroit are the only ones i can think of..maybe chi sox or K.C

 

[ulmax]

batimore could handle felix.............they have nothing to lose ......and could use another pitcher..but not his contract.....and mostly to put fans in the seats
mariners would have to .........cash feast

 

[WizardHawk]

Sure Felix is no ace. I mean that's kind of obvious and no one is debating that.

He makes a crap load of money on a bloated contract and they have zero arms in the farm system to replace him with. Servais has no choice but to put him out there right now otherwise they'd just come up with a mysterious injury to save face and sit him out. Paxton is injured and hasn't played in weeks. That talk about going to a 6 man rotation hasn't happened because of it.

What Servais consistently hasn't done well is managing and pulling pitchers that don't have it that day. He has a bullpen with some long relief arms in it and for whatever reason just won't go to them where every other manager in the game would. He either has no spine with facing his starters after yanking them early, or he flat out HATES his long inning guys.

 

[ulmax]

Sure Felix is no ace. I mean that's kind of obvious and no one is debating that.

He makes a crap load of money on a bloated contract and they have zero arms in the farm system to replace him with. Servais has no choice but to put him out there right now otherwise they'd just come up with a mysterious injury to save face and sit him out. Paxton is injured and hasn't played in weeks. That talk about going to a 6 man rotation hasn't happened because of it.

What Servais consistently hasn't done well is managing and pulling pitchers that don't have it that day. He has a bullpen with some long relief arms in it and for whatever reason just won't go to them where every other manager in the game would. He either has no spine with facing his starters after yanking them early, or he flat out HATES his long inning guys.

all good points....but trading filix is almost ..a must...otherwise they are just waiting for next year when his contract is over
baltimore has issues ..that a trade could....help them turn the corner..like vogelbach and felix

cuz vogey is better than cris davis at this point IMO.......and they have cash problems(mariners munch the cash)

not that the matiners want davis but prospects would do...and you could trade other prospects for archer or whoever
and the yankees or texas could pick up on davis
voggy would do well in a small park

 

[WizardHawk]

all good points....but trading filix is almost ..a must...otherwise they are just waiting for next year when his contract is over
baltimore has issues ..that a trade could....help them turn the corner..like vogelbach and felix

cuz vogey is better than cris davis at this point IMO.......and they have cash problems

Again, with Paxton facing his typical fragile stretch where you can't rely on him, if you trade Felix what does your current rotation look like?

You are asking for another team to take an aging and struggling starting pitcher and give us a more stable option in return?

I mean if you had that option of course you would take it. Just not sure there's a team out there that dumb at this point. Felix is expensive for basically no upside. What real trade value is there?

 

[ulmax]

yeah.. normaly i would agree..but not in baltimores case.........cuz like the mariners need to trade felix..

baltimore needs to trade davis...there problem ..also is cash...and pitching..they have more time to deal with there situation
cuz they dont have a chance at the playoffs IMO..so they need to start to fix now

remember..im saying the mariners eat most of felix's contract.

.prob as baltimore would on davis++they would get voggy who they need