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Around SBN: Tiger Woods, Tony Romo Grouped Together At Pebble Beach

Erik Bedard Is Really Good

(#32)

April 18th: Felix Hernandez leaves the game in the first inning with elbow tightness.

Box score & PBP

Game thread

----------

Boy will this be an unpopular pick. Perhaps I should phrase it better:

April 18th: Felix Hernandez takes himself out of the game in the first inning with elbow tightness.

This was, without doubt, the darkest day of the season. After all the unparalleled awesomeness the likes of which Felix bestowed upon his followers early on, his getting injured caused nothing short of widespread, staggering heartbreak. Mariner fans everywhere - fans who already had few reasons to tune in - suddenly found themselves having to deal with the tragic loss of the team's brightest bulb, and many of them began to question the rationale behind their devotion. I know I was having trouble. "Why do I subject myself to this?" I asked myself at least a few dozen times. "Felix is The Hope. And when the hope is gone, why bother?"

But from this disaster came something wonderful, something I've come to appreciate as the months have gone by. And that's the knowledge that, as stubborn as Felix can be and as reluctant as he usually is to come out of a game, he's smart enough to know when he's in trouble, and when he needs other people to come to his aid. That's something that a big part of me didn't see coming.

It reflects the kind of maturity and self-awareness that you don't ordinarily expect from a headstrong young phenom. A guy like Felix can get pretty far just blowing people away and doing whatever he wants, and while that kind of inborn ability makes for an incredible prospect, it can also lead to an attitude of presumed invulnerability. An attitude because of which a pitcher may believe that he's capable of plowing through any obstacle. Confidence is good - necessary, even - but on occasion it can lead you down a dangerous road, and in a situation like Felix's, we can only be glad that he called for the trainer rather than trying to man up and tough it out. God only knows what kind of damage that might have done.

I've seen what can happen when a pitcher doesn't listen to his body. Granted, I think the entire idea of "playing through pain" is antiquated and totally stupid, but I'll concede that sometimes it's the right decision. With pitchers, though, you always need to proceed with caution, because the slightest twinge can lead to considerable harm. If you're a first baseman and your back is sore, whatever, suit up if you're able. But if you're a pitcher, and you notice that there's something funny going on in your arm or your shoulder (or anywhere else, really), you have everything to lose by ignoring it, and nothing to gain.

This is a difficult message to get through the heads of young guys who, up until that point, have never encountered a roadblock. And that's why I'm so pleasantly surprised that Felix was smart enough to acknowledge the risk and take himself out before further damage could be done. Had he tried to remain in the game, even if only for a few more pitches, we might not be talking about him as a rotation candidate until September, if not 2009. That'd be a killer, both for Felix's career and for the Mariners' chances. I don't even know if I'd still be alive. Felix kinda sorta means a lot to me.

This wasn't a top moment like a Putz strikeout or Beltre home run was a top moment. In the short-term, this was actually the exact opposite. But looking back, I'm so utterly thankful that Felix made the right decision, and it speaks to something about Felix the person that makes me more encouraged about the future path of his promising career.

One might define intelligence as being aware of one's own shortcomings. Felix knows that he's mortal. Now the only thing left to do is to leave hitters doubting that statement's veracity.

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I was at this game
I didn't think I could experience a worse moment during the season than watching Felix get rocked by the Twins, and leaving after just one out in the first inning. This being his third start of the season, with his first two starts being spectacular, made this suck as much as I thought baseball could possibly suck.

Then "Blueapalooza" happened.

by Katal LM on Jan 30, 2008 8:06 PM PST reply actions  

Lollablueza
yeah, I went to one of those games. It better not make this list.
What do I look like, a guy who's not lazy?

by Rollo Tomasi on Jan 30, 2008 8:27 PM PST up reply actions  

Same here
I got there late and it took me a while to get tickets. I got in there after the game. Felix threw literally two pitches and had to leave. I was definitely in complete shock to walk in on that.

by Corco on Jan 30, 2008 9:11 PM PST up reply actions  

Pet peeve #72
The misuse of the word "literally"...

by Last Fan Of Jose Lopez on Jan 30, 2008 9:21 PM PST up reply actions  

It doesn't bug me that much,
but I always remember a bit that David Cross did about it.

"Dude, it was so funny I literally shit my pants"

"Oh my god, what did you do with your shitty pants?"

"What? No, dude, I didn't really shit my pants, I literally shit my pants!"

by Last Fan Of Jose Lopez on Jan 30, 2008 9:46 PM PST up reply actions  

if that's misuse
then Corco was using it properly.

Pet peeve number 17:
Erroneous grammar/usage policing

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 31, 2008 6:44 AM PST up reply actions  

That's what I thought
because I got there, watched him throw two pitches and then he left

by Corco on Jan 31, 2008 9:06 AM PST up reply actions  

Corco gets a check-plus
because that is indeed correct usage.
Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 31, 2008 9:21 AM PST up reply actions  

Literally.
drink more? that usualy doesnt work in terms of enhancing comprehension.

by CapSea on Jan 31, 2008 10:19 AM PST up reply actions  

My bad, I was taking
"Felix threw literally two pitches and have to leave" and "I got in there after the game" as two separate statements. Meaning I thought you meant Felix literally threw two pitches the entire game, and not that you only witnessed two pitches.

I hate being wrong. It is literally my least favorite thing in the world. I literally turn green and purple when I'm wrong.

by Last Fan Of Jose Lopez on Jan 31, 2008 1:44 PM PST up reply actions  

YOU DO NOT TURN GREEN AND PURPLE
stop misusing literally!!!11!!!!1

unless you do actually turn green and purple, in which case you are far more talented than i will ever be.

by seattlebruin on Jan 31, 2008 2:01 PM PST up reply actions  

you turn grurple?
Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 31, 2008 2:03 PM PST up reply actions  

Doesn't 72 seem like a lot?
And is this in order of the amount of peevishness it produces?  Or is it random?    

by The Alaskan on Jan 30, 2008 9:33 PM PST up reply actions  

how can you write about Felix
when the Mariners, the FO, and the fan base are all supposed be thinking about what we did wrong and how we can make it up to Mr Angelos?

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 30, 2008 8:14 PM PST reply actions  

that was inappropriate
pretty neat trick you pulled there, putting a good spin on that whole thing.

I wonder what the real long term consequences will be. I remember that they tweaked with his repertoire after the injury, but i don't recall the substance of the tweaks other than that his change is now hit or miss and the curve is slower.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 30, 2008 8:17 PM PST up reply actions  

I take that back
the command is gone, but using the Kalk p/fx thingy he's only given up a few (literally, i count three) hits on the change. In the games for which the data is there.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 30, 2008 8:21 PM PST up reply actions  

The change has been missing for a while
Felix didn't trust himself in the immediate aftermath, but over time the slider and two-seamer started to come back, so I imagine by ST he should be good to go. Just had to conquer some fears.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 30, 2008 8:22 PM PST up reply actions  

true
it was mostly the slider they wanted him to save for special guests, as I recall.

But I meant that they tweaked with either his grip or his delivery of his offspeed pitches. The curve certainly is different than what it was. I'm not sure about change, but you're right that he's had problems with it since being called up not just this season. After his first full season there was a lot of speculation that he was tipping his pitches and I wonder if that had anything to do with the adjustments.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 30, 2008 8:28 PM PST up reply actions  

I'm not 100% certain
but I'm pretty sure Felix altered his delivery of his own volition. After getting hurt he was afraid of re-injuring his elbow, so he dropped his arm angle a little bit. But it started to come back up as the summer progressed.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 30, 2008 8:39 PM PST up reply actions  

The change *has* been missing...
It seems that at the time there was a quote floating around in which he attributed his injury to the change. But that's sort of in the vague part of my brain. The change can certainly tweak your arm if your'e turning your wrist over and going for the extra tail, and his change tailed a lot. He seemed to rely way too much on the fastball-slider combination after the injury as well. It'll be interesting to see if he mixes it in again this year.

by chaney on Jan 31, 2008 1:54 PM PST up reply actions  

Wow
This game/post references 3/5th of our 2008 starting rotation.

by ThundaPC on Jan 30, 2008 8:26 PM PST reply actions  

Phildopip
Look at your smug happiness about getting your Felix jersey...and then what happened! YOU are cut off from getting any good player's jersey!
I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Jan 30, 2008 8:27 PM PST reply actions  

I know, dude.
My wife got me the jersey, and right after Felix got hurt I took it off. She asked me what I was doing, and I said that the damn thing was cursed.

I've since gotten over that fear, though.

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Jan 31, 2008 10:31 AM PST up reply actions  

So long ago...
Grover at the helm. Coach still named Coach. Good times...

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jan 30, 2008 8:31 PM PST reply actions  

Bittersweet Memories
That was the last game before I retired my KnightofKingK username

by Robert on Jan 30, 2008 8:43 PM PST up reply actions  

I love Jeff's comment on Silva
at 11 pm ET
I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Jan 30, 2008 8:34 PM PST reply actions  

And Scrappy was born!!!
Well, he became the scapegoat that is...very historic thread!
I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Jan 30, 2008 8:39 PM PST reply actions  

My friend called me up and rubbed it in
when this happened. The next day I drove 90 minutes to Ellensburg and punched him in his fucking face.

by Robert on Jan 30, 2008 8:47 PM PST reply actions  

Oh man, this game hurt me so much.
I was in right field and it hurt so much.  I remember screaming "NOOOOO!!! Go home everyone, the season is over!!"

Yeah, that was an emotional day.  And we couldn't even win it for Felix :(

Thank god he recovered fast.

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Jan 30, 2008 9:19 PM PST reply actions  

Comment at 11:31:25
"I dont like to ban people".

-Jeff

Erm.

Whatever happened to that Nick guy, anyway?

by Slica on Jan 30, 2008 9:57 PM PST reply actions  

Sadly
This was the only game I was able to go to all last season.

by coolguyrob on Jan 30, 2008 10:16 PM PST reply actions  

My sister was at that game.
We just exchanged texts saying "Fuck fuck fuck" over and over again.
Hard work never killed nobody, but I won't take my chances.

by JAH on Jan 31, 2008 12:16 AM PST reply actions  

Wouldn't you say
that one might define wisdom as knowing what your shortcomings are, rather than intelligence?  I seem to remember somebody saying something like that.  Maybe Google could help ... oh yeah, Socrates:

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."

by Nadingo on Jan 31, 2008 5:13 AM PST reply actions  

I still think
 we should have used God as our scapegoat.
"I hate so much about the things... you choose to be."

by JI on Jan 31, 2008 1:56 PM PST reply actions  

I thankfully had class that night
and couldn't watch, but I remember looking at the box scores and going, "Aw, man, Felix got shelled and they had to pull him..." without realizing that his line didn't look nearly bad enough to warrant the hook.  Only after a 2nd look after class (I hadn't looked at the game thread yet) did I realize that he got hurt.  Yeah, that was nauseous.  I so thought he was done for the year.

It reminded me of Kimble Anders.  He was a scrub RB for the Chiefs in the late 90's, and after years of sittign behind Marcus Allen, he got a chance to be the feature back on Opening Day one season.  He absolutely torched the opposition for 138 yards... and then blew out his knee in the 4th quarter.  Never heard from again.

by Gomez on Jan 31, 2008 4:09 PM PST reply actions  

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