For The Record
Dave · June 30, 2010 at 7:10 pm · Filed Under Mariners
I didn’t have a problem with Felix pitching the ninth tonight, even with a 7-0 lead and his pitch count sitting at 102 after eight innings. The fact that the game was out of hand meant that he didn’t have to throw at anything near max effort, and the Yankees made it even easier by sending up scrubs to hit for Teixeira and Rodriguez. It was a pretty easy inning that didn’t do much to tax his arm.
The team should still make a point to try to limit his workload over the rest of the season, but again, not all pitches are created equal, so don’t freak out about the 115 he threw tonight. This was fine.
YAY!
Well done M’s. Good to see some life in ya.
Keep Cliff!
This is fine with me. In a month when the season is still out of reach, they can send Felix out on a short leash for a start or two, since it won’t matter then.
That and how often does a pitcher have a chance to throw a 2 hit shutout in Yankee Stadium. You have to let your guy go out and try to finish it off.
Though many of us are probably banging our heads into our computer desks right now for want of this kind of “clicking” not happening earlier in the season, it’s still good to see.
Awesome, awesome work from the King tonight!! š
GOB Bluth (Great username by the way, haha..)
Exactly! Beating the Yanks is awesome in general, IN New York is even better. Let him finish his great game, who cares if he throws a few extra pitches.
So this is how the tandem of Cliff Lee & Felix Hernandez is supposed to work, right?
My first ever post – long time reader – former pitcher. 115 is nothing. The 100 pitch limit is a modern myth built out of fear of losing money on an asset to injury. The truth is, he needs to pitch more games at over 115-120 pitches and even have games into the 130’s on occasion. This is what he was built to do – ESPECIALLY in Spankee Stadium! Shove it in their face, kick’em while their down, whatever. This team (and especially Felix) needs to learn the attitude of winning and you don’t back down in that situation.
Overall – excellent night King Felix but thank you Cliff Lee for sitting Felix’s ego on the bench while you showed him how it was really done and for how you are pushing him farther than he’s been. Even if you’re not here in two weeks or next year, that alone makes you worth it.
You have no idea how badly I wish Bedard was pitching tomorrow instead of RRS.
I believe you speak for all of us with this sentiment.
Not to worry, he is coming soon enough and should take the Hyphens place in the rotation during the next turn. Bedard is likely to be rusty and limited for a while, but assuming the best of possibilities … we could see Cliff, Felix and Bedard face the Yankees during the last 3 games of the 4 game series late next week at Safeco. Potentially – AWESOME … and definitely something to look forward to.
As long as Ichiro keeps providing protection for Saunders in the lineup … it’s all good š
Oh yeah Lee, Felix and Bedard! I feel like a GM in a video game. Unfortunetly reality is different. Lee has to go for a nice return, and let’s wait and see what happens with Bedard, early reports are encouraging. Velocity around 91-93, and he was throwing his curve for strikes. Great early signs, but until Mr.Glass throws more than a few games, I can’t drink the Bedard flavored Kool-aid.
griffin, I’m glad somebody caught the reference.
No kidding, and if the Ms offense could have managed another run in Felix’s last start that would be 3 straight back to back complete games, when was the last time any combo did that?
I think Dave needs to take another factor into account: the bloody nose Wak would have gotten had he so much as suggested to Felix that he not go out there for the ninth. It’s nice when the World Champions wave the white flag to us.
I have no idea why they are sending RRS out there Thursday instead of Fister. We ought to use a four-man rotation whenever the schedule gives us an off day.
IMO Felix should only be going a max of ~120. So 115 is good considering he K’ed 11 and walked 3. Besides that game was a masterpiece. I think he did a better job than Lee.
Old Hoss Radbourn on a pitchers workload:
Felix needs to start training with a 25lb sledge hammer, steers are optional.
Hoss’s record in 1884 was:
59-12 678.2 IP 1.38 ERA 2.75 FIP
Hoss is also famous for being the subject of the earliest known photo of someone giving the finger.
I’m from NJ, so every time the M’s play in the area I take a trip, more often than not though its to Baltimore, easier commute than the two hour drive through city traffic. I was there tonight for the game and felt so much excitement all day at the opportunity to see Felix pitch in person, this being my first time. I sat in the bleachers and listening to all the Yankee fans complaining was well worth it. I didn’t wear any of my gear for not wanting to get jumped. I am going again tomorrow. Felix pitched beautifully, a few of the fans in my section were yelling “Felix Sucks” to start the game, that quieted down pretty quickly and by the end of the game they were clapping a little. Many of the fans were yelling for Branyan to “go back to Cleveland”. For a first Felix start I could not have written it better myself. Happy Felix Day to one and all!!
PS. Last time I saw Seattle play at NYY was in 2001 and we won 7-0. I think I need to go to more games in NY. lol.
Old Hoss Radbourn has the looks of a future great Will Ferrell movie. The finger…the mustache. From Butcher to Work Horse.
More like David Spade, he was 5-9, 168. Maybe Ferrell could play Hoss’ teammate Charles Sweeney:
1) I also live in NJ.
2) I’m also going tomorrow.
I have a friend who gives me his Yankees season tickets every year for a game when the Mariners come to town, and tonight was by far the greatest (though this 15-11 game was pretty entertaining: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200705040.shtml). Like Rboyle0628, it was the first time I’ve ever gotten to see King Felix pitch in person, and what a night to choose — he was dealing. Especially the late innings, when he seemed to kick it up a notch and get more efficient while going for the CG. The four homers were nice too, especially the one by Mr. Muscle Branyan. And Saunders 2nd was a rope — Swisher didn’t even twitch.
Here’s a good one in regards to leaving him in:
(From CBSSports)
“The Yankees had not lost consecutive games to pitchers throwing complete games since April 21-22, 2000…”
That’s 10 years of baseball, kids.
A very nice stat, right there. (Not to mention 9-3 over the last 12 games.)
We already knew Lee and Felix are good.
Where your seats about?
So, lets have some fun here. Our rotation in a week may be:
Cliff Lee
Felix Hernandez
Erik Bedard
Jason Vargas
Doug Fister
Now, if we assume typical Bedard and keep Vargas and Fister’s momentum, we have the performance of a completely legitamite rotation of FIVE BONA FIDE ACES. I know the last two aren’t all REALLY aces yet but seriously, we would dominate for best rotation in baseball.
These last two games have given me a bad case of “if only”.
If only most of the lineup hadn’t sucked so badly. If only Lopez, Bradley and Figgins hadn’t all slumped at the same time. If only Kotchman had started hitting, and if only the team had told Griffey thanks but no thanks last winter.
Does anyone else think that Felix being able to pitch “behind” Cliff Lee, even for half a season might be one of the better things to happen to this franchise in the long term?