Seattle question – Pasco or anyone

[Dr. Jack]

1. Felix Hernandez – What’s the deal? I have him in several fantasy leagues. What are they saying locally? Is it the sophomore jinx or is it just early?

2. Supersonics – What is going on with Stern and the city of Seattle? Will the Sonics eventually leave Seattle?

[jaypasco]

jack, still early. Felix has been in a couple tough spots early he will turn it around. Do not follow sonics or nba much

[The Judge]

Originally Posted by jaypasco

Do not follow sonics much.

Can't say that I blame you, Paco.

[Randle Pat McMurphy]

Jack, have been in tons of fantasy leagues and followed minor league ball closer than major leagues the past decade or so.

Just my general opinion, not specific or "educated" concerning his 1st 2 2006 starts. My guess is hitters/teams have figured him out a bit. Once MLB teams get a good book on a young pitcher, it comes down to how quickly he learns to "pitch" and adapt.

Gotta admit the kid's a stud and has great stuff. My guess is hitters are learning what's hittable and when they will likely get that pitch. If Seattle's coaching staffs and catchers are smart they will also adjust to these 1st tough outtings. It comes down to how much they think the kid can handle.

The big IF is what Hernandez's confidence level is like right now. That might determine how the coaching staff reacts and how quickly they try to alter approaches to hitters.

If me, I wouldnt sweat it out yet. Its a long season and he has to be a keeper as far as fantasy league play is concerned.

[Dr. Jack]

Originally Posted by jaypasco

jack, still early. Felix has been in a couple tough spots early he will turn it around. Do not follow sonics or nba much

Thanks

Originally Posted by Randle Pat McMurphy

Jack, have been in tons of fantasy leagues and followed minor league ball closer than major leagues the past decade or so.

Just my general opinion, not specific or "educated" concerning his 1st 2 2006 starts. My guess is hitters/teams have figured him out a bit. Once MLB teams get a good book on a young pitcher, it comes down to how quickly he learns to "pitch" and adapt.

Gotta admit the kid's a stud and has great stuff. My guess is hitters are learning what's hittable and when they will likely get that pitch. If Seattle's coaching staffs and catchers are smart they will also adjust to these 1st tough outtings. It comes down to how much they think the kid can handle.

The big IF is what Hernandez's confidence level is like right now. That might determine how the coaching staff reacts and how quickly they try to alter approaches to hitters.

If me, I wouldnt sweat it out yet. Its a long season and he has to be a keeper as far as fantasy league play is concerned.

I agree pretty much with this. I am not totally sweating it out by I am invested heavily in several leagues with him and was just trying to see if I should be concerned at this point

Appreciate the responses!

[jaypasco]

jack, you sound like a great fantasy player

[dhunter]

Along the same lines....what's up with Zack Duke? I've been reading that his delivery is different than last year. I hope this kids rebounds soon.

[Swanny]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jack

1. Felix Hernandez – What’s the deal? I have him in several fantasy leagues. What are they saying locally? Is it the sophomore jinx or is it just early?

2. Supersonics – What is going on with Stern and the city of Seattle? Will the Sonics eventually leave Seattle?

Felix will be O.K. He had 10 days off between his last spring training game and his 1st reg. season start. He's just a bit rusty still. He's velocity is fine and his curve is still dropping off the table. The new catcher ,Joe, still needs to learn the best pitch sequences for the King. His next start will be a great opportunity to get some value on your bet, I will be pounding it.

Stern is a pompous ass!! He has no idea what the city of Seattle is thinking or how we feel. The major problem is we (the city) don't know what the Sonics want. We know they have a shitty lease agreement, however, they have not publicly stated what they want ( a new arena, a renovated arena, a new lease, a new location in the metro area, how much are they willing to contribute, blah, blah, blah). Their current lease is not up for another 2.5 years so they won't be going anywhere soon. I think the citizens just want the Sonics to give us an idea of what exactly their "go forward" plan is.

[Dr. Jack]

Thanks Swanny - good stuff!

Dave, Not sure about Zack Duke. My feeling is he was not as good as the elite rookies and just had an amazing start but what do I know (lol). Time will tell.

[CorkJuice]

i have him too,

im worried,

hargrove (i think thats their mgr),, says he will limit his work all year, in fear of kerry wooding him,,

low picth counts, he wont get outta the 6th most games,,

i think he'll be good next few years, but isnt worth much in fantasy this year,, i got him as late pick so not really too upset,,

if they would let him picth he would probably be top 5 fantasy by years end imo,,

[Hoosiercatdaddy]

i love this for your team Jack

[walk066]

Originally Posted by Hoosiercatdaddy

i love this for your team Jack

Me too. Please pitch him every week.

[dhunter]

For his 21st birthday, Felix Hernandez already knows what he wants from the Seattle Mariners.
"My slider," he said.
He misses it. See, Hernandez, who turned 20 a little more than a week ago and has the bravado to nickname himself "El Cartelua" – which, for lack of a better word, means "badass" – is not allowed to throw the pitch. The Mariners, just like every other team, have seen dozens of pitchers' careers wrecked because of arm injuries. They want him to throw his 97-mph fastball. They love his changeup. And they think his curveball might be the best pitch he throws.
But no slider. Not yet. Not even if it is a 90-mph mirage. "Hell, yeah, I want to throw that pitch," Hernandez said. "They don't let me, though. They tell my I'm too young, that it's bad for my elbow. I told them I want to throw it."

Begrudgingly, Hernandez complies, because though he has the orneriness of a star, he's not a malcontent. Hernandez understands that he poses the toughest question in baseball: How do you handle a young pitcher?

There's a great acronym the Baseball Prospectus crew coined, TNSTAAPP: There's No Such Thing As A Pitching Prospect. Taken literally, of course, it isn't true. But at its base, the edict makes sense: So many young, hot-shot pitchers – can't-miss guys, according to scouts and statisticians alike – flounder when the make it to the big leagues, or don't make it at all.
Maybe they threw too many pitches as an amateur. Maybe their mechanics were slightly off. Maybe they didn't have the mental faculties to succeed. Teams run studies on maybes, and the second they think they've got it, another kid blows out his elbow.

The answer: There is no right way.

So the Mariners are taking the easiest route: caution. They do not want to be the team that screwed up Felix Hernandez. He is probably the best young pitcher since Dwight Gooden, and that is more than an opinion. It is the viewpoint of general managers, scouts, coaches and the game's playing elders who remember Gooden as Doctor K, not a convicted felon.
"He's got a very high ceiling," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said.

[Romanowski]

first win for the kid tonite...seattle in a laugher

[Hoosiercatdaddy]

Originally Posted by Rome

first win for the kid tonite...seattle in a laugher

it was a laugher alright, the only laughing matter about it was that Jack keeps starting this kid and took in the 1st round