146 replies to this topic

[PRoSPx]

It's crazy to think that with how good Felix was last year at 26, it wasn't even his best year in baseball.

Now at the magical age of 27 is Felix in line for a career year on what has already been a so far hall of fame career?

Me and my brother / father all afternoon have been in a pretty deep discussion about who is the best pitcher in baseball.  I say Verlander, my brother says Kershaw, and my old man says Felix.  They all have pretty compelling arguments.

One thing is for sure though.  Felix comes at the best value.  While everyone is rushing to burn up an early 2nd round pick on Verland / Kershaw my boy Felix looks to be going in the 3rd round.

[sasnumberonefan]

I'm going after him this year, I've owned him the past two seasons and while he can be frustrating, I believe his best is yet to come, especially if he gets traded (I'm praying). Prime Years

[pan55]

PRoSPx, on 25 December 2012 - 04:21 PM, said:

It's crazy to think that with how good Felix was last year at 26, it wasn't even his best year in baseball.

Now at the magical age of 27 is Felix in line for a career year on what has already been a so far hall of fame career?

Me and my brother / father all afternoon have been in a pretty deep discussion about who is the best pitcher in baseball.  I say Verlander, my brother says Kershaw, and my old man says Felix.  They all have pretty compelling arguments.

One thing is for sure though.  Felix comes at the best value.  While everyone is rushing to burn up an early 2nd round pick on Verland / Kershaw my boy Felix looks to be going in the 3rd round.

Best pitcher in baseball?
Stephen Strasburg

[Dodger Blue 88]

I have Felix 4th on my list right now. Kershaw, Verlander, Strasburg.

[PRoSPx]

pan55, on 25 December 2012 - 08:15 PM, said:

PRoSPx, on 25 December 2012 - 04:21 PM, said:

It's crazy to think that with how good Felix was last year at 26, it wasn't even his best year in baseball.

Now at the magical age of 27 is Felix in line for a career year on what has already been a so far hall of fame career?

Me and my brother / father all afternoon have been in a pretty deep discussion about who is the best pitcher in baseball.  I say Verlander, my brother says Kershaw, and my old man says Felix.  They all have pretty compelling arguments.

One thing is for sure though.  Felix comes at the best value.  While everyone is rushing to burn up an early 2nd round pick on Verland / Kershaw my boy Felix looks to be going in the 3rd round.

Best pitcher in baseball?
Stephen Strasburg

Yeah Stras easily cracks the conversation... But he's still got a lot to prove.

[det_tigers]

Hail to the King!

Now Astros are in AL West too maybe we can see more Ws.

Edited by det_tigers, 26 December 2012 - 09:59 AM.

[brockpapersizer]

Stras all day over Feliz in a fantasy league. Better win upside, better K upside, weaker opponents.

[NyMetsfan5]

ya id be more inclined to take Stras over Felix for sure. Also Id like Kershaw more because of the increased run support hes getting now

[brockpapersizer]

by Feliz I meant felix... also Neftali Feliz

[myzto]

Felix is safer then Stras, you know your getting 220+ innings.. Stras i doubt they let him go from 160 to 220, I don't think he's free yet.  His stuff is amazing but a risk gambled for drafting him over Felix.

Also Felix will never bet traded.  He loves it Seattle, he lives in seattle, his family loves it in seattle.  Seattle is trying tosign him for life.  They'lln ever trade him.. no one wants to come to Seattle and you get a superstar that loves it here.  Seattle doesn't get that very often.

[Dodger Blue 88]

He will also go 10-10 every year in Seattle.

[LyondellBasell]

Before his strong finish, there was a lot of hand wringing about dropped velocity and sub-elite performance

[Theoneupper]

As far as ive seen. Hes being drafted as the best pitcher in Fantasy. Probably will be too expensive for me. Also like Lyon eluded to. Many people were pissed about his start last year, then he went on a tear in which he pitched a perfect game. Hes a great pitcher, but ill pass.

[PRoSPx]

Theoneupper, on 28 December 2012 - 09:33 PM, said:

As far as ive seen. Hes being drafted as the best pitcher in Fantasy. Probably will be too expensive for me. Also like Lyon eluded to. Many people were pissed about his start last year, then he went on a tear in which he pitched a perfect game. Hes a great pitcher, but ill pass.

Getting drafted before Kershaw and Verlander?

[FML]

He's too much of a slow-starter for me to invest too heavily in the 1st few rounds. For whatever reason, the switch is flipped after the month of May. If he falls late 3rd or early 4th, I'm buying. If he goes sooner, I will try to trade for him after he goes through another rough month of May.

[dzemens]

Say hello to the new highest paid pitcher in baseball.

http://www.kffl.com/...es-to-extension

http://hardballtalk....ract-extension/

Quote

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Mariners have agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract extension with right-handed starter Felix Hernandez.
The deal -- which truly came out of nowhere -- makes "King Felix" the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history. Hernandez was already under contract for $19.5 million in 2013 and $20 million in 2014. Now he'll make an average salary of $25 million through the 2019 season. The 26-year-old posted a 3.06 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 223/56 K/BB ratio in 232 innings last summer for Seattle.

Source: USA Today
Feb 7 - 2:22 PM

Seven years $175  million contract being reported which should stave off trade rumors for a few years at least.

[WahooManiac]

Between this and Zack, Verlander has to be loving the prospect of an upcoming extension

[DropkickAlex]

I'm sorry Seattle but you overpaid. I know you've been terrible and you have to but overpay to keep your studs but dang. You have had no offense since well...10 years? Spend the money on some bats or save the core of Hultzen, Walker, Paxton. Even if they don't turn out to be half of what you thought they were they will be solid to above average starters and you win some games and save money.

[Cmilne23]

Seattle has a new TV deal due to be renewed next year.  They are about to have mega cash coming in, ala what we have seen with Texas, LA Dodgers, LA Angels recently.  At first I was kind of skeptical as a Mariner fan that they would give 25 mil to a pitcher with having a 80 million dollar payroll.  Then I remembered there new tv deal is going to be negotiated here shortly.

[RotoRaysfan]

The history with 5+ years deal with pitchers wtih the back half into their 30's is plain scary.   Even at age 26 & heading into his age 27 season,  counting on health for 7 years with a pitcher at full market prices for ace production is a tall, tall order.

Much like DropKickAlex mentioned, SEA did it because you have to overpay to keep your guys when you're a bottom-dweller.   But man, 7 years, wow. The obvious Mike Hampton & Barry Zito references probably don't apply - because they were market overpays for guys who weren't top, true elite SP's at that time (Zito's pre-free agency season clearly showed he was in decline).   But Doc Halladay, Johan Santana, Kevin Brown - those are the cautionary tales that apply better.   I realize he's much older, but if there was anyone who argued for being safe for 5+ year-deals, it was Doc - which probably gives me pause now more than ever.

Even then, I would have been fine with 5+ year extension for Felix, given his young age - but the red flag long-term is the velo decline we've been seeing the last 2-3 years.   He used to be a 94-95 guy average-wise, now he's at 92+.   FWIW, I think he'll be fine in 2013, because he still has great location and movement, and the 4 pitch arsenal is still fearsome - but when you start to drop velo as Felix has the last 2 years, re-upping for 7 more years & counting on health...well, as with most of these kind of deals, they look great the first 2-3 years, but injury hits (skills decline is one thing we shouldn't have to concern ourselves with, which is one blessing), and then, ouch.

I hope for SEA's case he's the exception - he's young enough that he won't be past his physical prime when the deal expires.  It's just that the mileage he's already put, and the natural risk involved with arms, well, I'm glad for them PR-wise now - I just hope they feel the same way in 2015+.