Mariners playing it safe with Hernandez.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060217&content_id=1313636&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

The above link leads to an article about the Mariners, taking their time with Hernandez.

They don't want to rush him to be their ace.

IMO this is a good decision. It has happened a lot of times that a team rushed a young promising pitcher through their farm system and ruined his arm.

What do you think of this?

[KCGHOST]

The kid will only be in his age 20 campaign. He is really just beginning his journey through the "injury nexus". Let's wish him well.

[Mariner Fan]

The kid has electric stuff. No need to blow his arm out before he reaches his potential.

[SABR Matt]

Seattle has an enormous amount of pitching depth this year. That may not be obvious looking just at last year's statistics, but believe this much...the Mariners minor league pitching depth (major league ready prospects) is FAR better now than last year...we enter camp with every. single. player. HEALTHY...all of them on track to pitch this season at their potential...and a huge glut of them ready to contribute NOW (Carvajal, Foppert, Nageotte, Blackley, Livingston, Fruto, Oldham...)...to compliment a staff with players who will likely be at least solid in 2006 (Pineiro, Washburn, Hernandez, Moyer and the entire bullpen)...

To put a period on this...absolutely...take your time with King Felix...we don't need 200 innings of the King to win the west...we 175 of his best innings and we need good contributions from all of that depth...and I think those are reasonable things to shot for.

[papa~smurf]

You forgot Soriano .

[SABR Matt]

Dang...forgot Soriano had SP potential...he's going to be used as a set-up man, but he could start if necessary.

[leecemark]

--I don't know that the Ms have exceptional or even acceptable depth. Felix is the only guy I'm sure is going to be a plus SP for us this year. Washburn should be at least decent. Pinero, Meche and Moyer we can hope for decent and if we're lucky maybe one of them will have a FOR quality season. None of the AAA guys have much of a chance to contribute out of ST and none of them are especially good bets to contribute (as SP) in 2006.
--What we do have is a large group of talented relief pitchers. I think the Ms should be less concerned about limiting the number of starts Hernandez gets and more concerned about limiting the number of pitches he throws per start. Hargrove let him stick for some overly long games last year. He should start 32-33 games, but only average 95-100 pitches in them IMO. That would probably give him an IP total of 190-200 without putting undue stress on his young arm. The downside is Hargrove would get booed al year when he was yanking the King while he appeared to still be blowing guys away. Don't know that he has the stomach for that.

[SABR Matt]

WHOA...NONE of the minor league guys have a chance of contributing out of ST?

Apparently, you don't know much of anything about Foppert or Nageotte.

[ichiro262]

I agree. Foppert is expected to be more than just a contributer.

[leecemark]

--Nageotte I suspect will end up in the bullpen, possibly even breaking camp with the team as a reliever. Foppert I am optimistic may be a pretty good starter at some point, maybe even before the season is over. He was limited to about 30 pitches per outing last season though. Expecting him to contend for a rotation spot this spring is not very realistic.

[SABR Matt]

Nageotte has been converted back to starting by the organization but he'll probably start the year in the Earl Weaver role (taking long relief innings) and move into the rotation of Moyer, Meche or Pineiro doesn't work out.

Foppert is throwing free and easy again and will have his arm stretched out this spring with increasing pitch counts...if his velocity is up...even if he starts the year in AAA, he is depth...good insurance against a Mariner pitcher who has problems.

The same can be said of Marcos Carvajal and Rafael Soriano.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

When I read all your posts it appears to me that this season will probably be better for the M's than last year's.

Good news.

[Mariner Fan]

When I read all your posts it appears to me that this season will probably be better for the M's than last year's.

Good news.

That's what Spring Training is all about! Yes I think the Mariners will be better. The last two years has been a nightmare for us but I think the team will turn the corner. Man, I'm just glad that the team is playing again. It's been a long off-season.

[Rennie Stennett]

Felix

Felix seems to, in many games, cruise through with pretty small pitch counts. I'm glad the M's bullpen is steady, so we can avoid the idea of stretching him out on a regular basis. The way he snaps that curve makes me nervious in the service. He's a big strong kid.