Felix Hernandez talks Mariners, family, fashion and cars
Mar 27, 2015, 11:57 AM | Updated: 12:07 pm
"We look pretty good," Felix Hernandez said of the roster the Mariners have assembled. (AP)
(AP)
BY
Former Seattle Sports Lead Editor
Fresh off a strong spring training start, Mariners ace Felix Hernandez joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Danny, Dave and Moore” on Thursday for a 9-minute interview that was as funny as it was informative, touching on baseball as well as offering a glimpse into his personal life. Hernandez even gave his critique of Danny O’Neil’s outfit.
Here’s a rundown of the subjects covered:
“I feel really good” (0:12). Hernandez talks about getting some extra work in the bullpen after throwing six innings against the Royals, allowing two hits and a run in what was his longest outing of the spring.
Mariners’ outlook (0:31). Hernandez praises general manager Jack Zduriencik for assembling what looks like a contending roster, including the additions of Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz the last two offseasons. “We look pretty good, man. We look pretty good. We’ve just got to go out there and do our thing and try to win a lot of games.” Hernandez also talks about gracing the regional cover of Sports Illustrated with Cano. “That came out pretty good. I love that picture. It was awesome.”
Felix the recruiter (2:38). Hernandez talks about the role he played in recruiting Cano and Cruz to Seattle. One reason he’s happy to be teammates with Cruz? “He’s got like six homers against me. I’m glad he’s on our side.”
Family man (3:33). Hernandez and his wife are the parents of 9-year-old Mia and 6-year-old Jeremy. What’s it like to be a dad? “It’s awesome. If you have a bad game, you go to your house and forget about it, you start playing with your kids.” There’s also Charlie, the family’s English bulldog. “Charlie’s awesome. He’s lazy but he’s awesome. He don’t walk a lot.”
Fashion advice (6:24). Hernandez offers his sartorial critiques of O’Neil’s shoes and shirt. The verdict: they don’t go well together.
“Don’t tell Jack” (7:30). Undoubtedly the funniest part of the interview is when Hernandez talks about his car collection, which has grown to the point that he’s running out of garage space. Included in that collection is a red Nissan GT-R. Pressed about how fast he’s driven it, Hernandez sheepishly says he once got it up to 160 mph. “Don’t tell Jack.”
You can listen to the interview here.
