Mariners notebook: Ten years of Felix Hernandez

DENVER – Ten years ago today, a 19-year-old Felix Hernandez took the mound in Detroit and fired his first big-league pitch. Since then, he has become one of the biggest names in the game and is the franchise leader in games and innings pitched and is second in wins and strikeouts.

“I’m better looking now than when I was 19,” he joked when asked to look back to that day. “It’s wow. It has passed through fast. Thank God for giving me all of the blessings and keeping me healthy.”

Felix thought something was up days before his debut when his manager at Triple-A walked by his locker and just looked at him several times hours before a game.

“He just walked by and walked by and then about two hours after he called me in the office and said, ‘You are going to the big leagues tomorrow,'” he recalled.

After phone calls to his family, Felix was put on a flight to Detroit. As he walked through the clubhouse doors it all became very real to him.

“Wow, I am in the big leagues,” he remembered thinking. “I realized I was going to face tough hitters. … Just give it everything you have and do your job.”

The first faces he saw were of teammates who would help him to be a big leaguer.

“AB (Adrian Beltre), he was the first person I saw,” Felix said, also mentioning Joel Pineiro, Rafael Soriano and Richie Sexson. “All those guys were really good to me, especially Eddie Guardado. He was the most influential guy. He taught me how to go about my business.”

The Felix who took the hill in 2005 and the next few years was a very different pitcher from what we see now.

“I threw hard,” he said. “That was the biggest difference.”

In the coming years he would add the sinker and then in 2009 the changeup that many consider to be the best in the game.

“I was a thrower then. I am now a pitcher. That is why I am here for a long time,” he said.

And how long would he like to stay here? Would he like to pitch 20 years? It’s not something he thinks of. Time will tell the story.

“I am going to play until I can’t get people out,” he said. “If I don’t get people out, I’m done.”

Lineup!

Austin Jackson, CF
Kyle Seager, 3B
Nelson Cruz, RF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Jesus Montero, 1B
Mark Trumbo, LF
Brad Miller, SS
Jesus Sucre, C
Vidal Nuno, LHP

Mark Trumbo is in the lineup despite the fact that the Mariners are facing a right-hander. Trumbo hasn’t started since Sunday and manager Lloyd McClendon wants to keep him sharp. He’s part of the DH/1B/OF mix that will get tougher to juggle as McClendon has indicated getting Jesus Montero playing time is a priority.

“We’ll do the best we can do,” McClendon answered when asked how he will juggle the mix. “I want to take a look at Montero and try to find playing time for the other guys. We will do the best we can to rotate them and find playing time.”

Notes

• Nelson Cruz’s 14-game hitting streak is the longest he has had since his 19-game hitting streak in 2010. He has hit home runs in his last four games, one shy of his career best of five games, which he set April.

• Mayckol Guaipe has been recalled to take the place of Jose Ramirez on the 25-man roster. Ramirez, who was acquired in the Dustin Ackley trade, had yet to pitch for the Mariners and had not pitched the last five days. McClendon didn’t think it would be fair to go to him in a situation where he may not be sharp, so Guaipe, who has been pitching on a consistent basis, was brought up.

• Ketel Marte will be back in the lineup tomorrow and will play shortstop.

• Mike Curto reports that the Rainiers have placed D.J. Peterson on the disabled list with a strained Achilles.

• The Yankees have placed Dustin Ackley on the 15-day DL with a herniated disc. General manager Brian Cashman told reporters the Mariners are not to blame for the injury.

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