351 replies to this topic

[BobPhelan]

Awesome, he is.

[LanceRinker]

King Felix ruled the day, that's for sure. I love how he was able to get a strikeout looking to end the game - perfect ending.

[Oriole85]

Felix Hernandez throws the 23rd perfect game in MLB history, defeating the Rays 1-0.

And third this year, I gotta say while it's still quite the accomplishment, it's not the same thing as when they were once every 4-6 years.

[Adam Wolff]

And third this year, I gotta say while it's still quite the accomplishment, it's not the same thing as when they were once every 4-6 years.

I was thinking that last night. 3 perfect games in a season is crazy.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Hisashi Iwakuma gets 2-year deal

http://espn.go.com/m...eattle-mariners

[Oriole85]

CBS Sports: Oliver Perez re-signs with Mariners for 1 year, $1.5M

http://www.cbssports...-for-1-year-15m

[Oriole85]

Seattle Times: Mariners adding huge display at Safeco Field, largest in MLB

http://seattletimes....06_post_59.html

I guess this might there big offseason acquistion. Pretty cool!

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Seattle cuts ties with Chone Figgins

http://espn.go.com/m...s-chone-figgins

[Oriole85]

USA Today: Mariners, Felix Hernandez agree to $175 million deal

http://www.usatoday....itcher/1899241/

Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract that should be finalized before spring training, making him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history, a person familiar with the contract details told USA TODAY Sports.

Hernandez was scheduled to earn $19.5 million in 2013 and $20 million in '14. Instead, his new contract will take effect this season and pay him a record average annual value of $25 million through 2019.

I didn't realize King Felix was only 26, I thought he was older. Wonder if the M's will be more competitive now?

[SammyBirdland]

Wonder if the M's will be more competitive now?

Can he hit?

[DJ MC]

Seven years is a long time, but for a guy's age-27-33 seasons, who has thrown 230-plus innings for four straight seasons, 200-plus innings for five straight, and 190-plus for seven, I think it could work out for them.

[Mackus]

It's a ton of money, but there isn't anyone else in the game you'd rather give it to, IMO.

Obviously the Mariners felt giving him a raise now was better than waiting a while but letting him approach FA in a couple seasons and risk losing him. I'd be surprised if in two seasons he isn't worth a 5/$161M deal, which is really what the Mariners are extending him to if you consider the increase over his next two season's salary.

[SportsGuy]

This will come back to haunt them IMO.

[Mackus]

This will come back to haunt them IMO.

I think they gave him less than he would've gotten as a FA but did it early to both guarantee to themselves that they get to keep him and to guarantee Felix that he gets his money.

It's just like a very supersized version of locking in a pre-arb player and buying out some FA years.

I have little doubt that Felix would have beaten this deal as a FA in two years. He'd be the same age in two years as Greinke was this offseason, and he's worth a lot more money, IMO. Greinke just got 6/$150M. So unless he suffers a serious injury, I think this was a solid deal for Seattle.

[DJ MC]

I think they gave him less than he would've gotten as a FA but did it early to both guarantee to themselves that they get to keep him and to guarantee Felix that he gets his money.

It's just like a very supersized version of locking in a pre-arb player and buying out some FA years.

I have little doubt that Felix would have beaten this deal as a FA in two years. He'd be the same age in two years as Greinke was this offseason, and he's worth a lot more money, IMO. Greinke just got 6/$150M. So unless he suffers a serious injury, I think this was a solid deal for Seattle.

HBT is already talking about Clayton Kershaw's contract with the Dodgers and how even an extension in the two years before free agency could go over $200 million.

[SportsGuy]

http://www.mlbtrader... ... -deal.html

This is a whole lot better.

[Mackus]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/02/mariners-hernandez-agree-to-seven-year-deal.html

This is a whole lot better.

That's the same.

Before we thought they tore up his 2/$39.5M deal and replaced it with a 7/$175M deal.
Now it looks like they are keeping that deal, and adding 5/$135.5M to it. Which means it's a 7/$175M total deal if you consider both contracts.

I guess it's a tiny bit better if it's backloaded, set up as the $19.5M, $20M original salaries and the 5 years at $27.1M per rather than $25M every year. Other than that, it's essentially identical to the deal we heard yesterday.

[SportsGuy]

That's the same.

Before we thought they tore up his 2/$39.5M deal and replaced it with a 7/$175M deal.
Now it looks like they are keeping that deal, and adding 5/$135.5M to it. Which means it's a 7/$175M total deal if you consider both contracts.

I guess it's a tiny bit better if it's backloaded, set up as the $19.5M, $20M original salaries and the 5 years at $27.1M per rather than $25M every year. Other than that, it's essentially identical to the deal we heard yesterday.

Not me...i was thinking they were adding 7 years on top of his existing deal(they did say it was a 7 year extension).

I still don't think its a great deal for them but it's a lot better than I initially thought.

[SportsGuy]

No surprise here:

http://m.espn.go.com...storyId=8933842

[You Play to Win the Game]

No surprise here:

http://m.espn.go.com...storyId=8933842

From that article:

Some teams and players have negotiated medical exceptions into contracts to protect the team against a catastrophic injury. For example, in the extension that CC Sabathia negotiated with the Yankees 16 months ago, language was added to protect the team against a shoulder injury before the end of the deal.

I don't remember hearing this when he signed the extension. Does anyone know specifically what this means? Is the team reimbursed by insurance? Does CC take a discocunt in a rehab year (is that what the "language" means?) Can they cut him? Other than the insurance option, the other two don't seem MLBPA friendly, obviously.