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Felix Hernandez

Mariners/Felix Hernandez Links: Analysis & Fallout

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The Mariners' pending seven-year, $175MM extension with Felix Hernandez is expected to be finalized before Spring Training, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported earlier today.  A source tells Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that the two sides are "still in their final stages" though it seems as if the contract is close to being completed.  Though the extension isn't yet official, it has already drawn a lot of reaction from around the baseball world about how it affects Hernandez, the Mariners and other top pitchers' future contracts…

  • The agreement will become official if Hernandez passes a physical, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports.
  • Also from Baker's item, he notes that the Mariners can afford to keep Hernandez thanks to an upcoming major boost in broadcast revenue.  The M's can opt out of their current TV deal in 2015 or Baker suggests that the club may look to work out a new TV contract sooner in order to avoid marketplace complications if a new NBA or NHL team comes to Seattle.
  • In a separate piece, Baker writes that the Mariners will only benefit from Hernandez's extension if they can build a good roster around their ace.  As Baker notes, the M's have finished in last place in each of the three seasons since Hernandez signed his last multiyear deal with the team.
  • Since the Mariners refused to trade Hernandez, they essentially forced themselves into re-signing Hernandez to a major contract, opines Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Seattle could regret the move if Hernandez struggles in the latter years of the extension "and the Mariners’ choice forever will be weighed against the hypothetical bounty that they could have received for Felix in a trade."
  • While the Mariners are taking a risk in making a seven-year commitment to a pitcher, Fangraphs' Jeff Sullivan likes the deal for both sides.  Hernandez's talent and his importance to the franchise made the new contract "something that felt like it had to be done," Sullivan writes.
  • Hernandez's extension sets a bar for negotiations between Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers, writes Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, who opines that Kershaw could become the first pitcher to receive a $200MM deal.  Kershaw is eligible for free agency after the 2014 season and will only be 27 years old on Opening Day 2015.

Hernandez, Mariners Aren’t In Serious Contract Talks

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The Mariners have reportedly tried to start contract talks with Felix Hernandez but there are no serious talks taking place at the moment, sources familiar with the situation tell Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  Furthermore, if Seattle is in fact interested in a four-year extension, that's not likely to kick-start talks with the star hurler as Heyman hears he seeks a six-year deal instead.

As it stands, Hernandez is under contract with the M's for $39.5MM through the 2014 season.  However, there hasn't been an exchange of offers on a new deal yet or any traction to speak of, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Heyman.

The 26-year-old knows that he has a chance become the highest-paid pitcher in the game when his current contract runs out.  If he were to agree to a $100MM, four-year extension now, he'd be guaranteed fewer guaranteed dollars than Cole Hamels and Zack Greinke over the next six years.  Those elite pitchers signed contracts at that length for $144MM and $147MM, respectively.

Mariners Notes: Hernandez, Saunders, Montero

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Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik won't get into details about contract negotiations with Felix Hernandez but he told reporters today that he has "every intention of keeping Felix [in Seattle] for the long-term", tweets Greg Johns of MLB.com.  Here's more on the M's..

  • Jack Z also said that the door is "wide open" for a young pitcher to make the starting five, but the GM would prefer to add a veteran, according to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times (on Twitter).
  • That veteran just might be Joe Saunders, who has the interest of the Mariners as well as the Orioles.  It's not clear who the other teams with interest in the left-hander, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  
  • The Mariners will also look to add another catcher or two prior to Spring Training in support of Jesus Montero, Johns tweets.  

Rosenthal On Felix, Upton, Rangers, Nationals

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The Mariners continue discussing an extension with Felix Hernandez, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. The sides aren’t close to a deal, and are now “dancing.” However, Seattle is at least considering a four-year, $100MM offer, according to Rosenthal. It’s not clear if the Mariners have offered a nine-figure deal to Hernandez, whose current contract expires at the end of the 2014 season. The 26-year-old Octagon client would presumably want a longer commitment, as Rosenthal points out. Here are more of Rosenthal’s notes from around MLB…

  • The Mariners’ willingness to add veterans approaching free agency suggests GM Jack Zduriencik senses an urgency to win now in the view of some rival executives.
  • Justin Upton won’t be traded for Chase Headley, an official from one of the teams involved told Rosenthal. Headley is two years away from free agency, however, and Rosenthal suggests that the Padres figure to move him eventually. Upton, another trade candidate, is under contract through 2015.
  • The Diamondbacks and Rangers haven’t revived Upton-centered trade talks since the Mariners’ failed attempt at acquiring the 25-year-old right fielder. Rosenthal reports that the sides agreed to “move on.” When the teams were last in contact the Rangers offered a four-played package led by Mike Olt that would have included shortstop prospect Leury Garcia and either Martin Perez or Cody Buckel plus a fourth prospect.
  • The Rangers continue pondering one significant move. They are viewed as possible destinations for Kyle Lohse and Michael Bourn, and could also pursue relief help. The Rangers discussed right-handed reliever Tyler Clippard with the Nationals earlier this offseason, Rosenthal reports.
  • The Nationals could trade Clippard or Drew Storen now that they’ve signed Rafael Soriano. One rival executive suggested Washington could sign Lohse, but Rosenthal writes that a deal with free agent right-hander Javier Vazquez seems more likely.

Felix Hernandez Extension Very Unlikely This Winter

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A contract extension for Felix Hernandez is extremely unlikely to happen this winter, reports Ken Davidoff of Newsday (via Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com had reported yesterday that the M's were pushing to make Hernandez a "Mariner for life," but talks didn't progress very far, according to Davidoff.

Heyman had presented the Mariners' talks with Felix as something the team, rather than the player, was pushing, so perhaps the former Cy Young winner would prefer to wait until closer to his free agency to make a decision about his future in Seattle. Hernandez still has two years remaining on his current deal.

M’s Pushing To Make Felix “Mariner For Life”

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Felix Hernandez is still under contract in Seattle for two more seasons, but the Mariners are hoping to keep him around a lot longer than that. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter), the M' have broached the subject of a new multiyear deal for King Felix, in hopes of making him a "Mariner for life." Although Heyman classifies the talks as very preliminary, he says Seattle is pushing to make something happen.

GM Jack Zduriencik, who has insisted for years that his ace is unavailable via trade, told Greg Johns of MLB.com back in October that he hopes to keep Hernandez in Seattle long-term. More recently, Zduriencik appeared on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM with Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette on Monday (audio link) and confirmed the Mariners have spoken to Felix about an extension.

Hernandez will only be 28 years old when his current contract expires, so if Seattle is serious about making him a "Mariner for life," it would mean adding a significant number of years to the end of that deal.

Mariners Rumors: Felix, Trades, Boesch, Bay

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It was reported late on Monday that the Mariners met with Josh Hamilton on Sunday. The team has also met with the Diamondbacks regarding Justin Upton, but that's far from the only news surrounding the Emerald City…

  • General manager Jack Zduriencik appeared on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM with Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette earlier today (audio link) and said that the team has had talks with Felix Hernandez about an extension. King Felix has two remaining years on his contract and is still just 26 years old.
  • Zduriencik is willing to deal from his wealth of prospects in order to improve the team, writes MLB.com's Greg Johns. Jack Z said he wouldn't want to move Felix Hernandez, but aside from that: "…if you can look at a scenario where you take a weakness and make it a strength, that's something you have to entertain. You can't sit there and say, 'I'm not moving anybody.' That would be foolish. You have to entertain any opportunity to make your club or organization better." The Mariners have some of the game's best prospects in the form of Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen, Nick Franklin and James Paxton.
  • The Mariners are interested in Brennan Boesch, though to a much lesser extent than they are Hamilton, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (on Twitter). Boesch is an obvious trade candidate following the Tigers' signing of Torii Hunter.
  • Mike Salk of 710 ESPN tweets that Jason Bay is a strong possibility for the Mariners in the days ahead.

Mariners Notes: Offense, Hernandez, Maurer

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Here's the latest from Seattle…

  • The Mariners are again looking to add offense this winter, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). He says free agent hitters are showing a greater willingness to sign with the team now that the Safeco Field fences are moving in.
  • "Think I'll carry around a recording: 'I am not trading Felix Hernandez'," joked GM Jack Zduriencik to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). This doesn't figure to be the last time we hear that this offseason.
  • Rosenthal says the Mariners view right-hander Brandon Maurer in the same light as top prospects Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker, and James Paxton (Twitter links). The 22-year-old pitched to a 3.20 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 137 2/3 innings in Double-A this year.

No New Talks For Felix, Mariners

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No new extension talks have occurred between the Mariners and their 26-year-old ace, Felix Hernandez, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). The right-hander's current contract covers the 2013 and 2014 seasons after which he'll be eligible for free agency.

GM Jack Zduriencik recently told Greg Johns of MLB.com that he hopes to keep Hernandez in Seattle long-term. The GM declined to publicly discuss whether the sides had had extension talks with the Octagon client.

Hernandez, the 2010 American League Cy Young Award winner, turned in another elite season in 2012. He started 33 games and pitched 232 innings, surpassing the 230-inning mark for the fourth consecutive season. He struck out nearly a batter per inning (8.7 K/9) while inducing ground balls (48.9% ground ball rate) and limiting walks (2.2 BB/9) and home runs (0.5 HR/9). As one of the game's top pitchers, Hernandez could ask for an annual salary approaching $25MM on an extension.

Quick Hits: Cubs, Miller, Felix, Joseph

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In the same game that Jamey Carroll hit his first home run since August 2009, Adam Dunn struck out tonight to become the sixth player in MLB history with 2,000 punchouts. Dunn joins Reggie Jackson, Jim Thome, Sammy Sosa, Andres Galarraga and Alex Rodriguez as members of the 2,000K club. Here are tonight's links:

  • Cubs manager Dale Sveum is pleased with the job that interim hitting coach James Rowson has done since taking over for Rudy Jaramillo in June, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Rowson could figure into next season's plans, as Sveum plans to address the 2013 coaching staff in the season's final weeks.
  • MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch has quotes from Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny about the club's decision to promote Shelby Miller. A start is possible down the stretch for Miller, according to Mozeliak.
  • Many wonder when Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik will change his stance on listening to offers for Felix Hernandez, but that day doesn't appear to be here. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe asked the Seattle GM if it was a possibility and received a simple "No," as an answer (Twitter link).
  • While he's struggled at the plate, Tommy Joseph has still impressed the Phillies since being acquired in the Hunter Pence trade, writes Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Joseph's defense has impressed the Phils, and they still project plus power from the promising catcher.
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