It's The End Of An Era For Felix Hernandez: The Unluckiest Pitcher Of His Generation

There’s a very real chance Felix Hernandez was the greatest pitcher who ever lived. We’ll never know as he closes the book on what should be a Hall of Fame career. We’ll also never know what could have been because the Seattle Mariners outright punted his entire career. King Felix finishes with ZERO (0) postseason appearances over his 15 years of service. And it would be downright impossible to hold him accountable for the Mariners playoff drought. A career which started in 2005, a mere boy of just 19-years old, comes to a hero’s end at 33. He earned that ovation, he loves Seattle, its fans – it’s why he never left. In an era where players across all sports are constantly switching jerseys for more money or a better shot at stacking up rings, there’s a nobility to Felix staying put and persevering.

I feel bad for Mariners fans who had to endure watching both he and Ichiro suffer through inept move after inept move coming on the heels of losing the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Randy Johnson the generation prior. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone except Yankees fans. That would be funny as shit if it happened to them and only them. Ever since that Mariners’ Moose rollerbladed directly into that centerfield wall, shattering both of his ankles instantly, there has been a dark cloud hovering over Seattle’s baseball team that they just can’t seem to shake. And Felix could never overcome everything around him to get to the top of the mountain.

Here are some preposterous King Felix stats courtesy of Ryan Spaeder. Stats that show both Felix’s individual dominance as well as just how unlucky his career truly was.

Felix Hernandez is far from the first pitcher to register a no decision. He’s not the first pitcher to suffer through a lack of run support. But for a lot of guys, that might happen for a month. It may happen for half a season. It can happen for a full season. For Felix Hernandez – and potentially Jacob deGrom at this rate – it was his entire fucking career. That’s worse than bad luck, that’s downright criminal negligence on behalf of the Mariners.

I don’t understand how, at no point over the last 15 years, they couldn’t piece together ONE competent lineup, rotation, and bullpen even by accident. Over those very same 15 years, the Houston Astros moved from the National League to the AL West, bottomed out, became the worst team in baseball, won a World Series and are on their way to the best record in the American League this year all directly in front of Felix’s face. His loyalty was perhaps his only flaw as a baseball player. Because surely there were points throughout his career where the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and any other contending team called up Seattle in search of his services and HE declined.

I hope he holds no regrets. He seems genuinely happy. He always seemed happy. He had tonight, maybe that’s enough for him. He has the respect of his peers, he’s not a lock for the Hall of Fame but with how counting numbers are viewed today I’d be surprised if he didn’t get in eventually. Seeing as Felix Hernandez was one of the best pitchers of his generation he better get in. From 2006-2016, also known as his first full season through his age 30 season, he went 150-105 with 2,187 strikeouts and a 3.18 ERA. Over that decade his average season was 15 wins, 229 IP, 215 K, 81 ER, 3 CG, and 2 shutouts over 162 games. He never won 20 games yet he led the league in wins one year. He led it in ERA twice. He made the All Star Game six out of seven seasons, and the one season he didn’t he won the CY Young. If that doesn’t sum up Felix Hernandez’s career in a nutshell, I don’t know what could.