What is the matter with Felix?

Timberwolf · June 15th, 2007, 07:47 PM

Is he hurt? He seems to have recovered his velocity since the stint on the DL, but he clearly isn't right. We all want to give the Felix the benefit of the doubt, but if any other pitcher had done as poorly as he has the last month, the boos would be ringing out.

Goose · June 15th, 2007, 10:23 PM

He's stupid. Or the Mariners are stupid. Or probably both.

It's the pitch sequence. That's the only reason he's sucking. His pitch sequence is absolutely horrible. Read the game threads at LL and USSM where we're charting and calling pitches. When he's getting strikeouts and easy groundballs, he's throwing a majority of curve's, slider's and changeups. When he's giving up hard hits, doubles, and homers, he's throwing mostly fastballs. It's as simple as that.

Seriously, everybody in baseball knows to look fastball on him.There was an at bat today with Carlos Lee, where Felix threw him a first pitch change, and Lee swung before the ball got halfway to the plate. It's because just like everbody else, he's sitting fastball.

It's as simple as that.

Until he stops being a dumbass, he's never going to be the pitcher we know he can be. It's irrelavent how good you are if EVERYBODY know's what coming.

bedir than average · June 16th, 2007, 09:13 AM

Goose, I have yet to see anyone explain why the location on his fastball isn't where it was. Also missing from any source is a reason as the lesser bite on his breaking pitches. Now, I'll admit that I don't have BP subscription any more, so maybe they did that in their last story.

For me the primary reason is yes, the sequencing issue.
Second would be location issues with his fastball
Last would be the ability to throw the breaking pitches for strikes as often as he used to.

coachjeff · June 18th, 2007, 10:44 AM

Jason Stark had an interesting take on Felix's problems since his stint on the DL. Before the DL GB/FB ratio was an astounding 7-1. Since coming back, it is 1.8/1. Stark's take was that Felix isn't finishing on his delivery on his 2 seamer and therefore isn't getting the sink needed. Likewise, he isn't finishing the breaking ball and is leaving them up an dover the plate. Stark surmises that there is trouble in Felix's forearm.

Stark sounds on the money to me. Watching the past few starts, Felix is leaving the ball up and making mistakes that simply weren't there when he was completely healthy at the start of the season. Most often, it seems to be a hanging slider or fastball up in the zone. Hence, too many home runs.

My suggestion is to let him skip a start or get a couple of days extra rest and see if it makes a difference. He's close to being his old self, but I agree with Stark that he's still less than 100% in his flexor bundle.

Wiggen · June 22nd, 2007, 07:52 PM

Do the Seattle Mariners have a pitching coach? Interesting that this observation was made by a baseball writer from Philadelphia and not by somebody connected with the Mariners. Sounds as good an explanation as any for what's going on.

I wasn't fooled by last night's game. He was better but he wasn't close to his first two starts.

coachjeff · June 27th, 2007, 11:32 AM

And Felix' next start adds more fuel to the fire. Again he left balls up in the zone and wasn't able to get the ground balls. This time it wasn't the AAAA Pirates, but one of the best lineups in baseball. Felix didn't have the command he normally has, on either his 2 seamer or his breaking balls.

I suspect the M's coaches realize what's going on, but just aren't saying anything. Felix at 80% is still as good or better than most of our other options and there is a tremendous pressure to win now. BB knows his job is on the line and without Felix in the rotation, our other starters just aren't good enough to win consistently.

Timberwolf · July 22nd, 2007, 11:53 PM

This is starting to look like a pattern of brain cramps, temper tantrums, and innings from hell. The good news is the last Mariner pitcher who looked like this was named Randy Johnson, and he was about 5 years older than Felix.

Wiggen · July 23rd, 2007, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedir than average

Goose, I have yet to see anyone explain why the location on his fastball isn't where it was. Also missing from any source is a reason as the lesser bite on his breaking pitches. Now, I'll admit that I don't have BP subscription any more, so maybe they did that in their last story.

For me the primary reason is yes, the sequencing issue.
Second would be location issues with his fastball
Last would be the ability to throw the breaking pitches for strikes as often as he used to.

Bedir - regarding Felix' curveball. It seems to me that I saw Orel Hershiser discussing this on ESPN. He said something to the effect that the original grip he was using on his curveball made it virtually unhittable but it also puts tremendous strain on the elbow, and that's why he went on the DL. Hershiser said that nobody can throw a curveball with that grip without hurting their arm.

Goose · July 23rd, 2007, 02:25 PM

Yeah, it seems he's sacrificed a little bit of break for health. Which is a swap I'm totally fine with.

June 15th, 2007, 07:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
Timberwolf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 1,865	What is the matter with Felix? Is he hurt? He seems to have recovered his velocity since the stint on the DL, but he clearly isn't right. We all want to give the Felix the benefit of the doubt, but if any other pitcher had done as poorly as he has the last month, the boos would be ringing out.

June 15th, 2007, 10:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
Goose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aberdeen,Wa Posts: 1,190	He's stupid. Or the Mariners are stupid. Or probably both. It's the pitch sequence. That's the only reason he's sucking. His pitch sequence is absolutely horrible. Read the game threads at LL and USSM where we're charting and calling pitches. When he's getting strikeouts and easy groundballs, he's throwing a majority of curve's, slider's and changeups. When he's giving up hard hits, doubles, and homers, he's throwing mostly fastballs. It's as simple as that. Seriously, everybody in baseball knows to look fastball on him.There was an at bat today with Carlos Lee, where Felix threw him a first pitch change, and Lee swung before the ball got halfway to the plate. It's because just like everbody else, he's sitting fastball. It's as simple as that. Until he stops being a dumbass, he's never going to be the pitcher we know he can be. It's irrelavent how good you are if EVERYBODY know's what coming. __________________ http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/843...idensigfd9.png

June 16th, 2007, 09:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
bedir than average Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Starbucks Posts: 8,258	Goose, I have yet to see anyone explain why the location on his fastball isn't where it was. Also missing from any source is a reason as the lesser bite on his breaking pitches. Now, I'll admit that I don't have BP subscription any more, so maybe they did that in their last story. For me the primary reason is yes, the sequencing issue. Second would be location issues with his fastball Last would be the ability to throw the breaking pitches for strikes as often as he used to. __________________ I'm sorry I left for a while. I needed a vaction, and then work changed substantially. I'm over 50 hour weeks, plus two hours a day of commuting time. A few weeks ago I launched my own blog about Seattle Sounders FC and Life in Puget Sound. I won't be by these parts often as my focus has changed. Sorry about the unannounced retirement.

July 23rd, 2007, 02:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
Goose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aberdeen,Wa Posts: 1,190	Yeah, it seems he's sacrificed a little bit of break for health. Which is a swap I'm totally fine with. __________________ http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/843...idensigfd9.png

June 18th, 2007, 10:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
coachjeff Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Olympia Posts: 91	Jason Stark had an interesting take on Felix's problems since his stint on the DL. Before the DL GB/FB ratio was an astounding 7-1. Since coming back, it is 1.8/1. Stark's take was that Felix isn't finishing on his delivery on his 2 seamer and therefore isn't getting the sink needed. Likewise, he isn't finishing the breaking ball and is leaving them up an dover the plate. Stark surmises that there is trouble in Felix's forearm. Stark sounds on the money to me. Watching the past few starts, Felix is leaving the ball up and making mistakes that simply weren't there when he was completely healthy at the start of the season. Most often, it seems to be a hanging slider or fastball up in the zone. Hence, too many home runs. My suggestion is to let him skip a start or get a couple of days extra rest and see if it makes a difference. He's close to being his old self, but I agree with Stark that he's still less than 100% in his flexor bundle.

June 22nd, 2007, 07:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
Wiggen Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5,286	Do the Seattle Mariners have a pitching coach? Interesting that this observation was made by a baseball writer from Philadelphia and not by somebody connected with the Mariners. Sounds as good an explanation as any for what's going on. I wasn't fooled by last night's game. He was better but he wasn't close to his first two starts.

June 27th, 2007, 11:32 AM	#6 (permalink)
coachjeff Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Olympia Posts: 91	And Felix' next start adds more fuel to the fire. Again he left balls up in the zone and wasn't able to get the ground balls. This time it wasn't the AAAA Pirates, but one of the best lineups in baseball. Felix didn't have the command he normally has, on either his 2 seamer or his breaking balls. I suspect the M's coaches realize what's going on, but just aren't saying anything. Felix at 80% is still as good or better than most of our other options and there is a tremendous pressure to win now. BB knows his job is on the line and without Felix in the rotation, our other starters just aren't good enough to win consistently.

July 22nd, 2007, 11:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
Timberwolf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 1,865	This is starting to look like a pattern of brain cramps, temper tantrums, and innings from hell. The good news is the last Mariner pitcher who looked like this was named Randy Johnson, and he was about 5 years older than Felix.