Felix Hernandez

Fun fact: Who has the best winning percentage of any pitcher in baseball over the past five seasons?

Here's a hint. It's not C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Johan Santana, Josh Beckett or any of the other pitchers the East Coast writing establishment loves to go on endlessly about.

It's Jered Weaver at .663.

Weaver has clearly taken his game to another level in the absence of former Angels ace John Lackey, and has managed to single-handedly carry his team through a horrific stretch in the process.

Fantasy Baseball’s Pitching Line of the Week

Felix Hernandez (SP-SEA): 9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, W

Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners pitched a complete game two-hitter in the Bronx this Wednesday in what was his best start of the 2010 season to date.

He fanned every starter on the Yankees roster with the exception of first half MVP candidate Robinson Cano. Additionally, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, and Alex Rodriguez each struck out twice against King Felix. 

The All-Star game rosters were announced today and there are a couple of snubs like there are every year.

But one stands out to me not just because I'm a Mariners fan but because statistically he deserves to be part of the All-Star game.

Felix Hernandez was robbed of a spot on the American League All-Star roster, because of his 6-5 record.

But that record is skewed. Hernandez plays for one of the worst offensive major league teams in the MLB and gets absolutely no run support at all.

A few players could provide your club with a nice boost if you are willing to scan the waiver wire. Coco Crisp and his fresh legs could provide steals. Tom Gorzelanny’s newfound rotation opportunity could provide strikeouts. And Aubrey Huff is a surprising source for most offensive stats, along with a little position flexibility.

There are only five teams in Major League Baseball with a worse record than the Seattle Mariners.

The M’s are 14 games behind the red-hot Texas Rangers in the division standings. They’re 13 games off the pace for the Wild Card.

The Seattle Mariners should be sellers at the trade deadline, right? Well, they just gave up two minor-league prospects to the Cleveland Indians for 34-year old Russell Branyan whom they declined to sign over the off-season.

Forget the Chinese Zodiac. 2010 was supposed to be the Year of the Mariner. 

As a result of a promising 2009 season and the acquisition of many talented players, there were extremely high expectations for the Seattle Mariners to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

But through the first two and a half months of the season, the Mariners stand 28-41 and 13 games behind division-leading Texas Rangers.

SEATTLE — Michael Saunders’ three-run homer helped Seattle to a 5-1 win Saturday night at Safeco Field.

The Seattle Mariners cruised through a typically tidy game — getting quality pitching from Felix Hernandez and a minimal amount of offense — when something out of the ordinary broke out.

Nearly a week’s worth of runs by the Mariners.

Cliff Lee just finished perhaps his best start of the season—thus proving once again that he should not be traded.

Lee (5-3), lowered his ERA to 2.55. He allowed no runs and struck out seven Cincinnati Reds batters in a complete game. It was his second complete game of the season.

Well Mariners fans, lets face it, the 2010 season is a bust.

There will be no comeback, no 1995 style legendary run to the post season. No, I'm afraid the last exciting moment for the Mariners will be watching who they dump in the upcoming midseason fire sale.

Cliff Lee is a lock to be traded, and rumor has it that everybody not named Felix or Ichiro is up for grabs. I'd expect a lot of familiar names to be playing in different markets come August.

So, what does that mean for the 2011 squad? What does the future hold for Seattle baseball?

Seattle Mariners’ manager Don Wakamatsu made a very odd decision at the end of the Mariners’ game on Sunday against the San Diego Padres. With two outs in the ninth, and with the Mariners leading 4-2, Wakamatsu removed starting pitcher Felix Hernandez to bring in David Aardsma to record a one-out save.

Despite the move working out, I didn’t understand the move then, and I don’t understand it now.