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I Should Have Traded the King

There's little doubt in my mind that Hernandez is done for the year. A 21-year old pitcher can't find the plate, throwing violent 92 mph sliders into the ground before calling for the trainer with a sore elbow? He's done. Enjoy him in the second half of 2008 when he's back from Tommy John surgery.

Of course, that will destroy my LABR team - which entering today was in first place by 10 points despite not having Chone Figgins or Roger Clemens. But it serves me right. I should have bought Roy Halladay or Mark Buehrle or some other soft tosser who can pitch 240 innings a year and be no worse for the wear (well, Halladay's got to dodge line drives better). Even Johan Santana's average fastball is slower than Chien Ming Wang's (this we know courtesy of Steve Moyer's Bill James' Handbook). Those soft tossers give up more hits because they depend on balls in play, but they have lower pitch counts, and you don't have to worry about them going deep into games.

No one else agreed with me, but Felix looked like he was laboring late in the one-hitter against the Sox, and you have to wonder if those 111 pitches, most of which were above 95 mph damaged his arm. I know it was great for him to get the one-hitter, but when he goes down for the count this year, it will seem obvious in hindsight that a 21-year old with that much upside should be persuaded to throw more fastballs, less breaking stuff and be put on a lower pitch count.

But Mariners management is a disaster in all phases, and especially with their track record of blowing out young arms: Rafael Soriano and Ryan Anderson are two other prominent ones that went down.

But as I said, it serves me right - drafting a 21-year old power pitcher on the Mariners was asking for it. I should have traded him when I had the chance. I'd take Mark Buehrle for him at this instant.