Seattle WA-  By now everyone knows the 19-year-old rookie, fresh out of the minors, who has a potential arm that will perhaps equal or better that of Randy Johnson's. As a matter of fact, he will even have a start against Randy. The heat of Hernandez is in the low-to-high 90s, topping out at 98 MPH. This rookie has a high strikeout count and usually blows the ball right by batters. His first five starts have been against Detroit, Minnesota (two games), Kansas City, and Chicago (White Sox).

In his first start against Sean Douglass and the Detroit Tigers, he gave up one earned run on three hits in five innings and 81 pitches. He struck out four and walked two. He was expected to have around 80-90 pitches, and so that's what he threw. This was a loss, but a loss was an overstatement. Felix only gave up one run, and the Mariners offense didn't help his cause.

His next start was against Kyle Lohse and the Minnesota Twins. This was his first incredible performance. Felix went eight innings, giving up only five hits, no runs, and struck out six on 94 pitches. Kyle Lohse went seven innings, gave up one run on four hits. Felix outlasted Lohse and got the win, while Eddie closed things up in the ninth. This kid's got stuff!

Felix's third start was facing Runelvys Hernández and the Kansas City Royals. In the battle of the two Hernandez's, Felix mowed down the Royals, once again going eight innings, giving up only three hits and one earned run, while striking out eleven! He did this all in 99 pitches for his second win. Of course, Runelvys faltered, but Hernandez could have beaten Barry Zito in that game. This kid is darn good!

Coincidently, Felix had to face Lohse and the Twins again. Felix went- you guessed it- eight innings, in a tight battle with Lohse at two runs, giving up 5 hits and striking out nine. Felix was taken out during the tie, so he got a no-decision. George Sherrill got the win, because while Sherrill was pitching, Matt Guerrier (MIN) gave up six runs in 1/3 of an inning. This kid is GREAT!

In Felix's fifth start, his first "average" start, against yet another Hernandez, Orlando Hernandez, Felix was doing good, even though he gave up his first multiple-base hit (a double by Jermaine Dye). However, in the third inning, Felix gave up his first home run, a solo shot to Brian Anderson, a rookie, and his first home run of the season. But the Mariner offense recovered the lead, one run off a first-third squeeze bunt by Willie Bloomquist and a solo homerun by Yorvit Torrealba. It was a standoff until the seventh inning, when, with one on, 100+ pitches thrown already by Felix, expecting to be taken out the next inning, with an 0-2 count, everybody hoping for a strikeout so they could give The King an ovation, but with a two-one lead, he gave up another home run: to Anderson, again. Darn rookie! So Felix left the game in the seventh trailing 3-2, no hope for a good decision. But thank Willie Bloomquist again for an RBI triple in the eighth, tying the game, taking away the possibility of a loss for Felix, and also handing Orlando Hernandez his third run of the game also. Final score in 12 innings, courtesy of Eddie Guardado and Jeff Nelson: 5-3. So a no-decision for Felix and a loss for Jeff Nelson. This is probably his most important start yet, with his first homerun and for that matter, anything better than a single.

On Wednesday, he takes on Randy Johnson, the Big Unit. And Felix might yet win against a hard-hitting club. Imagine what it would look like to see Felix copy his start against the Royals! Beating the Big Unit? Possible, and very much.

Overall in his first five starts, he has pitched 36 innings. In those innings, he has struck out, only given up seven earned runs (1.75 ERA), along with 23 hits and five walks. Felix's K/9 IP (average strikeouts per nine innings) is at 10.05. We are looking at a possible 20-game winner in 2006.

We have been waiting for a new great pitcher for a while. Freddy Garcia, who also had a marvelous rookie year, and we just have our faithful veterans at the moment, like Jamie Moyer. We also have Jeff Harris arising at the moment too. So, with a brand new crew, we will definitely be shining next season, with Harris and Hernandez pitching.

Felix may be the next great fastball heat pitcher, a Roger Clemens, but he is still young, and his peak year will not be for a while. Of course, we have a record with Venezuelans, including Freddy and Carlos Guillen. All great players, as they develop into their fifth season, they have perhaps reached their peak. But keeping this focused on Felix, he has most likely proved himself worthy a throne on the next year's starting rotation. We will watch in awe as he is crowned winner in several games, shutouts, complete games, and maybe 2 or 1 hitters. Next year, Felix will be King.

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Mitchell Morley is an official writer for Mariners Mania.