"In fact, I'm not actually reporting anything at all so much as just making up a bunch of crap, but hey isn't that what sports journalism is all about?"

Let’s go back to the Royals. No, they couldn’t afford Hernandez’s contract.

This is stupid. Every team in baseball can afford Felix' contract.

LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU

Wait, KC should trade away the world to acquire a guy they can't afford? In what part of the world outside SEATTLEWINSland does this make sense?

Wait, KC should trade away the world to acquire a guy they can't afford?

I think you missed the part about cash coming KC's way. With the cash they can "afford" him.

Wait, $14M for Felix is unaffordable for KC? They're going nowhere if they can't afford to underpay one of the best pitchers in the league.

Think the next Castro — someone like Rangers Double-A shortstop Jurickson Profar or Orioles Double-A shortstop Manny Machado.

If the Mariners traded King Felix for Manny Machado....
Seriously how does someone hit .257/.335/.421 in A/A+ ball and move UP to #11 in BA's prospect lists?
Is he the second coming of Ozzie? (Smith not Guillen)

plus he's hitting .241/.325/.357 in AA, yes he's very young
looking looking.... Machado is not expected to remain at SS and is seen as a hitting prospect? Oy Vey (so no, not the next Ozzie)

Oh I see, Machado is supposed to get bigger and develop power... wake me up if/when that actually happens...
He turns 20 next month, why is he in AA after hitting .245/.308/.384 in the Carolina League, is Tony Bernazard running BLT's farm system?

OTOH Jurickson Profar is certainly looking like the intriguing prospect- he's YOUNGER than Machado, he's hitting .295/.374/.481 in AA, and he's expected to remain at SS...

Wait, $14M for Felix is unaffordable for KC? They're going nowhere if they can't afford to underpay one of the best pitchers in the league.

They could afford $11M+ for Gil Meche 4 years ago, but now they can't afford $2M and change more for Felix Hernandez. Right.

I hate the buy high-sell low mentality in evaluating possible trades.

God, Rosenthal...ugh. You want the Mariners to trade KING Felix AND throw in some ####### cash? Those baseball executives you talk to for scoops are really ####### with you, man. They are not your friends!

Where are folks getting $14 M from? Felix is owed nearly $20 M a year from here on out.

Which is not to disagree with the general sentiment. If the Reds can afford 300 years, 75 billion for Joey Votto, I'm pretty sure every team can afford at least one superstar contract if they want to.

Wow, Butler's B-Ref dWAR totals are hilariously bad. In only 8 games at first base this year, he's already at -.8 WAR. In only 11 games last year, he supposedly cost them almost two wins. It seems like, if those numbers were true, he would have to be spending most of his time at first base with his back to the field, staring at airplanes.

Wow, Butler's B-Ref dWAR totals are hilariously bad. In only 8 games at first base this year, he's already at -.8 WAR. In only 11 games last year, he supposedly cost them almost two wins. It seems like, if those numbers were true, he would have to be spending most of his time at first base with his back to the field, staring at airplanes.

BBref dWAR numbers include positional adjustment now, so the -.8 this year includes -6 runs for position, mostly DH.

Where are folks getting $14 M from? Felix is owed nearly $20 M a year from here on out.

Whoops, that's me. I breezed through the excerpt and assumed that number.

Still, like you say, 18.5M/19.5M/20M for a superstar in his prime is something every team should be able and willing to pay.

BBref dWAR numbers include positional adjustment now, so the -.8 this year includes -6 runs for position, mostly DH.

Oh. That makes sense. It seems like positional adjustment ought to be separate from defensive WAR, but I'll defer to those who know more than me.

I feel as if I have heard absolutely nothing about Felix this year.

The Mets have payroll opening up! Johan/Felix/Dickey/Niese/Wheeler/Harvey! Put Bill Maher's money to use! And whatever of Bay's money doesn't go to Wright's extension!

More seriously, while Pineda/Montero worked out as well as you can hope, I don't see why any team would trade one of the faces of their franchise when they don't have a whole lot else going for them. Especially since the Mariners currently have only 40m committed to next year (with, admittedly, the potential/likely Ichiro resigning, and Vargas and Ryan arbs probably adding another 10-15m or so).

That being said, what's happened with Felix? His last two years ERA+'s are pretty pedestrian, but his peripherals don't look to have gotten worse. Was he just always a little overrated, or is it something else?