.

FELIX GETS SMASHED.  SSI SPORTS IS LIFE, LIFE IS SPORTS DEPT.

Felix is a likeable, happy-go-lucky type.  He's like a 12-year-old in many ways, which is a compliment -- from my point of view, if you are one of those interested in beginning a spiritual life, you have to start it with a childish mentality (Matt 18).

But it can be dangerous to give a home-schooled child -- with the emotional worldly sense of a 14-year-old -- an adult's job and $$ and resources, and throw them out into the water of the world, where there are predators who are only to happy to exploit them.

Felix wore his stardom beautifully.  And Seattle was very lucky to have him choose family over the Scott Boras free agency greed tour.  It was fun to watch him string one 8 IP, 1 ER start after another and then just cheerfully wave it off as one of those things that is supposed to happen.  Post-stardom, however, does not become him at all; now we've got a touch (a touch) of the spoiled brat leading off.  Dr. D is not a fan.  

The M's site apologizes that the --Mariners' Ace-- (??) got hit.  Everybody around Felix ENABLES his self-deception that he still deserves those huge checks with long strings of zeroes on them.  Most star pitchers are quick to adjust to the second phase of their careers; after two years, Felix is still nowhere near the ability to face reality.  Those around him aren't helping.

There was something sad and melancholy about James Paxton stating that he was happy for Felix.  Of course next year, Paxton will start Opening Day and then Paxton's remarks this year will sound (through zero fault of his own) quite patronizing, like the Yankees' second baseman congratulating Lou Gehrig for a routine 3-1 "nice play, big guy."

....

That said, Felix had the wildest start of his career.  For example, he had 5 BB and 1 K.  His worst ratio in any game last year was 4:5, and that was the worst year of his career.  Think about THAT one.

Wildness like that suggests an incoming DL trip.  If it does, that would be fine by the Mainframe (!!) so long as Erasmo is ready and one of the Tacoma guys is hot (no stats yet; the Rainiers' opener is today).  Or on the other hand, if we have to start thinking of Felix as a #5 starter, I'm sure he'll be a very good #5.  Gotta find a way to keep smilin' kiddies -- our day jobs are hard; baseball is for fun.  :- )  **King Felix For Best Five In The AL**

.

MARJAMA

He caught the game.  Was half of the partnership in which Felix' train jumped the track worse than it ever has in his life.  Dr. D continues to wonder whether Freitas needs to catch all the games until Zuumball's back.

.

VOGELBACH

On Slack, the office pool started with G-Money betting that 'Bach needs 3 homers in 6 games to stay up.  That'll do for me too; Dr. D assumes, like you do, that 'Bach needs a fast rampage to save his job.

The only at-bat I saw yesterday was gasp-inducingly maestro like, where 'Bach leaned out and swatted a pitch down the RF line exactly like Serena Williams hitting a backhand crosscourt.  I tell you the kid has a PLUS-PLUS "hit" tool, has a truly special gift for seeing a pitch late and then covering it with the barrel.

Whether his incoming 20-30 AB's save his job, that's a tense scenario -- though it does help him that Ryon Healy is in an ugly 1-for-14 slump, and we did like the fact that he got a start (huhhhh??) at 1B on Wednesday ahead of Healy.  but!  in any case, it's an exciting subplot for the erudite M's fan to follow underneath the top layer of the quest for a 4-2 record.

.

K-PAX AT 1 PM

It's natural and good to have our stock projections (high, low, mid) fluctuate wildly in April.  Pax cast 98 MPH thunderbolts in season Game 2, but he was wild against the mighty Indians, going 2-0 in every count.  The Indians simply cheated, starting their bats "in batting cage timing" to his fastball, and hoped blindly they'd square a fastball.  Yonder Alonso happened to cover a 2-0 (?) center-cut fastball, pulling into the right field bleachers, and boom.  4-0 start for the Indians in a kind of perfect storm against Paxton.

Dr. D and several other graybeards went through this with the young Randy Johnson.  The only way (the only way) that James Paxton is not the best pitcher in the league -- besides Sale and maybe Kluber -- is if he is wild all season.  What are the chances of that?  Oh, maybe 5%.

Prob'ly see you kiddies on Slack at 1 pm.  What are the chances of Paxton being wild again today, at the start of the season, considering he hasn't had a control game yet and he's working without a net, Zuumball not there to help him?  Oh, maybe 1/3.  But that leaves a good 2/3 chance that he'll pump strike 1's down the middle, and then throw his sloshball or his curve (one or the other) for strikes in 1-2 counts, and we'll all be wallowing in a 4-2 record after the game. 

....

Which will allow us to once again bask in our 1-2 tablesetters, and in Mitch Haniger, and in everything else that is pregnant with potential for this ballclub.  The M's racked up 10 hits again yesterday.  And that being against a superstar Opening Day pitcher, who pumped in confusing tricky pitchers' pitches at them.  Still 10 hits.  This week is brought to you by the word "TRAFFIC."  Dee Gordon, Robby Cano, Dan Vogelbach with two knocks apiece.

.

Enjoy,

Dr. D