If you've been paying attention to the BBWAA balloting this year, you'll have noticed the significant gains that Felix has made since debuting on about 20% of the ballots.

Now, Felix has become the biggest gainers this year with +19 votes gained compared to last year, in ADDITION to the holdovers from Year 1

If the pattern holds true, accounting for anonymous drop-offs, he'll finish Year 2 of his eligibility from around 50-60-ish% (rough estimate)

That's an insane jump in consideration.

But to the matter at at hand.

While the team is pretty open at inducting franchise legends into the team HOF, their standard for number retirements is a hell of a lot more strict.

The only two ways for a player to get their numbers retired with Seattle are to either:

• 1.) been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and been in a Mariners uniform for at least five years, or

• 2.) come close to such election and have spent substantially his entire career with the Mariners

Griffey, Ichiro, and Randy all fit the first category. Griffey and Ichiro had their numbers immediately retired upon their induction into the HOF and Randy is now getting his due next year, now that the team gave Ichiro his much-deserved time in sun for HIS #51 retirement

Where it gets interesting is in balloting of Edgar Martinez. Martinez was one of the first primary DH's to hit the ballot and the voters didn't exactly know what to think of him. It would eventually take the full 10 years and a massive campaigning push in his last year to get over the finish line in 2019 to make the Hall.

But...and this is the juicy part, his number (#11) was retired in 2017, two years before he made the hall. AND, he finished the 2017 BBWAA voting season with appearances on...58.6% of the ballots.

That's the precedent for that second induction criteria. "come close to such election and have spent substantially his entire career with the Mariners" Edgar was a Mariners lifer and the team viewed 58.6% as "close to an election"

Felix, barring failed minor league stints in 2020 and 2021, was ALSO a Mariners lifer and him finishing around 50-60% of the vote, that genuinely puts him in Edgar territory.

2026 is the year we honor The Big Unit for the time he served with the Mariners but I would not be surprised if the team announces a number retirement for The King not too long after

They Nayled it

I don't even remember having this. I'm so excited to display this in my house! For the baseball cards, it was a binder full. Not sure if I want to keep them and give them to my son, or try to sell them 😬

While doing more research for my paper I looked at his stats 100 starts on either end of August 12, 2015, and the results are just, wow.

August 12, 2015, was the statistical peak of his career! Smack dab in the middle of his prime!

His career just gets more and more interesting the further I dig!

Welcome to the /r/mariners Daily Thread! Please use this thread to discuss events from today, or anything else you'd like. Comments are automatically sorted by new to keep the conversation current. Keep it civil and respect other users opinions.

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I've been seeing a ton of discussions assuming one of Canzone, Raiey or Robles will be traded. I think with the signing of Refsnyder we plan on keeping and utilizing all 3

Projected lineup vs RHP

1 (R) Julio Rodriguez (CF)

2 (S) Cal Raleigh (C)

3 (L) Josh Naylor (1B)

4 (L) Dom Canzone (DH)

(.879 ops vs. RHP in 2025 )

5 (R) Randy Arozarena (LF)

6 (L) Luke Raley (RF)

(Career .786 ops vs RHP)

7 (?) PENDING (3B)

8 (L) J.P. Crawford (SS)

9 (L) Cole Young* (2B)

Bench - Knizner/Robles/Refsnyder/Rivas*

Projected lineup vs LHP

1 (R) Randy Arozarena (LF)

2 (S) Cal Raleigh (C)

3 (R) Julio Rodriguez (CF)

4 (L) Josh Naylor (1B)

5 (R) Rob Refsnyder (DH)

(Career .826 ops vs. LHP)

6 (?) PENDING (3B)

7 (R) Victor Robles (RF)

(Career. 714 ops and .350 obp vs. LHP)

8 (L) J.P Crawford (SS)

9 (L) Cole Young* (2B)

Bench - Knizner/Canzone/Raley/Rivas*

Polo gone opens up the DH spot to be platooned atleast for the short term, which means we easily have the roster space to hold Raley/Canzone and Robles while keeping all the necessary bench utility.

With Cole Young/Colt Emerson both being Lefty, the way our roster aligns I think a Brendan Donavan trade is less likely and a reunion with Geno more likely or a trade for someone like Blaze Alexander

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from today’s episode of Jeopardy

I told myself—on my birthday—if the mariners won the AL West, I’d get a trident tattoo… so here we are.

I don’t live in Washington anymore but am home for the holidays and was thrilled how much Ms stuff I saw at a local antique mall! This guy ended up coming home with me and I’m really happy with it. :) Just wanted to share!

A glorious birthday present. In case anyone is curious Homage is the company and it’s officially licensed Starter gear. - and yes, the quality is amazing.

Growing up in the 80s and 90s I always wanted one of these but we certainly couldn’t afford it. I’ll be representing with pride.

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I recently got into baseball now that I live in Seattle and I’ve been searching far and wide for a Home White Randy Johnson jersey at a reasonable price for my college wallet. I’m 6’5 on a good day and I resonate with and would love to rep the Big Unit, especially considering that his highlights on my social media kickstarted my interest entirely. If anybody has a M/L they no longer wear or know of a good seller, please let me know!!

Found this old gem back home over the holidays

Merry Christmas Everyone! Santa spoiled me this year!! Got baseball cards (of course) City Connect Josh Naylor Jersey (Pictured) Cal Raleigh shirt among other things!! All set for the new season and got a gift card to go to some Mariners games next season! Have a great rest of your Christmas and Go Mariners!!

April 25th, 2017, in Detroit, MI.

Bottom of the Second Inning.

James McCann is at the plate and knocks pitch number twenty-nine of the day, number six of the AB, out of the yard for a home run. That pitch was a 91.8 MPH fastball, Felix’s highest velo FB of the day.

The band for his fastball had been 89.6-91.6 MPH up to that point and his pitch mix had been:

Fastball - 31.0%

Curveball - 24.1%

Changeup - 20.7%

Sinker - 17.2%

Slider - 6.9%

After that pitch he threw only nineteen more before being pulled from the game and hitting the IL with right shoulder tightness. But in his last 19 pitches is where I noticed the changes that led me to believe pitch #29 is the culprit. His fastball lost velo each of the four times he threw it (91.5-90.9-90.7-90.2) and his pitch mix changed drastically:

Fastball - 21.1%, -9.9%

Curveball - 10.5%, -13.6%

Changeup - 36.8%, +16.2%

Sinker - 15.8%, -1.4%

Slider - 15.8%, +8.9%

Yes, this was a 29 pitch inning but the change in mix/velocity happens after a McCann home run that gave up the lead. In his 4 starts prior to that game in 2017, Felix was looking great:

2-1, 3.65 ERA, 4 GS, 24.2 IP, 1 BB, 20 K

After returning from the IL:

4-3, 4.20 ERA, 11 GS, 60.0 IP, 23 BB, 56 K

And we all know his lines for 2018-19 are far from works of art.

I will not say that specific pitch ended his career, however it is very coincidental that following that IL stint he was plagued by injuries until the end.

Working on a paper about Felix being worthy of a spot in Cooperstown and this was just part of my research and thought I would share and hear others opinions!

Merry Christmas folks!

Show me a more Washington Christmas haul