27 up, 27 down. On a sunny day in Seattle, Felix Hernandez became the 23rd pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a perfect game. Not one hit, not one error, not one walk. The Tampa Bay Rays hitters looked baffled, and confused. "King" Felix has always wanted to complete the feat of pitching a perfect game. He finally has completed that feat. He turned in one of the greatest pitching performances ever. He had filthy stuff and made the Rays hitters look silly. They had no business being up there as Hernandez would just sit them back down. He set down a World Series caliber team with relative ease. Yesterday, Hernandez was completely dominant. However, this was not the first time Felix has been dominant. This kid, at only 26 years of age, is one of the best pitchers in the league, if not the best. He showed that he should be considered the best by turning in a performance like that. Every team will now be chasing him as they should. This kid is in the early stage of his prime and is still the nastiest pitcher in baseball. He can do it all.
Every team desires a once in a decade pitcher. Felix Hernandez is that pitcher. He will be coveted during free agency when and if he enters in 2015. But forget all that. Felix Hernandez needs to become a New York Yankee. Yes I know the Steinbrenner's and Cashman have been trying to cut down their payroll. Whatever they have to do, they must manage to fit Felix into their payroll. This kid is young and an absolute animal. He is, in my opinion, the best pitcher in the American League. Yes, better than Justin Verlander and Jered Weaver. The Yankees need him more than anyone else in the Bigs. He immediately makes this team ten times better and a true, true force of a rotation. They Yankees would immediately have the best one-two punch in the league with Hernandez and CC Sabathia. Pairing Felix with CC just makes so much sense. Game one of the World Series you face CC, a lefty. Next game you get the right handed Felix Hernandez. Two of the best at their position. I understand the Yankees have four significant free agents this offseason in Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, and Russell Martin and need to definitely sign Cano. If getting Felix means sacrificing Granderson and Swisher then they have to do it. Yes that is two-thirds of their starting lineup and two fan favorites but There are not many Felix Hernandez's just walking around. I would hate to see both those players go as they are both great players and great people. However, King Felix is just too good. The Yankees have a kid Mason Williams in the minors who will be their future center fielder anyway and Ichiro to replace Swisher for a year. If I am the Yankees, you sacrifice those two for one of the most dominant rotations out there.
The Yankees have tried countless times to acquire Hernandez from Seattle but Seattle's general manager Jack Zduriencik have been reluctant to trade away their face of the franchise. The Yankees have too. It is time for the Yankees to stop keeping their farm system away from Seattle. They have to get this guy and if it means trading Dellin Betances and Manuel Banuelos (their top pitching prospects) along with a top position player not named Mason Williams. First of all, Felix is a proven stud. He is the most consistent pitcher in baseball and is still very young. Banuelos is the Yankees future but has made two starts this season and has been on the DL ever since. Betances in 25 games this season with Double and Triple-A has posted a 6-7 record with a 5.98 earned run average. Is that really what the Yankees want out of their supposed future ace? I sure no that I am scared if that is the Yankees future. Trading those two to get a pitcher like Hernandez, in my opinion, is a steal. Hernandez is in line for another amazing year and if he had a lineup like the Yankees, he would be a CY Young award winner every year. The Yankees need to go all in for this guy if they want to get back to the dominance that they had in the late 1990's. Like they say if you "can't beat 'em, get 'em." The Yankees need to get him [Felix] and need him as soon as they can. As a Yankee fan, I want the Yankees to "crown the king" and give him his throne.
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