FILTHY

Just absolutely, positively FILTHY yesterday. If you haven’t seen the video for whatever reason, check it out. Look at the biting slider, or the 98 MPH heat he freezes Piazza on that Johjima can’t even catch. Look at the K of Kendall later in the clip, and look at how much that ball moves. It runs in under his armpits, at 97 MPH?? Unreal.

When you make an MLB club look that silly, you are simply amazing. 20 years old? How about this – he’s the youngest since Doc Gooden to start on opening day back in 1985, we all know that….but did you know, back on opening day in 1985 when Gooden made that start? Felix WASN’T EVEN BORN YET. Yes, that even makes me feel old.

How good a performance was it? Only the most dominating opening day performance in, oh, 40 YEARS. Check this out, via Elias:

Seattle’s Felix Hernandez struck out 12 batters in the Mariners’ 4-0 win over the A’s. He became the majors’ first Opening Day pitcher to strike out at least 12 batters without allowing a run since Bob Gibson did it for the Cardinals in 1967. Gibson struck out 13 in a complete-game shutout over the Giants.

GULP. Fist-pumping after strikeouts, upper-90’s gas with wicked stuff down in the zone. Just flat-out filthy. He’s 25 lbs trimmer, he’s starting to show a nasty edge to him, and the leash is pretty much off. They are cutting this monster loose. It feels good to know the M’s officially have an ACE!