All hail King Felix!

Felicitaciones a Félix Hernández, el 2010 de la Liga Americana ganador del Cy Young!

Kudos to the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) today for getting it right by honoring Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez with the Cy Young award as the top pitcher in the American League (AL). At the end of the regular season, we harbored our doubts that the BBWAA would recognize King Felix's 30 quality starts (at least six innings pitched in a game that yields no more than three earned runs) over New York Yankee C.C. Sabathia's 21-7 record. In the end, King Felix (167 votes) outpolled Tampa Bay Ray David Price (111) and the Damned Yankee (102).

Broadcaster Joe Morgan characterized Hernandez as undeserving for compiling a 13-12 record. King Felix led the league in innings pitched (249.67), quality starts and complete games (six). Hernandez (2.27, 323, six, 1.057) bested Price (2.72, 188, two, 1.193) and Sabathia (3.18, 197, two, 1.191) in earned run average, strikeouts, complete games and WHIP.

Some derided Hernandez for supposedly not pitching in pressure situations. Seattle fans would contend that a pitcher doesn't know real pressure until he recognizes that his battery won't "get back" any run he surrenders. Roy Halliday, this year's National League (NL)) Cy Young winner, denigrated his AL counterpart's victory: "I think, ultimately, you look at how guys are able to win games. Sometimes the run support isn't there, but you sometimes just find ways to win games."

Spoken like a pitcher with a Philadelphia battery that included Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibañez behind him -- as opposed to Felix and the supporting cast of Eight Men Making Outs. (Actually, more than eight when you tally the list: Chone Figgins, Josh Wilson, Adam Moore, Milton Bradley, Ken Griffey Jr., Rob Johnson, Franklin Gutierrez, Ryan Langerhans, Michael Saunders, Russell Branyan, Matt Tuiasosopo. You can't argue against the idea that Hernandez would have copped 20-plus wins if he enjoyed the New York Yankees' run support.

On a side note, it will be interesting to see how Chuckie and Howie attempt to address the Mariners' woeful offensive output this year. With Chuckie and Howie in charge, maybe one of these unneeded free-agent pickups:

• Chicago White Sox First baseman/outfielder Mark Kotsay (.239, 8 HR, 39 RBI, .306 OBP, .376 SLG) reminiscent of bygone first baseman Casey Kotchman;
• Minnesota Infielder Nick Punto (.238, 1 HR, 20 RBI, .313 OBP, .302 SLG) whose batting stats would make him feel right at home with the other light-hitting Seattle infielders;
• Los Angeles Dodger right fielder Reed Johnson (.262, 2 HR, 15 RBI, .291 OBP, .366 SLG), a light hitter with Chonne Figgins (.259, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 42 SB, .340 OBP, .303 SLG) and Franklin Guiterrez (.245, 12 HR, 64 RBI, .303 OBP, .393 SLG);
• Seattle Mariner/Philadelphia Phillie Mike Sweeney (.231, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .310 OBP, .385 SLG). Welcome back, Kotter!

If King Felix were a Genesee Park dog, he'd probably be a bulldog: tough and tenacious, the irresistible and immovable force on the mound.

Congrats, Felix. Look for a place in your home to display your new piece of bric-a-brac. Funny how a butt-ugly -- but highly coveted -- trophy can evoke heated discussion.