MLB editorial: Felix Hernandez walking a similar path to Pedro Martinez

Felix Hernandez is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, but is he the next Pedro Martinez, a first ballot Hall of Famer?

The Seattle Mariners‘ Felix Hernandez is no longer a pitching prodigy in his late teens taking Major League Baseball by storm. He is now in the prime of a decorated career, and he has the opportunity to go down as one of the all-time greats.

Hernandez first made headlines in 2005 for making his major league debut at the young age of 19 years and four months old, making him the youngest pitcher to start an MLB game since Jose Rijo in 1984.

He may have initially gained mass attention for being the youngest starting pitcher in the majors in over 20 years, but his prowess on the pitching mound quickly changed the perception of who he was, and who he would become over the course of the next decade; King Felix, one of the most feared pitchers in the league.

Hernandez has been a hitter’s worst nightmare since the day he made his MLB debut as a teenager. He proved he was not just some flash-in-the-pan prodigy, posting a 2.67 earned run average in 12 starts during his rookie season. That ERA ballooned above 4.00, as King Felix suffered a sophomore slump, but he bounced right back and has been a wizard on the mound ever since.

Although David Ortiz and the Red Sox may have got the best of Hernandez this past weekend, it is impossible to ignore his resemblance to a former Boston great; Pedro Martinez.

Before you dismiss the notion that Hernandez could be the equal to, or even possibly top the career of, a first ballot Hall of Fame pitcher, take a look at the path of dominance that King Felix has paved over the past decade.

He will likely never equal the ridiculous .678 win-loss percentage that Martinez recorded over his remarkable career. Hernandez sits at .585 percent at the moment, largely due to the Mariners being one of the worst teams in the league throughout his tenure with the team.

Win-loss percentage is the only area where he will not be competing with Pedro, though. His 3.05 career ERA is just a step behind Martinez’s 2.93. Considering that Hernandez has posted a 2.30 ERA this year to follow up a career-best 2.14 last season, he could easily have passed up Pedro by this time next year.

Barring injury, King Felix will become the next 3,000-strikeout pitcher at ease. At 29-years old and presumably at the midway point of his career, he is already well over half way to Martinez’s career total of 3,154 strikeouts. Hernandez has 2,006 already, and it is not outlandish to make a case for him to join Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the fifth member of the 4,000-strikeout club.

As far as wins, Cy Young Awards and All-Star appearances are concerned, he should finish right alongside Pedro. Hernandez has one Cy Young to Martinez’s three, but he still has plenty of time to match or surpass that feat. At just 29-years old, he has only appeared at three less All-Star games than Pedro’s eight total for his career.

The only major question mark will be his ability to win the elusive World Series ring. King Felix is dedicated to the Mariners, but will their supporting cast ever be good enough for him to win a championship?

So far, they have failed to make the playoffs during Hernandez’s decade of dominance since entering the league 10 years ago so things will have to change drastically if he is going to do so in Seattle.

Ring or no ring, however, one thing is certain; Felix Hernandez is on the path to a legendary, Hall of Fame career.

Next: 30 best starting pitchers in MLB history

More from FanSided

Home/MLB