The Mariners attacked a myth Thursday at their annual Pre Spring Training Luncheon at Safeco Field.
Their message was this: The purported demise of Felix Hernandez has been greatly exaggerated, and that notion persists largely in comparison with his own brilliant body of work. Taken in isolation, they believe, Hernandez still is a high-quality major-league pitcher — and poised to regain his ace status in 2017 after a winter dedicated to getting himself in better shape.
“You have to keep in mind how high the bar is for Felix,’’ manager Scott Servais said.