Comerica Park is where it all began for Felix Hernandez. On Aug. 4, 2005, at the age of 19 years and 118 days, wearing a glove with the inscription el cartelua (Venezuelan slang for "badass"), he confidently made his Major League debut for the Mariners and notched his first of 2,284 career strikeouts, against future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez.
On Tuesday night, King Felix will return to the mound in Detroit for his 364th career start, and at age 31, his propensity for striking out batters is closely monitored -- not only in the impact it has on the Mariners, but also in the impact it has on the lives of others.