Wednesday was the Mariners pre-spring training luncheon at Safeco Field. This event usually features the manager and GM talking about how optimistic they are about the upcoming season and some player to interview and a lunch afterward.

All happened, and the player this year was Felix Hernandez. The big news with the young pitcher is that there's less of him thanks to a winter spent working out and eating right. Here's the story I wrote for Thursday's paper:

Of all that adjectives describing Felix Hernandez last season “lean” was not used and did not really apply to the pudgy young Seattle Mariners pitcher.

Hernandez has taken steps – and some of them while jogging – to change that in hopes of improving upon last year’s performance. At 226 pounds, he is 20 pounds lighter this year over last after a winter of working out and eating better back in his native Venezuela.

“If the season were to start tomorrow, I’m ready for the season,” said a noticeably slimmer Hernandez Wednesday at the team’s pre-spring training luncheon held at Safeco Field.

That wasn’t case last year when Hernandez showed up in Peoria, Ariz., for spring training tipping the scales at 246 pounds instead of the 230 the Mariners wanted. The extra poundage became an issue when Hernandez developed shin splints and missed the last two weeks of spring training, getting his season off to a start on the wrong foot, manager Mike Hargrove said.

At the end of the season Hargrove and pitching coach Rafael Chaves stressed to Hernandez (12-14, 4.52 ERA in 2006) that he needed to improve his conditioning if he was to realize his potential and live up to all the flattering words that had been written about him.

A program was developed that included exercise and diet tips. Hernandez, also sporting shorter hair than last season, said he’s been eating more vegetables and less fatty foods.

“I’ve been working pretty hard. I’ve been trying to get into the best shape I’ve ever been,” said Hernandez, who admitted that he was not in top condition at the beginning of last season.
Mariners’ officials are pleased that they are seeing less of Hernandez.

“He is in great shape,” trainer Rick Griffin said. “He’s been doing all of his exercises, his shoulder work, stomach and core work, his cardio work.”

General manager Bill Bavasi complimented not only Hernandez’s physique but his psyche. He said one of the mistakes young players make is to underestimate what they need to do to be a major leaguer. It’s not being lazy, Bavasi said, it’s just a lack of experience.

“His heart is in the right place, he just made a mistake and that’s just part of a 19-year-old coming to (big league) camp,” Bavasi said. “But you don’t see this guy making a mistake twice. He is so special, this guy. … When I saw him today I was stunned. This guy looks like a guy who is very prepared, very focused.”

Bavasi said Hernandez will be ready to expand his workload and the team is still trying to come up with a plan that monitors their young pitcher. Innings, which were limited to 191 last year because of the team’s desire to take it slow with their prized prospect, won’t be as much of a factor as pitch counts.

Good health remains the team’s top priority and the only goal Hernandez would tell the gathered media. Other goals are being established, and new Mariners bench coach John McLaren challenged Hernandez to pitch like his countryman, two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins.

For now, the team is happy with the work Hernandez has done over the last three months.

“He is a leaner, better version,” Hargrove said. “Does that translate into more than 200 innings? We start Feb. 15 and then we’ll find out.”