M's Felix struggles again in defeat

CHICAGO — A once-promising road trip for the Mariners ended as it began — with uncertainty and anxiety looming in all directions.

On a tumultuous day in which Eddie Guardado was demoted as closer and Richie Sexson sat out with a foot injury, the season's biggest mystery deepened in a 4-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox:

What's wrong with Felix Hernandez?

And, even more to the point: When, and how, and even where, is it going to be fixed?

Hernandez's up-and-down outing on Thursday (or, more accurately, down-and-up) was depressingly similar to most of his others, and the latest reminder that King Felix's instant domination last season is no longer applicable.

"What can I tell you? Good things, and not so good things," pitching coach Rafael Chaves said. "It was pretty much the same type of ballgame where he struggles in the first inning with command, and then as the game progresses, his command gets a lot better."

The lack of command in the first was punished with a three-run home run by Jim Thome, the sixth homer Hernandez has allowed this year in 31-2/3 innings — one more than he gave up all last year in 84-1/3 innings.

He has given up eight first-inning runs in his six starts. His record is 1-4, his earned-run average 5.40, hardly the numbers expected from a pitcher hyped in the preseason as baseball's next pitching superstar.

Clearly, his 10-day layoff from shin splints late in spring training took a heavy toll. Hernandez appears to be relying too much on his upper body in his delivery and not driving with his legs, which is where pitchers, especially burly ones like Hernandez, derive their power.

"The layoff affected him a lot more than any of us would have thought it would," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "It's just taking time to get him back mechanically sound. He's doing some things mechanically out there that are causing him problems."

But Hargrove expressed confidence that Hernandez will straighten himself out soon — in the major leagues. Lately, there has been growing speculation that Hernandez would benefit from a minor-league stint to refine his mechanics and regain his confidence, but Hargrove dismissed that notion.

"There were some positive things to come out of this game," he said. "He's just not as consistent as we saw last year. We'll get there. It's going to take time."

Hargrove and Chaves talked after the game about many of the same issues that have come up before with Hernandez this year — rushing, overthrowing, flying open.

What's both maddening and tantalizing are the moments when he flashes his brilliance, such as an overpowering, unhittable strikeout pitch to A.J. Pierzynski in the first inning.

In fact, Hernandez struck out seven in five innings on Thursday and has 35 this season, a sure sign that he can still dominate major-league hitters.

"He's capable of throwing a bunch of scoreless innings out there," Chaves said. "The key for me and him is to continue to stay positive. We've got to realize he's a young guy. People know him a little more than last year. They have a better idea of how to approach him. We have to make our adjustments."

There had been some recent talk that Hernandez was tipping his pitches, but Chaves didn't see any evidence of that. Nor is he concerned about Hernandez's velocity. The speed gun at U.S. Cellular Field didn't have him throwing more than 94 mph, but the Mariners felt the gun was slow.

"I think his velocity is plenty," Chaves said. "The last thing I want him to worry about is how hard he's throwing the ball."

This was the sort of showcase the Mariners had to have hoped would bring out the best in their would-be ace, despite their preseason protestations about bring him along slowly — the day after a bitter loss, facing one of the league's best pitchers in Jose Contreras.

Contreras, rolling to his 13th consecutive regular-season victory, indisputably got the better of the matchup. His only trouble spot in 7-1/3 sharp innings came in the sixth, when he walked in a run with two outs and went 3-0 on Matt Lawton. But he retired Lawton on a fly out, and the Mariners didn't threaten again.

Hernandez insisted he's not pressing, but Chaves said, "He's not happy with himself. Not happy by no means. But he finds a way to compete, and once again, as bad as it may look, he kept us in the game."

Hernandez conducted most of his postgame interview in English, but spoke animatedly in Spanish when asked about his frustration level.

"He said he doesn't feel frustrated at this point," said Mariners third-base coach Carlos Garcia, acting as translator. "He knows there's a lot of season left. We'll keep working and try to get better in the first inning, and learn from the experience of what's happened so far."

The Mariners fervently hope those lessons soon start to translate into victories.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com