SUPPORT » Felix Hernandez vowed Saturday that his first-ever sti

HOUSTON (AP) — nt in Seattle’s bullpen won’t last long.“I’ll be a starter before the end of the year http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey ,” Hernandez told The Associated Press. “No question about it.”The struggling Mariners ace has made 398 career starts in 14 seasons, never once pitching in relief. He was bumped from the rotation on Thursday night, the latest setback in a tough year in which he has a career-high 5.73 ERA and is 0-4 in his last five starts.For the longtime face of this franchise, it was difficult to digest the team’s decision to have him pitch in relief and he said it took him a couple of days to come to terms with it. Conversations with family and friends and encouragement from his wife Sandra, who he has been with since he was 14, helped.“My wife is here. She flew here,” Hernandez said. “We had a good conversation. And she told me: ‘Just go out there and be the leader that you’ve been all these years. Be you. Be you.'”And that, Hernandez said, is exactly what he plans to do. Though the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner sees this only as a temporary setback, he’s prepared to embrace his new role for the good of a team that’s in contention to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001.“I’m just part of the team and I’m going to do whatever’s possible to help the team,” he said.The 32-year-old Hernandez is 8-10 with a 5.73 ERA in 23 starts for a Mariners team chasing a playoff spot.Hernandez, who has the fourth-most starts in MLB history without a relief appearance, has spent two games in the bullpen, but has yet to appear in a game. He shared his first impressions of the experience.“It’s boring. I’m telling you,” he said with a laugh.Both nights he’s trotted with closer Edwin Diaz to the bullpen in left-center field at Minute Maid Park, where the Mariners are playing the AL West-leading Astros. Hernandez said he’s picked his brain about relieving, but he’s far from the only one he’s reached out to for advice on the move.“I’ve been talking with everyone in the bullpen him Darin Erstad Jersey , Alex Colome, everybody,” he said. “(They said) just go out there and have fun.”Hernandez pointed out that he’s appeared in the All-Star game several times out of the bullpen, but admitted that he “might need some time” to get warmed up to enter a game.He said the team didn’t tell him anything specific that they need to see from him for him to get his starting job back, but he knows that he’ll have to improve his fastball command to turn things around.“The problem is my location of the fastball,” he said. “If I locate my fastball, I’ll be good because I’ve got many weapons to go out there and have good games so I have to locate my fastball.”Hernandez said he believes the problem is mechanical and said he’s trying several different things to try and get back on track.When facing reporters following his recent tough starts, including his last one against Texas in which he allowed a career-high 11 runs — seven of them earned — he seemed discouraged and a bit down.It was a different Hernandez who spoke on Saturday. It wasn’t quite the King Felix who threw a perfect game in 2012 and led the AL in ERA in both 2010 and 2014. But there were unmistakable notes of the swagger and bravado that were hallmarks of the presence he had on the mound when he was one of the game’s most dominant pitchers.He smiled easily and cracked jokes, his glossy ringlets bouncing around as he laughed. He said instead of getting mad about the move or letting it hurt his feelings, he’s using it as motivation.“All it does is encourage me to get back,” he said before flashing one last smile. More work ongoing at the ballpark over the weekend."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Chicago Cubs recapsChicago Cubs minor leaguesChicago Cubs essaysChicago Cubs game threadsWrigley Field renovationsFull archiveLibrary Bleed Cubbie Blue Community GuidelinesCurrent time in ChicagoBCB Specials & Site InfoWinter 2019 music threadsCubs StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Cubs newsYahoo Cubs team pageYahoo Cubs reportYahoo Cubs depth chartYahoo Cubs transactionsYahoo Cubs photosOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁旵hicago Cubs photosWrigley Field renovationsWrigley Field construction update: March 23New,68commentsMore work ongoing at the ballpark over the weekend.CDTShareTweetShareShareWrigley Field construction update: March 23 Grid View Addison Street, at Lincoln AvenueDavid Sameshima Clark and AddisonDavid Sameshima New patio, above the marqueeDavid Sameshima New patio, above the marqueeDavid Sameshima Addison Street side of the upper deckDavid Sameshima Clark and AddisonDavid Sameshima Clark Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Traffic on Addison Street backs up, as crane maneuvers in the Addison and Sheffield intersectionDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Upper deck above Gate D/Wintrust GateDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Addison Street sideDavid Sameshima Painting above the new Wintrust Gate signageDavid Sameshima Traffic backed up on Addison Street, due to construction equipment outside the ballparkDavid Sameshima Gate D/Wintrust Gate http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey , at Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Traffic backed up on northbound Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima Single lane open on Sheffield Avenue, due to construction workDavid Sameshima Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Traffic backed up on westbound Addison Street, at Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Cubs Security directing traffic on Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima Old sod being driven to the Cubs Brown LotDavid Sameshima Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and SheffieldDavid Sameshima Right field corner, along Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima New fencing along the Sheffield Avenue side of Gate D/Wintrust GateDavid Sameshima New fencing along the Sheffield Avenue side of Gate D/Wintrust GateDavid Sameshima Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima The right field corner, along Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima Truck delivering sod, outside Gate Q on Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima Sod being unloaded, outside Gate Q on Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima A peek inside Gate Q, on Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima Cubs Security directing traffic on Sheffield AvenueDavid Sameshima Work taking place under the scoreboardDavid Sameshima Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima The left field corner, along Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima The new extension between the bleachers and the grandstand, along Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima The new extension between the bleachers and the grandstand, along Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima Underneath the new extension in the left field bleacher cornerDavid Sameshima Gate J/K-Left Field Gate Shohei Ohtani Jersey , on Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima Construction workers entering and leaving, in the left field corner, having their bags/buckets inspected by Cubs SecurityDavid Sameshima Bags and buckets being inspected, in the left field corner, by Cubs SecurityDavid Sameshima Gate J/K- Left Field Gate, on Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima Gate J/K- Left Field Gate, on Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima View looking north of Cubs players parking lot, along Seminary AvenueDavid Sameshima The left field corner, along Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima The left field corner, along Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima Gate J/K-Left Field Gate, along Waveland AvenueDavid Sameshima View looking toward Waveland Avenue, of the Cubs players parking lotDavid Sameshima View looking north, of the Cubs players parking lot, along Seminary AvenueDavid Sameshima Gallagher Way closed to the public on Saturday afternoonDavid Sameshima The west side of the ballparkDavid Sameshima The west side of the ballparkDavid Sameshima The west side of the ballparkDavid Sameshima The west side of the ballparkDavid Sameshima The west side of the ballparkDavid Sameshima Gallagher Way closed to the public on Saturday afternoonDavid Sameshima The west side of the ballparkDavid Sameshima Crane set up at Clark and AddisonDavid Sameshima Crane lifting out dumpster, at Clark and AddisonDavid SameshimaBCB’s David Sameshima visited Wrigley Field Saturday afternoon and filed this report:You can see a lot of progress was made even in one day, especially painting of some of the exposed steel on both the right- and left-field sides. The Cubs home opener against the Pirates is just 15 days away.