Felix Hernandez: 5 Reasons 2012 Won't Be the Year the Mariners Trade Their Ace

It's inevitable. In a couple of months when the MLB season ends, Felix Hernandez trade rumors are going to spark up again, so let's get it out of the way now.

Felix Hernandez is not going to be traded in the winter, and he is not going to be traded during next year's trade deadline.

Might as well just save this article, because whenever a New York Yankee or Boston Red Sox (Sock?) fan inevitably tells you that Felix will be traded, make sure to pull this out.

Here are five legitimate reasons why Felix Hernandez is going absolutely nowhere.

1. Felix Has Said That He Wants to Stay

It is known that Felix Hernandez himself has said that he wants to stick it out with Seattle and that he is happy here.

Every misinformed person, however, likes to bring up this argument:

"Oh, he's just saying that because he has to. He's going to leave because they are losing."

Do you know Felix? Does he call you at home? Do you have a dorsal fin?

Until Felix starts lying to him, let's take him for his word. You know, like decent human beings.

He says he wants to stay in Seattle, he wants to stay in Seattle. He doesn't hate it here.  

2. Contract

Felix Hernandez is under team control through 2014. If (and that's a big "if") the Seattle Mariners decide to trade him, it's not going to be until then. 

Hernandez's value is already sky high, so trading him in 2012 when he has a couple years of team control left isn't going to add a ton of value. 

The Mariners will wait until 2014 when they have more of an idea if Felix will re-sign in the offseason. If they truly believe he won't sign, then they'll get some value for him when they can.

You have to wait, too. 

3. Seattle Is a Big Market Team

Believe it or not, Seattle is a big market.

Felix Hernandez's five-year, $78 million contract is not too big. So forget it.

Also, it's been noted that Felix's current contract is a big percentage of the team's payroll.

So what? It's not like we're trying to sign a ton of other guys to huge contracts.

It's not like we don't have rookies making the bare minimum who are producing. It's not like we can't sign veterans for small contracts. We have the money. Don't worry. It's fine. We can afford him.

Most teams have a big contract that takes up a big percentage of the payroll. That's why he's the star player. He deserves it.  

4. The Mariners Will Be Good by 2013

General manager Jack Zduriencik has a plan—that involves Felix Hernandez—and he has the wheels in motion already.

The Mariners have good pitching talent, and the hitting is slowly looking like it will resemble a real MLB lineup by 2013 at the latest.

Have faith in Zduriencik. If he trades Felix, he'll set the rebuilding process back another two or three years, and that will likely get him fired.

If nothing else, know that Jack will keep King Felix just for the security of his own job. 

5. Price Is Too High

Let's face it. If the Mariners decided to shop Felix Hernandez, the asking price will be absolutely astronomical. 

Most teams won't even have the pieces/prospects to make a deal happen. 

Many more teams won't have the cash available to take on Felix.

Perhaps only one or two will have both the talent and money to make a trade work. One team that comes to mind is the New York Yankees; but would that really work?

They would want to put together a package of Jesus Montero, Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos, but Seattle doesn't need a future DH and two more pitchers for Felix.

Seattle would demand someone like Robinson Cano be in the trade, and I doubt the Yankees would do that.

It just wouldn't work. We would want too much. And that's absolutely a good thing.