The Great White Hype
Felix White is one of those pitchers that you expect to see on True Hollywood Stores. "
He started out fine. His life was perfect" it would begin, showig his success in the majors and a 14-win season in Minneapolis.
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His big chance came at last" was probably the caption under a picture Galleon manager Bobby Gonzalez standing behind White, who is seen signing a contract with Havanna for 4 years and a generous $12.4 million a year.
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But the ride would not last". That's what the voiceover said next, his voice a deep, grim and dour tone. It would show the blowouts, the lost opportunities and the roller coaster ride. It would showcase him going from 2-5 on May 9th, to winning seven of his eight outings, to getting shelled in his next outings. The all-time low being the three game losing streak where he failed to last more than 6 innings and never gave up fewer than 6 runs.
This guy is quite literally shaving years off my life. I was going to live to the ripe age of 82 and now, after dealing with Felix White, I think I'm going to die at 36. Felix White was a big ball of electric hype, orbiting the media scene like a hula hoop. Minneapolis brought him to the majors about a third of the way into the 2016 year. He had gone 3-5 with a 4.22 ERA in AAA before getting the call. He then went 5-6 with a 4.73 ERA in 16 games in the majors where he lasted a total of 102.2 innings. Then came 2017, a better year, where he finished 14-11 with a 4.79ERA in 34 appearances, logging 210.1 innings in the process. White seemed skilled enough to be a fine #5 starter for the Galleons. Granted, we weren't looking for anyone, but the power of spontaneous purchasing is a weakness in most humans.
In our eyes, the ability to win 14 games and eat up over 200 innings were two big marks in the PRO column for White. The CON column had a pair of checks too; Young and Inexperienced.
Yes. Perhaps I may be overreacting just a bit. He's not our ace; we'd be in serious trouble if he were. We have two perfectly viable replacements in Laci Huff and Antonio Lopez should White not improve. However, I still have to deal with, and answer for, signing someone for that much money for that long who is 9-8 just past the half-way point of the year. Now, again... I'm probably overreacting. He's 20. He has 74 potential and already 61 stuff and 88 control. I just need to be paitent. He's going to improve, right?
I guess I have to tune to True Hollywood Stories and find out.
Pass the chips & dip.
