"Fans who came to the complex early got a treat and saw the reigning Cy Young winner throw a simulated game instead of pitching in today's Cactus League game against the A's. Having throwing against the A's in his previous start, the Mariners decided they would have Hernandez throw against a group of their own players rather than face Oakland again. Would Oakland learn that much about Hernandez? They'd learn what they already know. He's good.

Hernandez didn't buy the logic that it would somehow help the A's to see him early.

"They've seen me for seven years already," he said smiling.

Besides, the Hernandez in spring training is vastly different than the Hernandez in the regular season. The intensity, the stuff and the attitude is different. In fact, the Hernandez that pitched in the simulated game was different than the Hernandez that pitches in Cactus League games. The intensity of not having actual game situations, umpires and real opponents affected his usual intensity.

"A little bit," he admitted. "But I was doing my work. I was trying to get my pitch count and work on all my pitches. It's not as high intensity though. It's a good workout."

It's not to say Hernandez was out there coasting. His competitive nature takes over. And even if he wasn't at normal game intensity, he's still working hard.

Hernandez threw four innings and faced 18 batters. He gave up six hits and allowed two runs, while striking out six batters and not walking any.

"I felt pretty good, I threw a lot of strikes and I gave up too many hits," he said.

Of the six hits, catching prospect Steve Baron had two doubles, Mike Carp had a single and a double, Kyle Seager had a sharp single and Greg Halman had a single.

"We've got some good talent here," Hernandez said. "They swing the bat pretty good take some good pitches.''

Seager took a pitch in his at-bat that Hernandez couldn't believe. It was a 0-1 changeup that darted down out of the strike zone.

"Any big leauger would swing at that pitch, and he took it," Hernandez said. "I said, 'boy, you're good.'"

He was equally impressed with the two doubles from Baron, particularly the approach the 20-year-old showed at the plate.

"In the first at-bat, I threw all my pitches and he fouled off all my pitches," he said. "I threw a slider that was hanging and he crushed me to the wall. The second one, I threw a curveball for a strike and I threw fastball four-seamer right on the corner and he turned it around and hit another double. Those were good pitches."

Afterward, Baron couldn't seem to stop smiling. With his dad and brother in attendance, he'd ripped two legit doubles off of the Cy Young winner."