It didn't, so on March 4, Feierabend's season ended before it started when he had Tommy John surgery.

"I've been talking to a lot of guys who have had this done," Feierabend said. "They say the rehab is long and grueling."

Feierabend has known this time was coming. He knew late last season that elbow surgery was a real possibility. He tried to avoid the knife by going through long sessions of strength- and range-building work from October through February.

But while that works for some elbow problems, it didn't work this time.

"I'm not feeling sorry for myself," Feierabend said. "It stinks that I went through all this rehab work and needed the surgery, but I'm glad I waited and gave myself a chance to see if (rest and rehab) would work."

Through it all, Feierabend was smiling.

"Trust me, I'm very upset," Feierabend said, his smile dimming not a bit. "But I'm on some real medications right now. I'm glad it's done and over with."

Actually, things are only starting for Feierabend, whose season is over with the standard recovery time for this surgery between 12 and 14 months.

The Mariner training staff is already starting him, very lightly, on range-of-motion exercises.

He'll be adding to those gradually over the coming weeks and months, with an idea that perhaps he'll be healthy enough to compete for a job next spring.