Felix goes Opening Day as long as he's a Mariner, and then becomes a bronze staute outside. And then is elected Prez of Venezuela.
He's the one with a $1,000,005 direct deposit to his account every two weeks and he's the one who has the lead in the clubhouse chatter, like the guy on your HS hoops team who had a scholarship to a 4-year school.
He'll be treated as the #1 whether he's second-best, or third, or what.
.........
From a chess standpoint, if you've got an unbeatable Super-GM going against you on Board one, you "sacrifice" your worst player to lose to him and then all your other 3 guys have an advantage... Not that Keuchel is always an automatic loss, but Monday he was...
Chessically it is working out all right now as we have an overmatch on 3rd board and a real good shot at the "chaotic" 4th board...