"Felix Hernandez was perplexed. He hadn't been this stumped since, well, who can remember?

The quandary: a question about how he can improve upon his Cy Young-winning 2010 season, or even his near-Cy 2009 campaign. Hernandez furled an eyebrow and thought. And thought. And thought.

"Uh, I don't know yet," he said.

Then he tried to say the right thing, uttering the phrase "I can get better at a lot of things" as if his tongue were on autopilot. Then he thought some more. And thought. And thought.

"Uh, hmmm, I don't know," he concluded. "Good question."

Come to think of it, uh, hmmm, why should he change anything?

He's 24 and reigns as the best pitcher in the American League. He has been That Guy for the better part of two seasons. His earned-run average over that span is a sick 2.38. He has a 32-17 record over those 68 starts, and the consensus is that, if the Mariners had a better offense, he could've posted at least 10 more victories.

Given the King Felix nickname prematurely, Hernandez has become the rare teen prodigy who is primed to exceed the enormous expectations initially set for him.

On Thursday, he sat on an elevated stage, alone, except for his stunning Cy Young plaque. The hardware complemented his jewelry — diamond studs in both ears, blingin' bracelet on his right wrist, black watch speckled with ice on his left. But most of all, you noticed that boyish Hernandez smile, something that maturity and success can't change.

The greatest thing about Hernandez: He celebrates everything he does with the joy of a kid who's doing something special for the first time. It's Griffey-esque, really.

He's the clear face of the Mariners now. Ichiro remains their best everyday player, but he has never wanted to be That Guy. Hernandez seems comfortable in this role. For all the worries that he'll become disenchanted with the Mariners' prolonged rebuilding, he loves being the franchise's ace for now. He loves being appreciated as the greatest source of virtue on this team.

"I liked it from the first day I was (in the) big leagues," Hernandez said. "This is the organization that gave me the opportunity, and Seattle has done a lot for me. I love this city. I love these fans. And, hopefully, I'll be here for a long time.""