Felix being Felix

Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez motions as he leaves the mound after being relieved with two outs in the eighth inning. Hernandez struck out eight and didn’t allow a run in the Mariners’ 1-0 win. (AP)

Five days ago in Kansas City Felix Hernandez sat in the dugout for two innings trying to figure out how the Royals were able to hit him. In his words he was shocked. He had his good stuff and he was hit. He is not used to that.

After the game he said that he would go about his business the way he always did. He would not pour over the video of his outing; he would get to work and figure it out in the bullpen.

When Felix said he was shocked I was a little concerned. Felix is one who rarely concedes any dip in confidence. “Don’t worry,” he told me, “there is nothing I can do about this game now. I will be OK next time.”

What if he wasn’t? Turns out we won’t know. Felix did have good stuff in Kansas City but he didn’t have his great stuff. He reacquainted himself with the great stuff last night and immediately saw the difference. Last night Felix was back.

“That is Felix. From now on that is the way I need to pitch. Oh my God,” he said, relieved. “I say I have to throw a pretty good game here because I have to get my confidence back and I was making great pitches. I was on a roll.”

Get his confidence back? Well that was quite a turnaround. Felix was a little out of sorts after his first few starts but last night he said he was back. He even joked about thinking to himself that he needed to not just be Felix last night but to also be King Felix.

What helped was the 1-2-3 first inning. It also helped that his slider, which has been slow to come along this season, was looking better. Then throw in some fantastic plays by his defense and the game ended up having a different feel from his previous starts. Despite the lack of run support, Felix got the boost he needed from seeing the play behind him.

“All the time,” he answered when asked if the defense could pick him up. “When they make a great play I am pumped up. If the team plays good defense we will win the game. I feel like more confident when you know they are going to play good defense.”

And that they did. Defensive gems were turned in by Adam Kennedy, who was by his words surviving rather than playing at first base. He made a brilliant over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory as well as two fantastic stretch and scoops on throws from Brendan Ryan, who was stellar himself.

A Chone Figgins double play off a hard hit liner especially got Felix pumped up. He pounded his glove and yelled when Figgins made the play, then turned and acknowledged him with a point and a nod.

The team behind him last night for the first time this year looked like they were up for playing behind Felix. Jamey Wright, who closed out Felix’s final inning with one pitch, saw the same thing.

“That’s the way it should be every time that guy is on the mound. That’s our ace,” he said. “That is arguably the best pitcher in the world. If you can’t get excited to play baseball behind a guy like that? It should be a lot of fun out there for those guys.”

Earlier this week national reporters were reporting that Felix looked distracted and perhaps disinterested on the mound. Distracted, yes. He was trying to find it. He hadn’t quite been himself on the mound since Opening Day. Last night there was no question who was on the hill.