Bedard’s status still unknown
The status of Seattle pitcher Erik Bedard and his fraying left shoulder will wait a few more days.
Manager Don Wakamatsu said Saturday that Bedard will travel to Los Angeles on Wednesday to meet with Dr. Lewis Yocum, the doctor who performed surgery on Bedard’s shoulder last year.
“We feel comfortable having him take a look at the MRI, this new one and the one before and compare and see where he’s at after he gets back from the visit,” Wakamatsu said before the Mariners’ game against Tampa Bay.
Bedard has been experiencing pain in his shoulder and was placed on the disabled list July 26. But Bedard said Friday that this discomfort is coming from the top of his shoulder and has him puzzled about what is going on.
“It’s frustrating, I can tell you that. Being hurt for two seasons. New team. Everyone thinks … that’s all I’m going to say,” said the 30-year-old former ace of the Baltimore Orioles, who is on the disabled list for fourth time in the last two seasons.
The fraying in his shoulder is putting Bedard’s season and his future in Seattle in limbo. He’s been roundly considered a bust after the five-for-one deal that brought Bedard to Seattle before the 2008 season in exchange for All-Star Adam Jones, reliever George Sherrill and a handful of blossoming prospects.
Bedard has won just 11 games in 30 starts since he was acquired from the Orioles. He’s been on the active roster for just 20 days since June 17.
Fister likely to start
Doug Fister had thrown two scoreless innings for Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday when he looked into the bullpen and couldn’t believe what he saw: A reliever was warming up in the bullpen.
The Mariners, sensing the need for a new arm, had made the call to pull Fister from his start. But it wasn’t until at least 12 hours later that Rainiers coach Daren Brown told Fister he needed to catch a plane for his first trip to the major leagues.
On Tuesday, Fister will likely succeed the likes of Vargas, Garrett Olson and Chris Jakubauskas in trying to hold onto a spot in the back of the Mariners’ rotation. With Vargas’ demotion to Tacoma on Friday, Wakamatsu said the team had not officially decided to start Fister on Tuesday, “but we’re thinking strongly that way.”
Take it sitting down
Wakamatsu was pleased to see closer David Aardsma have no problems in a scoreless inning Friday after a boil was removed from his rear end last week. “So I hope we’re on the backside, so to speak, on that,” Wakamatsu quipped.