Erik Bedard News

YAHOO! By Kirby Arnold Wednesday, July 8, 2009 With Orioles baserunners all around him and a 2-0 lead to protect, Garrett Olson stepped to the top of the mound in the seventh inning Wednesday and got these words of inspiration from manager Don Wakamatsu: "Bases loaded, nobody out, just make your pitches right here," Wakamatsu told him.

Baltimore Orioles' Luke Scott is greeted at the visitors' dugout after he hit a three-run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at Safeco Field in Seattle.

Wouldn't you know it -- the Orioles today called up reliever Kam Mickolio . He's one of the pitchers the Mariners gave up in the Erik Bedard trade.

Despite the Mariners sitting four games above .500, there has been some hand wringing about all of the one-run victories registered by the club.

Given Erik Bedard's history with the Mariners, his return from the disabled list won't be certain until he takes the mound tonight against the Orioles.

The Mariners get no rest as they enter today 3 1/2 games behind both the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers.

Two years and four months ago, I sat at a picnic table outside the Seattle Mariners' spring training clubhouse in Peoria, Ariz., talking with Pat Rice, who was the organization's minor league pitching coordinator.

UPDATE 10:22 a.m.: Felix Hernandez has been named AL Pitcher of the Month for June and deservedly so.

This team is about 1.5 games away from being on life-support as it is. The M's won 14 out of 21 and lost ground in the process.

Erik Bedard will start Tuesday against Baltimore at Safeco Field instead of Saturday in Boston, as the Mariners had initially planned.

July is finally upon us, which means the countdown to the trade deadline has begun.

UPDATE: 3:52 p.m.: We're told it should be about a 4:45 p.m. start time once the rain clears.

LOS ANGELES Erik Bedard felt good Sunday, but isn't certain when that will translate to pitching again for the Seattle Mariners.

Left-hander Jason Vargas was supposed to have an extra day between starts to rest an arm that seemed to be getting a little weary.

The Seattle Mariners placed starting shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt on the 15-day disabled list Thursday after he pulled his hamstring running out a ground ball the previous night.

Jason Vargas hadn't planned on pitching Saturday night but with Erik Bedard being placed on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder discomfort, retroactive to June 8, Vargas got the call and he delivered in the M's 7-3 victory.

You've heard of walk-off wins? This was a drop-off win. In the ninth inning Sunday, Arizona first baseman Tony Clark dropped what looked to be Mark Reynolds' inning-ending throw, and the Mariners had found yet another strange path to victory.

There's no rest for the weary, it turns out. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu had planned on giving left-hander Jason Vargas two extra days of rest before his next start, but a sore shoulder has forced Erik Bedard to the disabled list, and Vargas will instead make his eighth start of the season on Saturday, one day earlier than expected.

On June 17th, the Seattle Mariners called up 23-year-old first baseman Mike Carp from Triple-A Tacoma.

Baseball teams hoping to trade for a pitcher of magnitude might want to lower their sights.