The most disappointing team in baseball last year was the Seattle Mariners, and pitcher Erik Bedard was a pretty big part of that. Last year, the Mariners entered spring training looking to compete for the AL West. Instead, a team with a nine-figure payroll lost 101 games.
That all doesn’t fall on Bedard, certainly. And the lefty had decent numbers: 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA. But he was injury-prone (making only 15 starts) and definitely not worth the haul of players that Seattle gave to Baltimore. If Bedard can return to semi-ace form, the Mariners could surprise some people and be a value futures bet on WagerWeb.com when the win totals are released in a few days. Of course, if he returns to semi-ace form, that probably means the Mariners might trade him around the deadline. And he could help re-stock that farm system.
Anyways, Bedard at least is fully recovered from shoulder surgery and is ready for the start of spring training of Feb. 13. Bedard had surgery in late September to remove a cyst from his shoulder and have tissue cut from his labrum. His first season in Seattle ended July 10.
“Everyone’s excited about where he is physically, and he’s feeling good about himself,” new M’s GM Jack Zduriencik said. “(Aside from) any unseen setback, I expect him to roll into spring training ready to tee it up.”
Bedard will be a free agent after this season, so you know he is motivated to have a big season. Zduriencik said he is giving Bedard a clean slate, but that he has pretty high expectations.
“A couple years ago, this guy was real good,” Zduriencik said. “Even last year, his performances were pretty good. The issue is: we need him to be good.”
Even if Felix Hernandez pitches like a No.1 and Bedard somehow becomes a good No. 2, it figures to be a long season in Seattle. Remember that since the season ended, the Mariners have seen their leading run producer, Raul Ibanez, leave via free agency, and their All-Star closer from two years ago, J.J. Putz, traded to the Mets.
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