Unless you’re Dr. Lewis Yocum, you’ve probably gotten your last good look at Erik Bedard as a Seattle Mariner. An exam this afternoon in Los Angeles by Yocum confirmed that Bedard has fraying of the labrum in his left shoulder.
Yocum will operate Friday on Bedard.
Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said a best-case scenario is that Yocum finds minimal damage in the shoulder and that Bedard can get back on a throwing program that would allow him to pitch before the season ends.
Don’t count on it. Only seven weeks will remain in the season and it doesn’t seem like nearly enough for a guy who needs to rebuild his arm strength from zero.
And even though Wakamatsu said Bedard has built a good relationship with pitching coach Rick Adair and has said he wants to return to the Mariners next year, don’t count on that happening, either.
This is an organization that established a plan in spring training to build a team around pitching and defense, and particularly starting pitching that goes deep into games. Bedard, despite being effective during the time he’s on the mound, isn’t an innings-eater.
The Mariners will never say who does or doesn’t fit into their plan, but their actions this season have made it clear they won’t keep a someone around who isn’t a good fit for that plan. We’ve already seen players like Mike Morse, Yuniesky Betancourt, Jeff Clement and Wladimir Balentien move on after failing to prove themselves to the organization.
Bedard has had his chance. Yes, the shoulder has been a problem, but he has been a 100-pitch starter who has needed considerable help from the bullpen to finish his work. That doesn’t fit what the Mariners want to establish.
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