Next series
Opponent: Oakland A’s
When: 7:07 p.m. today, Tuesday and Wednesday, 12:37 p.m. Thursday.
Where: McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, Calif.
TV: Fox Sports Net, all four games.
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM), all four games.
Pitchers: Today — Seattle left-hander Jarrod Washburn (4-7, 5.08 earned run average) vs. left-hander Dana Eveland (6-5, 3.24). Tuesday — Right-hander Carlos Silva (4-10, 5.85) vs. right-hander Justin Duchscherer (9-5, 1.96). Wednesday — Right-hander Miguel Batista (4-10, 6.35) vs. right-hander Joe Blanton (5-11, 4.76). Thursday — Right-hander R.A. Dickey (2-4, 4.36) vs. left-hander Greg Smith (5-7, 3.62).
Shoulder shelves Bedard
The first month of the season, it was his left hip. Later, back pain.
Now, Erik Bedard has a tender left shoulder and won’t make his scheduled start Wednesday at Oakland.
Manager Jim Riggleman believes it’s not serious and that Bedard will miss only a few days. He’ll probably pitch a game next weekend at Kansas City, Riggleman said.
“He just has some tightness in his shoulder,” Riggleman said.
Riggleman had said Saturday he believed Bedard was pitching hurt, and that’s a reason the left-hander hadn’t thrown more than 100 pitches in his last six starts. Friday, Riggleman pulled him after five innings and 99 pitches.
“My only concern is his hip and back,” Riggleman said. “We took him out of the game because the game situation dictated it. But after the game he told the trainer that his arm (shoulder) was tight.”
Miguel Batista, who’s had his own back problems this season but pitched impressively in relief both Saturday and Sunday, is the likely starter Wednesday.
“With the ability of Batista coming back, we just feel that we will give (Bedard) an extra day or two days, whatever it is,” Riggleman said. “He has been checked out and everything looks good. He felt better yesterday. We’ll see where we go with it.”
While there’s a chance Bedard may not pitch until after the All-Star break, Riggleman doesn’t expect it.
“Reports from the trainer and doctor is they think it will be all right,” he said. ” I guess that would be a possibility if he’s not. But we’re anticipating that he will pitch later this week.”
Riggleman again said Bedard has been criticized unfairly for his inability to pitch deeper in games.
“He’s taking 100 pitches to get through five innings, and if your back hurts, hip hurts or something else hurts, you just get out of sync with your delivery,” Riggleman said. “I think that was another example the other day. If his shoulder was tight, he probably was trying to give all he had and he should be commended for that. I think he has really gutted it out for us, whereas the perception has been that he’s been coming out.”
“He’s mentioned, ‘I am not a five-inning pitcher. I pride myself in going deep into ballgames,” Riggleman said. “He hasn’t physically been able to do that.”
Of note: Felix Hernandez threw off the bullpen mound Sunday morning and, if his session Tuesday goes as well, will come off the disabled list and start Friday in Kansas City. … Riggleman said closer J.J. Putz remains on schedule to come off the DL after the All-Star break but, “I wouldn’t say immediately. It seems to me that if everything goes good here the next week, maybe sometime during the break he could get a rehab appearance and maybe one more after that. Without having all the info, I would guess a week after the break.” Riggleman said Putz wouldn’t close games his first few times back.
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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