'(Posted 8 a.m., Feb. 6)
Navan native Bédard agrees to one-year deal with Mariners
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Navan hurler Erik Bédard has signed a one year, incentive laden deal with the Seattle Mariners after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. File photo

Navan native Erik Bédard won't be leaving Seattle afterall. On Friday, it was announced that the often-injured lefthander had agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners that will see him paid a base salary considerably less than what he had earned during his first two seasons with the club.

After earning $7 million in 2008 and $7.75 million in 2009, Bédard resigned for just $1.5 million plus incentives that could see him earn considerably more depending on whether or not he can stay healthy and how effective he is coming off of shoulder surgery.

Bédard had an operation done in August to repair a torn lebrum in his left shoulder. The typical recovery period for that type of operation is usually 10 to 12 months, which means he likely won't take the mound for the Mariners until some time around the all-star break.

Bédard has undergone three major surgeries in his career. In his final year of Double-A ball in 2002, he had Tommy John surgery done on his elbow and spent most of the 2003 season in rehab.

During spring season in 2004 he impressed the Baltimore Orioles braintrust enough to earn a spot in the starting rotation. He would go on to post a 4.59 ERA while striking out an average of 7.93 batters per nine innings.

In 2005 he strained a knee that sidelined him for two months. In 2006 he had his best year statistically, thanks in large part to the fact that he was relatively injury free.

The following year Bédard's name was being bandied about as a potential Cy Young Award candidate until a strained oblique muscle ended his season prematurely on Sept. 4. At the time his win-loss record was 13-5 and he had compiled 221 strikeouts to set a new all-time franchise record.

Bédard contract with the Orioles expired that fall. Rather than try to resign the fireballer and pay him the type of dollars he would have commanded, the club traded him to the Seattle Mariners who immediately signed him to a one year deal worth $7 million.

He would end up starting in 15 games for the Mariners before he was sidelined once again with a shoulder injury. After undergoing arthroscopic surgery, he was done for the year.

Despite the setback, the Mariners gave Bédard a $750,000 raise prior to the start of spring training. The deal angered many fans who questioned whether or not he was durable enough to truly benefit the club. When his shoulder ended his season once again last July the criticism only grew louder.

Prior to the news that he had resigned with the club once again, there was a great deal of speculation that the Orioles were interested in reaquiring his services. Kansas City and Boston were also rumoured to be interested, but in the end he decided to stay on the west coast.

In an interview published in the Le Droit newspaper on Friday, Bédard said that he was happy to be coming back to the Mariners which he blieves will be much improved this year with the addition of 2008 Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and the contract extension agreed to be Felix Hernandez.

"I am truly happy. It was my first choice to return to Seattle," he told the newspaper. "I think the team will be really good this season. I very much like the direction the team is going."

The Mariners finished third in the AL West last year with a record of 85-77. They have not made the playoffs since 2001.

'(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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