MARINERS NOTEBOOK: Bedard to miss a start

Apparently, Bedard was feeling this tightness in his start on Friday.

“We took him out of the game because the situation dictated it, but after the game he told the trainer his shoulder was tight,” Riggleman said. “We want to give him an extra day or two, whatever it takes to keep it minimized.”

Bedard was checked out by the team doctor and nothing was structurally wrong. Riggleman is being cautious.

“We’re anticipating that he’ll pitch later this week,” Riggleman said.

The report of shoulder tightness backed Riggleman’s recent contention that Bedard is tougher than what is popularly perceived. Riggleman contends that myriad injuries have never allowed him to get in a flow this season or enjoy a prolonged period of good health.

“He’s taking 100 pitches to get (through) five innings, and if your back hurts, your hip hurts, if something hurts, you get out of sync with your delivery and you’re throwing more balls than strikes and your pitch count is up,” Riggleman said. “He’s trying to give more than he can give. He should be commended for that.”

Riggleman finally talked to Bedard last week about the situation. Of course, Riggleman did most of the talking.

“This is my first experience I had with him,” Riggleman said. “He doesn’t say much. You don’t get a lot of reaction from him, but I think he’s probably frustrated that the perception is that he wants to come out of games.”

Riggleman thinks the opposite is true.

“Whatever we are under .500 and he’s two over,” Riggleman said of Bedard’s 6-4 record, compared to the Mariners’ 35-53 record. “It’s a testament to how good this guy is, and it’s a testament that with the aggravating things he has had going on, he’s still pitched as effectively as he has. I think he’s really gutted it out for us, whereas the perception is that he’s coming out.”

Riggleman said after Sunday’s game that Miguel Batista will start Wednesday’s game in Bedard’s spot.

Felix on Friday

While Riggleman wasn’t sure about the timetable for Bedard’s next turn in the rotation, he has penciled in Felix Hernandez to start Friday’s game in Kansas City.

Hernandez threw his first bullpen session since his June 23 ankle injury in New York.

“Felix was good today,” Riggleman said. “He’s going to have another heavier workout on Tuesday, we’ll give him a couple days off and he’ll pitch Friday.”

Ichiro All-Star again

For the eighth straight year, Ichiro Suzuki was selected to the American League All-Star team. He was voted in as a starter, receiving 2,012,912 votes – third most among AL outfielders. He was the only member of the Mariners chosen.

Even though it’s almost become a given for him to make the team, he still felt some excitement.

“It’s only natural for humans to get used to something,” he said through interpreter Ken Baron. “But at the same time, going to the All-Stars is still a huge thing,” Ichiro is now approaching Ken Griffey Jr.’s club record of 10 consecutive All-Star selections from 1990-99.

In seven All-Star games, Ichiro is batting 6-for-18 with a double, a home run and four RBI. He was named the most valuable player of last year’s game after going 3-for-3 with an inside the park home run in the American League’s 5-4 victory in San Francisco.