Erik Bedard, the left-handed pitcher the Mariners hoped would help them reach the post-season, will undergo exploratory shoulder surgery Sept. 26.

A timetable for his return will depend upon what the surgery determine's Bedard's injury to be.

Bedard last pitched July 4, and has tried rehabbing the shoulder since then without notable improvement.

"Surgey was always an option, but our medical staff thought rehabilitation was a better option," GM Lee Pelekoudas said. "Erik saw Dr. Lew Yocumb while we were in Southern Caliornia and the decision was made to have the surgery done.

"I expect to have him back next year, but until we know the extent of the damage, we won't know."

Bedard was acquired in February in a five-player trade with Baltimore that included Adam Jones, George Sherrill and highly touted pitching prospect Chris Tillman.

In 15 starts this season, Bedard went 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA, but injuries to his hip and back cost him games, and after his last game in July, he felt 'discomfort' in his shoulder.

Brandon Morrow is starting and, unless he can make 90 pitches stretch to eight innings, he'll be followed to the mound by Jarrod Washburn.
No, Washburn is not being tested in relief. The simply wants to get him a few innings to see if his strained abdominal muscle is ready for prime time again.
Washburn says he's ready, and if he is, he'll likely slide back into the rotation, possibly as soon as Saturday.
Jose Lopez is batting cleanup, and the bottom of the Mariners lineup - Wladimir Balentien, Matt Tuiasosopo, Rob Johnson and Luis Vallbuena have a combined 20 RBI this season.
Balentien has 19 of those.
And we're off.

It's September, and the Mariners continue to find new ways of screwing up an inning.
Afrer drawing a walk, Yuniesky Betancourt wen all the way to second base on a Raul Ibanez fly ball, then retreated to first.
Except umpire Brian Knight said Betancourt had not retouched second base on his way back.
He was called out with cleanup hitter Jose Lopez at the plate.
Oops.

The teams are trading solo home runs, with John Buck putting Kansas City ahead, 1-0, in the third inning - and Jose Lopez tying it with a bolt into the Seattle bullpen in the fourth.
For Lopez, it was homer No. 15 and RBI No. 82.
Mariners 1, Royals 1 ...

Starter or reliever, if you issue two-out walks you're going to pay for them.
Brandon Morrow walked two Royals with two outs in the fourth inning, setting up John Buck's RBI single.
Royals 2, Mariners 1 ...

The Royals are whacking Mr. Morrow pretty well in the fifth - a David DeJesus solo home run, a Alberto Callapso triple and a Mike Aviles RBI single.
DeJesus hadn't homered since July 12. The last pitcher he'd homered against?
Brandon Morrow.
Royals 4, Mariners 1 ...

The whacking continued, and Morrow was chased after giving up a single and Ryan Shealy's fifth home run.
Mr. Washburn came in and got out of the inning, but the Mariners offense has just one run here in the last 14 innings.
That doesn't bode well for breaking a five-game losing streak.
Royals 6, Mariners 1 ...

The Mariners surged back and scored ... one run.
Betancourt doubled, took third base on a Jose Lopez single and scored on Jeremy Reed's sacrifice fly.
Washburn is out of the game, Cesar Jimenez is in, and the question now is did Washburn feel too much pain in 18 pitches to continue.
Stay tuned.
Royals 6, Mariners 2 ...

Not a great day for the Mariners. Jose Lopez had three of their seven hits, Mr. Morrow got the loss and gave up three home runs for the first time in his career.
And the team lost it's 93rd game of the season.
With 12 games remaining, do you see these guys winning six do avoid losing 100 times? Do you see them winning again, period?
It's a final:
Royals 6, Mariners 3.