Bedard named Opening Day starter

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The first workout of the spring isn't even in the books and the first decision of the Mariners season has been made.

Erik Bedard, acquired last week from Baltimore, will be the Opening Day starter March 31 against Texas at Safeco Field.

Felix Hernandez, the Mariners' Opening Day starter last season, will pitch the next day.

If the timing seems odd, it's because these types of decisions usually are announced midway through spring training. But manager John McLaren didn't want Hernandez, or Bedard for that matter, to have to answer a barrage of questions about the Opening Day spot.

McLaren used what was technically the final day of the offseason -- pitchers and catchers were taking physical exams Wednesday -- to announce the competition was over before it started. He talked to Hernandez, 21, about it on Tuesday and told Bedard, 28, shortly after he arrived to take his physical Wednesday.

"I just think Erik has more experience and basically that's the reason," McLaren said. "I talked to Felix and he's comfortable with our decision. We haven't put our whole rotation together, where everyone is going to fall, but Erik is definitely our Opening Day starter.

"Felix will start the second game, and we'll let the remainder of the rotation work itself out (during spring training)."

If the Mariners use all five members of the anticipated rotation -- Bedard, Hernandez, Miguel Batista, Carlos Silva and Jarrod Washburn -- the first two times through the rotation, Bedard and Hernandez would get the first and second games of the season against the Angels at Safeco Field on April 11-12.

That plan would set the Mariners' aces against the defending division champions. And it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Mariners to get a jump on the Angels, who beat them 13 times last year and won the American League West by six games.

It was in part to make up that deficit that Silva was signed as a free agent and Bedard was successfully pursued in a trade that cost the Mariners, among others, outfielder Adam Jones and left-handed setup man George Sherrill.

When he was introduced to Seattle last week at Safeco Field, Bedard said Hernandez was the No. 1 man and that he just wanted to pitch in and win.

Although he was the Opening Day starter last season in Baltimore, he didn't seem to see the announcement coming.

"It kind of caught me by surprise," Bedard said, "coming so early in the spring like this.

"I don't know why everyone makes such a big deal about it. It was never a goal of mine."

McLaren said the order for Batista, Silva and Washburn would be decided as camp goes along.

McLaren, who was the bench coach for Mike Hargrove last year when Hernandez opened 2007 with seven shutout innings against Oakland, says there are plenty of Opening Day starts in Hernandez's future.

"I have always had this thought about Felix, that he has a chance to be the best pitcher in baseball," McLaren said. "That said, I told him he first needs to be the best pitcher from Venezuela. He will have to step up and move ahead of Mr. (Carlos) Zambrano and Mr. (Johan) Santana.

"I like to challenge him, and I know he thinks a lot of those two pitchers.

"I really believe that Felix will be the best pitcher in baseball at some point in his career."

EXTRA BASES: The Mariners signed veteran first baseman Greg Norton to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The switch hitter, 35, one of the best pinch-hitters in the game, had a career-best 17 homers and hit .296 with Tampa Bay in 2006, but fell to .243 with four homers in 2007. ... Because Norton was signed to a minor league deal, the Mariners still have an opening on their 40-man roster. When all 39 members of the 40-man roster and 17 non-roster invitees arrive, the Mariners will have 56 players in camp.