NOTE: The Mariners just announced a lineup change -- Ryan Langerhans for Michael Saunders in right field. Saunders has a jammed right shoulder.

Erik Bedard was back in the Mariners' clubhouse today, wearing a cumbersome shoulder brace and sling as the result of Friday's surgery in which Dr. Lewis Yocum repaired a torn labrum and also debrided his bursa.

The upshot, as has been widely reported, is that Bedard won't even be able to resume baseball activity for a minimum of four to six months.

Bedard addressed the media briefly today and re-stated his desire to return to Seattle. His status as a free agent has obviously changed dramatically because of this surgery, which probably will make him unable to pitch at the beginning of next season.

Asked if he would like to come back to Seattle, as he has stated before, he said, "Yeah, I would. Yeah. I still feel like that.''

I then asked him if this new development makes that more likely, and he bristled.

"What do you think? Not a good question,'' he answered.

Obviously, I thought it was a legitimate question, because of the possibility that he could sign an incentive-laden contract to come back with the Mariners. I'm still not sure if "What do you think?" meant yes, it's obviously more likely, or, no, it's obviously less likely. i think you can interpret it either way. The interview ended very shortly after that.

Here's the entire transcript:

IS IT GOOD TO GET SOME FINALITY? "At least we know now what we wrong, and we're just going to go through the process of rehabbing and see how it goes.

IS THERE A SENSE OF RELIEF? "Yeah, just to know what's wrong with it, get it taken care of, and move on from there."

WERE YOU FEELING PAIN OR DISCOMFORT? "Pain."

WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT THE EXTENT OF THE SURGERY? "When I see what kind of brace I have. Because these are labrum braces. I knew it wasn't just a simple surgery."

HOW LONG WERE YOU FEELING PAIN? " I was fine at the beginning of the season. When I went down the first time, from then on it was hurting."

WHAT LIES AHEAD? "In four months, I can start throwing, and then you go from there."

YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU SAW THE LABRUM BRACE? "I start throwing in four months, and then we'll see from there. You deal with it. We play a sport. People get hurt, and you just deal with it.

IS IT FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THIS IS A CONTRACT YEAR FOR YOU? "There always is, whether it's a contract year or not. You just want to get back and help the team win."

DID YOU WORRY YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PITCH LIKE YOU DID BEFORE?: "Until it happened, no. I think anyone can come from anything. I'm going to do my best to come back, and that's it."

HOW DOES THIS CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS GOING INTO THE OFFSEASON REGARDING YOUR CONTRACT: " I mean, I'm going to think about that when the offseason comes. I can't worry about next season now. I have to worry about getting better and getting my arm strong.

WOULD YOU STILL LIKE TO REMAIN HERE? "Yeah, I would. Yeah. I still feel like that."

DOES THIS MAKE IT MORE LIKELY: "What do you think? Not a good question."

HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH JACK ZDURIENCIK?: "No. Not yet."

HOW DIFFICULT WILL IT BE TO SIT FOR FOUR MONTHS: "The first couple of months from a surgery are always the worst, to get through the aches and pains from the stuff they did in your shoulder. You never know. You just go and do the best you can and try to come back strong."

TODAY'S LINEUPS

Yankees

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Jerry Hairston Jr. LF
Melky Cabrera CF
Jose Molina C

Sergio Metre RHP (1-1, 7.04)

Mariners

Ichiro RF
Franklin Gutierrez CF
Jose Lopez 2B
Ken Griffey Jr. DH
Russell Branyan 1B
Jack Hannahan 3B
Rob Johnson C
Josh Wilson SS
Ryan Langerhans LF

LHP Luke French (2-2, 4.31)