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Geoff Baker covers the Mariners for The Seattle Times. He provides daily coverage of the team throughout spring training, and during the season.

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June 17, 2008 12:22 AM

Bill Bavasi on players, Bedard

Posted by Geoff Baker

Don't miss this video, shot yesterday at Bill Bavasi's farewell press conference. He discusses "white line fever" and how some players simply have trouble performing once they step between the lines.

"The chemistry, in some respects is real good in there,'' Bavasi said of his players. "They're real nice guys. But it's when they cross the lines that, like I said, some of them get the fever. And some just don't know how to play. And that's bad chemistry.''

Bavasi later repeats that the players aren't bad guys, but some "just haven't figured out how to get in all together.''

Hmm, white line fever? Gives me an idea for a new Mariners jingle. They could use it to replace those existing TV commercials, now rendered outdated. Richie Sexson growing mustaches? "Pepe" Vidro swinging a hot stick? Erik Bedard getting schooled on what a Mariner Moose is? Nah, how about a promo with all of them boogeying to this tune?

"Mariners baseball...catch the fever!''

On Bedard going only five or six innings and 100 pitches of late, Bavasi says a lot of pitchers can have days where 90 pitches feel like 200. On why Bedard can't go longer, Bavasi says it's a good question, but one that has to be put to Bedard.

"He'll have a stupid answer for you, you can count on it,'' Bavasi said. "He'll have some dumbass answer.''

Bavasi concludes that Bedard is a very talented pitcher. But he adds that all five pitchers in the rotation have not done the job at one time or another.

"With Erik, sometimes the wheels come off too easy,'' he said.

By the way, John McLaren has outlasted Willie Randolph in the managerial round of Survivor. McLaren will square off against John Gibbons of the Toronto Blue Jays in our next episode.

There's more, so enjoy the video.

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