Erik Bedard is Awesome.

Many many many thanks to Red for the opportunity to enjoy some primo seating at last night's game along with Ms Red (I don't know if you want your name floating around here if it's not already) and Graham. Blowouts like this one was are usually quite unentertaining to watch in person, but lucky for us we have seats close enough to the Mariners dugout where our ribbing could easily be heard during quiet moments. General highlights first:

-Mike Morse was hanging out and responded to Red's offer to share some of Red's pasta with him, but did not appreciate our cheering for Adam Jones.

-Adam Jones responded to our cheering for him by lining a death foul ball at us. We were spared certain doom by a merest of inches as the ball struck the railing above the dugout and ricocheted back onto the field.

-Adrian Beltre acknowledged Red's presence in his usual way, with absolutely no facial change but a head nod in Red's direction. Beltre also seemed to be clapping for himself during the fielding introductions.

-Zack the bat boy was a good sport. Andre the bat boy may or may not be a robot of some kind.

-Jeremy Reed, I'm afraid to say, bares an uncanny resemblance in some respects to Player A. His greased back, blond highlighted hair and general face structure was jarring to see up close.

-Yuni unfortunately did not take the game off as an opportunity to spend three hours on a treadmill but instead just loafed about the dugout.

But the major highlight of the evening was Erik Bedard. First of all, he spent a good portion of the game chatting with Jeff Clement and a few others. More specifically, after Adam Jones singled in his second trip to the plate in the 5th inning meltdown which made the score 9-0 there was a prolonged moment of relative silence and I, for whatever reason, yelled out "Hey Erik, that's what we traded for you!" Not expecting to get any reaction from the man who according to local media hates all living things.

Erik, in turn, responded by shaking a fist in mock anger at me and smiling. Red and Graham shouted apologies on my behalf to no avail until about 10 minutes later during another moment of quiet when I yelled my own apology to Erik and a profusion of love for his talents which garnered another smile and acknowledgment from Erik.

With all apparently forgiven, Bedard would return an inning or so later this time sipping out of a Starbucks-looking cup. Red inquired as to the nature of the drink only to get several head shakes from Erik. We never did find out what it was he was drinking.

Later still, as the Mariners tossed a warm up ball back toward the dugout, Erik barehanded it on a hop with his left hand and tossed it into the dugout. This did not please us and Red promptly warned Erik not to use his left hand for such matters. Bedard then playfully acted like he had a dead left arm and then went back to joking with Jeff Clement, who I would like to think acknowledged our calls of love with his 9th inning single.

I already liked Erik Bedard the pitcher. And I had strong clues that based on his reactions to the typical asinine questions posed by media that I would like Erik Bedard the person. Last night further reinforced that inkling. Erik Bedard is awesome. Get well soon and fully.