They’d like to hoist a flag with Bedard

The Mariners haven’t appeared in the playoffs since 2001, when they set an American League record by winning 116 games, with attendance at Safeco Field falling from 3.5 million to 2.5 million in the interim.

After hanging with the Angels for five months last season, the Mariners are determined to win the AL West this season, upgrading their rotation by spending $48 million on Carlos Silva (5-1 career record against the Angels) and all but emptying their minor league system to acquire Erik Bedard from the Orioles.

Bedard went 13-5 with a 3.16 earned-run average last season, leading the league in opposing batting average (.212), strikeouts per nine innings (10.9) and hits (7.0). Bedard has yet to pitch in a pennant race or throw 200 innings in a season, but the Mariners envision him in front of Silva and emerging ace Felix Hernandez in what could be the best top three in the league. For the Mariners’ sake, it better be.