Mariner Rotation to start the season

A couple of ex-Rattlers and a former UW-Oshkosh Titan.

In the end, the title of Mariners staff ace was decided more from a coronation than a competition.

And that means Felix Hernandez will take the ball on opening day in Minneapolis next week, doing so for the first time since 2007. Hernandez was a tad irked a year ago, when a reluctant Erik Bedard was handed the No. 1 job just days after a trade from Baltimore.

But any real edge over that was softened the past 12 months as the pair got to know each other better. Bedard also spent much of this spring getting his arm back up to speed after shoulder surgery and was never in a position to make this friendly competition ever truly take off.

"It's an honor," Hernandez said with a grin and shrug on Wednesday, when asked how he'd feel to be named the No. 1 guy. "It's going to be an honor like in 2007 ... Bedard is an ace, too, but if they give me that honor, it's going to be a big honor."

Here's how the rest of the rotation was revealed...

Wakamatsu said he'd hold off a day on announcing the rest of the rotation, but then inadvertently confirmed the final guy by stating the team would open the season with no left-handers in the bullpen.

That meant lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith, who was either going to be a starter or reliever, will be the fifth arm in a rotation that includes Hernandez, Bedard, Carlos Silva and Jarrod Washburn. Bedard threw 79 pitches on Wednesday in a Class AAA game, getting tagged for nine runs on 11 hits over four innings.

Hernandez ('03) and Rowland-Smith ('02, '03) are the former Rattlers. Washburn is the ex-Titan.