"It's an all too familiar sight for the Seattle Mariners and their fans - Erik Bedard with his left arm in a sling.

The left-hander was back at Safeco Field on Saturday, his arm immobilized yet again, a day after having his third surgery on his left shoulder in as many years.

"Three years in a row," Bedard said looking at the apparatus. "I'm getting pretty tired of it."

But for the moment it looks like this may be the last time Bedard will wear the sling for quite a while.

Initial reports on the procedure, which was performed by team surgeon Dr. Edward Khalfayan and assisted by Dr. Lewis Yocum, described it as a success.

Bedard had a large bone spur in his AC (acromioclavicular) joint shaved down. Khalfayan also inspected the labrum and it appeared to be healthy and in good shape.

"The (labrum) was completely healed," Mariners trainer Rick Griffin said. "There was no damage and no problem at all with his labrum and his cuff and all of his problems centered around the spur in his AC joint. So they were able to remove the spur and clean out the joint and clean out the bursa and he should be good to go."

Bedard seemed upbeat about the surgery and the prognosis."