UPDATE to the UPDATE: The Mariners and Bedard are now reported close to a deal - MLB

UPDATE: Now Jon Paul Morosi reports that, yes, they M’s and Bedard are close to a one year deal, though at this rate that could change five times by dinner.

And with that I’ve just about had it with the Hot Stove season. Someone sign Johnny Damon, everyone else start playing long toss and doing wind sprints and let’s get down to some freakin’ baseball, OK?

3:18 P.M.: Larry LaRue of the News-Tribune spoke with Bedard, who says no, the Mariners have not made an offer, contradicting Jim Street’s earlier reports (see below). There is mutual interest, but at this point, nothin’s happening.

At this point I’d like to ask the question Aaron asked the other day: If the erroneous report had come from a blogger rather than a guy with a long newspaper pedigree like Street, wouldn’t people be beefing about it? I kinda think they would.

9:57 A.M.: MLB.com’s Jim Street is reporting that the Mariners and Erik Bedard have reached an incentive-laden deal for 2010. Base: $1.5 million. Bedard, as you are no doubt aware, Bedard is coming off of shoulder surgery and won’t be ready to go to start the season. He pitched well last year before getting hurt, and assuming there are no hiccups in rehab, having him join the rotation in, say, July, would be like making a big trade or something. And this time the Mariners wouldn’t have to give up Adam Jones for him!

But before any Mariners (or Bedard fans, or Bedard’s mom) gets excited about this, it’s worth noting that Street’s report — two reports mashed into one blog post, actually — have been a bit squirrelly. Yesterday he referred to the potential deal as “rumblings in blogo-land.” Today he says he heard it from another writer. It’s all less concrete than even your typically mushy hot stove reports.

Blogo-land?

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles signed outfielder Aaron Hicks less than 24 hours after Cedric Mullins went down with a strained right groin.

Mullins went on the 10-day injured list, but the Orioles are hoping Hicks can help defensively in the spacious outfield at Camden Yards. Hicks was released last week by the New York Yankees with more than 2 1/2 seasons left on his contract.

“We had noticed that he was a free agent even before the injury,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “When the injury occurred and it became pretty clear this was going to be an IL, it seemed like a good fit even more so at that time.”

The Orioles are responsible for paying Hicks just $483,871, a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum salary. The Yankees owe him the rest of his $10.5 million salary this year, plus $9.5 million in each of the next two seasons and a $1 million buyout of a 2026 team option.

The 33-year-old Hicks hit just .188 in 28 games for the Yankees this year.

“We have stuff that we look at from a scouting and evaluation perspective,” Elias said. “It’s very different from just looking at the back of a baseball card, and we hope that we get a bounceback from anyone we bring here.”

Hicks batted .216 last season.

“Hopefully that’s a good thing for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Baltimore deal. “A lot of time here and a lot of good things happened for him here. I know the last couple of years have been a struggle. But hopefully it’s a good opportunity for him and certainly wish him well. Not too well being in our division and a team we’re chasing, but hopefully it’s a really good fit for him.”

Mullins left a loss to Cleveland after he pulled up while running out an infield grounder. Outfielder Colton Cowser – the fifth pick in the draft two years ago – is hitting .331 at Triple-A Norfolk, but he went on the IL in the past couple weeks.

“Certainly he was building a case towards promotion consideration prior to his injury and prior to Cedric’s injury,” Elias said. “We’ll just see where we’re at.”

Hicks was active for the game but not in the starting lineup. Austin Hays, normally Baltimore’s left field, was in Mullins’ usual spot in center.

When the wall in left at Camden Yards was pushed significantly back before last season, it made left field a bigger challenge defensively.

“In this park … you really need two center fielders,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Aaron’s got a lot of center-field experience. Played left field here before also. Brings the defensive aspect and then the switch-hitting.”