Bedard to Seattle, pending physicals

[EdgarDiazRocks]

He's the new anti-Jim Bowden.

 

He's bald, he's bad, he's a symbol of old school nepotism in baseball.

 

He's the front office EQ of Joe Buck, without the Budweiser commercials.

 

Ah carp . . .

 

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mariners/

 

Adam Jones has left his Venezuelan Winter League team and flies to Baltimore tomorrow morning to take a physical so he can be dealt to the Orioles in exchange for pitcher Erik Berdard. No word yet on how many players going Baltimore's way.

Jones did not mince words when he spoke to a reporter from Diario Panorama in Venezuela today. We have a relationship with the reporter and paper and they have graciously supplied us with quotes from the interview with Jones.

"I received a call from Seattle saying that is no more playing for me and I can't do anything about that,'' Jones said. "I leave tomorrow morning...It sucks. I want to play. This is Game 4 of the finals and I really want to be there for my team, but it's something that all the guys understand. I really want to play, but I can't."

On the actual deal itself: "(Bill Bavasi) called me yesterday and told me the news. I've got to go to Baltimore tomorrow morning and handle things there. I'm the centerpiece of the deal on the Mariners side. It's an honor to get traded for such a highly talented pitcher as Bedard is. He's one of the best. Last year he finished up as arguably one of the top candidates for the Cy Young. He's that good, so for me it's an honor. You know, I like Seattle, but if I am in Baltimore, as I think now I am, I'm going to embrace it and have the best time of my life in Major League Baseball."

[Ennder]

Good. I'm not so worried about the Cubs getting Roberts if they have to trade pitching depth but if they picked up Bedard that is scary.

[splitterpfj]

According to what right fielder Adam Jones told reporters in Venezuela on Sunday, he is among the Seattle players being dealt to the Baltimore Orioles for left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard, a trade that would become finalized when all players involved pass physicals.

The Mariners apparently would send Jones, left-handed reliever George Sherrill and Minor League pitcher Chris Tillman, along with one more Minor League player, to the rebuilding Orioles for Bedard.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080127&content_id=2357273&vkey=hotstove2007&fext=.jsp

[jjfanec]

Exactly what I was thinking. If the Cubs got Bedard that team would have scared me. I am glad he is staying in the AL. I still cant believe Baltimore wanted to trade Bedard but they did get better value than they would have in the purposed Cubs trades.

[Gopher74]

This could be an absolutely huge deal for the M's.

 

Now they're rotation which had a ace in King Felix and then resembled a poor mans Sox rotation with an abundance of 4's(Sox's had 3's), and now they've got two potential aces in Bedard and Hernandez go to with Washburn, Silva, Batista along with young studs Brandon Morrow, and Ryan Feierabend.

 

That's a very good rotation now with a left/right power arms combo at the top of it. It's got the potential to be very good, and with Sexon, Beltre, Vidro's still a solid offensive player, Ibanez is solid, Kenji Johjima's a very decent catcher, Ichiro's obviously a stuperstar.

 

The one question I have now is do the M's consider moving Clement to LF now so that they can get that extra bat in the game when he's not catching?

 

Either way, I think this makes them a very viable contender in the NL West.

 

And before someone points out a possible contradiction here, when I spoke about how Bedard could possible suffer a drop-off next year, I still think that's very possible. I think it's possible he's a 3.50-.375 pitcher rather than the dominant ace he was last year. But at worse, a 3.75 starter who gets 215 K's is still pretty damn good. Very big time move.

[Gopher74]

Exactly what I was thinking. If the Cubs got Bedard that team would have scared me. I am glad he is staying in the AL. I still cant believe Baltimore wanted to trade Bedard but they did get better value than they would have in the purposed Cubs trades.

Oh absolutely. Not that I'm saying anything that others don't know, but when you bring in a top of the rotation type starter, it moves everyone else down one notch, making them that much more valuable for their slot. Whereas Washburn was a poor number 2, he's a solid number 3, Silva a good number 4, ect..ect..

 

Now do that to the Cubs rotation, a rotation that I believe to be inferior to ours, but with Bedard as the ace, make Zambrano a number 2, Lilly a 3, Hill a 4, and then Marquis/Mashall/Dempster or Lieber a 5, and that's a very good rotation, one that's better than ours possibly.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Bedard should thrive in Safeco Park, and the AL West. Good short-term move, probably another Bavasi blunder in terms of the big picture, though.

[Harold Hutchison]

Bedard should thrive in Safeco Park, and the AL West. Good short-term move, probably another Bavasi blunder in terms of the big picture, though.

No... not a blunder. If they can sign Bedard to an extension, it's a good move for them, especially if they can keep him and Hernandez as a 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation for a few years.

 

[TheBrewer]

Hopefully he gets resigned. Or the Cubs could move on him when he's a FA.. same goes for Sheets.. not trying to change this thread, but could you imagine Sheet signing with the Cubs?

[fondybrewfan]

Now as long as Santana stays in the AL....

 

As for this trade who knows. We wont know if this is a good or bad trade until at least 3 eyars from now

[Fatter than Joey]

Good. I'm not so worried about the Cubs getting Roberts if they have to trade pitching depth but if they picked up Bedard that is scary.

 

Yep, I know the Reds were in the deal talks as well, glad to see he didn't land in the NL Central, as that would have been bad news.

[jjfanec]

The talk is that this will mean Roberts is coming to Chicago, but Bedard would have been way worse. I like Roberts as a player, but I also think DeRosa is pretty good and with Roberts coming he really doesnt have a spot on this team from what I have heard.

[joepepsi]

Rumors are if the Bedard goes down, then Roberts will be traded to the Cubs for Felix Pie and Sean Gallagher! If that happens it's a great trade for the Orioles....

[MillerParkSouth]

I'm not really big on Pie, but if the Cubs get rid of him and Gallagher for 2 years of a player that is only marginally better than DeRosa, then i'm on board. I'll also echo the joy of keeping Bedard in the AL. I got really worried with the Cincy/Cubs rumors floating around. Now if we can just keep Johan in the AL, we'll be set!

[joepepsi]

I'm a bit suspicious of Pie as well, but anytme you have a chance to trade for a 21 year old AAA starting pitcher and all you have to give up is a 30 year old average hitting 2B, I think you do it.

[TooLiveBrew]

No... not a blunder. If they can sign Bedard to an extension, it's a good move for them, especially if they can keep him and Hernandez as a 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation for a few years.

 

Very true, but that's a big "if." Seattle hasn't carried a super-high payroll, but I guess the city seems to be a big enough market to support expansion there. I don't know how you can dismiss this immediately as 'not a blunder' long-term - Bedard's a good player, but I'm not sure whether or not the subtraction of Jones & Sherrill (arguably the best LOOGY in the game in 2007), to add Bedard makes Seattle capable of overtaking LAA. Giving up a promising young SP prospect (in Tillman) always has the chance to sting a little, but the time is now for Seattle, to be sure.

 

Adam Jones profiles as a star player in MLB - the guy's going to be 22 in 2007, and likely a FT outfielder for Baltimore (and would be for many squads). I'm a fan of Pie as well, and if the O's can exit this offseason adding two potential star OFs, a decent SP (Marshall), a great LOOGY, and a good SP prospect (Tillman), for a SP they wouldn't have been able to re-sign & a solid 2Bman, I think you can only see that as 'job well done.'

 

Sure, Sherrill isn't a vital part of any long-term plans, but if nothing else can be flipped by the deadline for prospects/parts.

[yoyomayoma]

I worried about Bedard and I'm glad he's going to be a Mariner. Next on my list of worries with the Cubs is Joe Nathan. If they add a top 5 closer, I worry. That's been their Achilles heel for awhile now. Could be dangerous if they landed him and signed him to an extension. Hopefully they give up too much for Roberts and won't have what the Twins are looking for.

[giffted1]

I'd be thrilled if the Cubs could get Roberts. A second baseman is probably the last thing they need and giving up Pie and Gallagher for him would be great.

[TooLiveBrew]

It's weird... Roberts is good and all, but he's not much better than DeRosa, and imho...

 

DeRosa + Pie >> Roberts + DeRosa (OF)

[joepepsi]

Adam Jones profiles as a star player in MLB - the guy's going to be 22 in 2007, and likely a FT outfielder for Baltimore (and would be for many squads). I'm a fan of Pie as well, and if the O's can exit this offseason adding two potential star OFs, a decent SP (Marshall), a great LOOGY, and a good SP prospect (Tillman), for a SP they wouldn't have been able to re-sign & a solid 2Bman, I think you can only see that as 'job well done.'

Don't forget earlier they added Luke Scott, Troy Patton, Matt Albers, Dennis Sarfate, and "George" Costanza in the Tejada deal.

 

In recent years the Orioles have consistently fielded one of the worst outfields in the majors. Adding Jones with Markakis and Scott goes a long way toward correcting that. Pie gives them a pretty talented young OF.

[endaround]

The Orioles should turn around and trade Scott now (or by the deadline). When the rest of the team is under 27 you don't need a 30 year old OFer even if he is cheap.

[crewcrazy]

It's weird... Roberts is good and all, but he's not much better than DeRosa, and imho...

 

DeRosa + Pie >> Roberts + DeRosa (OF)

But Roberts is a *TRUE* leadoff hitter!

On the subject of Seattle getting Bedard, I think it'll give them one of the best 1-2 punches in the majors, but they're still going to struggle to score many runs. Trading away your best hitting prospect (and possibly top two, since I've been seeing rumors that Clement might be included, too) probably isn't a good idea when you can't score runs and those players are nearly ML-ready.

[TooLiveBrew]

Don't forget earlier they added Luke Scott, Troy Patton, Matt Albers, Dennis Sarfate, and "George" Costanza in the Tejada deal.

 

Holy cow, yea, I'd totally forgotten. Does Baltimore have a new GM, or has he just been granted more power by Angelos? End's point on flipping Scott is solid, especially if they get Pie.

[Tbadder]

I understand Bedard is a bit of a risk, but I was really hoping the crew would've gotten in on him. I think a package of prospects and major leaguers could've been put together that woulda blown Seattle's offer outta the water. I definitely would have overpaid for Bedard because if he was on the Crew I think you have to make them the favorite for the NL pennant.

[DrWood]

It's weird... Roberts is good and all, but he's not much better than DeRosa, and imho...

 

DeRosa + Pie >> Roberts + DeRosa (OF)

maybe long-term, but roberts is much better than pie short-term.