Wait, the Bedard deal is dead? I thought it was on hold while the O's front office guys were trying to get Angelos's head out of a tight spot...

I am SO against an extension.

There's no way Bedard's vaule as a starter outgains his value as a trading chip...this team needs a total retooling...signing Bedard isn't quite as bad as signing crappy free agents, but it's certainly not the way to go. If the O's don't trade Bedard, it will slow the rebuilding process considerably.

More than anything, this is a 'sell high' situation....Bedard has demonstrated amazing tools...but for a two-season window, neither of which was a full season. And he's 28. This is the time to strike, while that iron is red-hot.

If there's nothing wrong with Jones, the O's should make this deal, and make it now - even if Jones turns out to be Jeffrey Hammonds intead of a top-flight contributor for years on end, this is just THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

Signing Bedard is NOT the right thing to do. Period.

Hopefully Bedard will say no and save the Orioles from themselves...meanwhile, I'm considering becoming a Red Sox fan. I loved 'em in the 70's before I moved to Baltimore, I could love 'em again. (Strong statements indeed from an Oriole website owner.)

Seriously.

I thought it was on hold while the O's front office guys were trying to get Angelos's head out of a tight spot...

like the back of a volkswagen?

I'm considering becoming a Red Sox fan. I loved 'em in the 70's before I moved to Baltimore, I could love 'em again. (Strong statements indeed from an Oriole website owner.)

Go with the Nat's. Jumping on the Sox at this point is just cheesy.

like the back of a volkswagen?

Nice Mallrats reference.

I suspect Orioles' fans can tell you all about how painful the act referred to is.

Sorry, Snapper, I was a Sox fan in the 60's and 70's. I am so not into the whole idea of the Nats. Been to about 4-5 games, didn't give a whit. I wouldn't be jumping to the Sox because of how good they are right now. Heck, I rooted for the Tribe when I lived in Columbus and the Tribe was lousy in the 80s.

Growing up as a Braves fan in the sixties and early 70s will cure you of being a front-runner.

One problem with the 'extension' theory is that Bedard's agent flatly denies it. And Olney's latest is that the hang-up is related to Jones's comment that he was traded to the O's and whether or not that obligates the O's to keep him even if he flunks a physical.

I'm considering becoming a Red Sox fan. I loved 'em in the 70's before I moved to Baltimore, I could love 'em again. (Strong statements indeed from an Oriole website owner.)

You're going to root for the Sox when they play the O's? I would just pick an NL team but that's just me. For example, I think I'm going with the Dodgers. I'll still watch some O's games, but I'm sure the losing will get old fast.

I'd go with the Mets. They're run ineptly, but at the moment they have more than one of the precious few actually likable players in baseball.

Don't do it, Bob!

well, ok, maybe you should do it. The O's don't deserve any loyalty that isn't genuinely felt. But anybody but the Sox! Why not go back to rooting for the Tribe? They've been my 'b team' for a while now (along with the Nats).

would you continue to run your O's blog?

The blog could continue, but he'd have to change the name to "Bat Outta Hell"

Heck, I rooted for the Tribe when I lived in Columbus and the Tribe was lousy in the 80s.

Growing up as a Braves fan in the sixties and early 70s will cure you of being a front-runner.

I second the Tribe, they're a fun team right now.

Or, go back to the Braves. They've got a real shot this year, and are very well run; the anti-Orioles.

lol...if they make the trade, we'll roll on into Year Eight...we've lasted this long. But this stuff sure wears a fellow down. (Sometimes I think this is all our fault. When we started the Belfry, things sure looked a lot better than they have ever since!)

Can't root for a NY team.

The Tribe...maybe. I guess I don't see them enough these days to get an attachment.

The Braves..heck, they are leaving Richmond, where the love affair began. They can go to h###. (I worked for the R-Braves as a student intern and then as a marketing guy in the mid-to-late 70's)

Sources: Bedard trade might clear major hurdle Thursday

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine

The Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles may finally sort through a rules issue this afternoon, taking the next step forward to completing their long-discussed deal involving left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard.

The Mariners and the Orioles came close to completing the deal last weekend: Bedard for center fielder Adam Jones, pitchers George Sherrill, Chris Tillman and Tony Butler, as well as another player. The conversations progressed to the point that the Mariners informed two players central in the deal -- Jones and Sherrill -- that they needed to go to Baltimore for physical examinations.

When Jones was quoted as saying the deal was completed, this created a rules question, sources say: If the Jones went for his physical examination, would the Orioles then be beholden to accept him, even if the physical exam did not go well.

The Orioles have asked the Mariners for written language that Seattle will submit Jones and Sherrill for a physical examination by the Orioles -- and if they pass physicals, then and only then will Baltimore be obligated to finish the trade. The inherent risk for the Mariners is that if either Jones or Sherrill were to flunk their physicals in Baltimore, then the respective value of the players would be diminished within the industry.

Jones, 22, is regarded by scouts and executives with other teams as a rising star. "He's going to be a monster," said an AL talent evaluator. "If you put he and Nick Markakis in the same outfield, that is the start of something." Bedard could help to make the Mariners' rotation formidable, joining Felix Hernandez, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva and Miguel Batista.

By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine

The Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles may finally sort through a rules issue this afternoon, taking the next step forward to completing their long-discussed deal involving left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard.

The Mariners and the Orioles came close to completing the deal last weekend: Bedard for center fielder Adam Jones, pitchers George Sherrill, Chris Tillman and Tony Butler, as well as another player. The conversations progressed to the point that the Mariners informed two players central in the deal -- Jones and Sherrill -- that they needed to go to Baltimore for physical examinations.

When Jones was quoted as saying the deal was completed, this created a rules question, sources say: If the Jones went for his physical examination, would the Orioles then be beholden to accept him, even if the physical exam did not go well.

The Orioles have asked the Mariners for written language that Seattle will submit Jones and Sherrill for a physical examination by the Orioles -- and if they pass physicals, then and only then will Baltimore be obligated to finish the trade. The inherent risk for the Mariners is that if either Jones or Sherrill were to flunk their physicals in Baltimore, then the respective value of the players would be diminished within the industry.

Jones, 22, is regarded by scouts and executives with other teams as a rising star. "He's going to be a monster," said an AL talent evaluator. "If you put he and Nick Markakis in the same outfield, that is the start of something." Bedard could help to make the Mariners' rotation formidable, joining Felix Hernandez, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva and Miguel Batista.

How on earth could anything that Adam Jones say bind the Orioles to the deal if they don't like what the physical said? I can't honestly believe that the M's and O's worked out a deal that had to go through no matter the results of a physical. I mean, isn't that the point of a physical? Why even schedule a physical if the deal wasn't contingent on the results of it? From a negotiation/contract drafting standpoint, I find it very hard to believe that the language the O's supposedly have asked for from the M's didn't already exist. This story makes no sense to me. What am I missing?

Belfry Bob:
I'm a 40 year O's fan and a 60+ year Pirate fan so you knwo how I've been suffering low these many years.
That said, if I had to pick a team to root for it'd be Milwaukee.
The Brewers are young and really, really talented.
They've done evrything the Pirates and O's haven't done the past 4 or 5 years in regards to drafting, trading and signing players for the long haul.
I've sen the Brewers play a few times here in DC where i go to see them play the nat's.

What am I missing?

First, I'm not a lawyer, so what do I know? But my guess is that there is an ambiguous MLB rule that doesn't spell out what might happen in this particular case. But on the face, it doesn't make sense, does it? If the agreement is contingent on passing, not taking, a physical, what difference does it make? I guess if you want to take this to absurd levels, what happens if he gets injured BY the physical examination?!?!

Mariners just signed Wilkerson.

Brad Wilkerson signs with the Mariners.

Where's he going to play? Isn't their outfield already set with Ibanez-Ichiro-Jones?

Ibanez-Ichiro-Jones

Rotoworld had said previously that the signing was contingent on getting Bedard, but one of the Seattle papers had a Bavasi quote saying something along the lines of they might have to risk getting stuck with Wilkerson as a backup (if the trade doesn't go down) to avoid losing him entirely.

As much as we'd love some clarity, this probably isn't it. Goodness, this is giving me a tumor.

What am I missing?

Things tend to get goofed up when the O's FO is involved, especially when it comes to physicals.

I guess if you want to take this to absurd levels, what happens if he gets injured BY the physical examination?!?!

I guess you haven't heard the story about how Chris Smith, the O's #1 pick in 2001, claims that he was injured by one of the Oriole trainers, two weeks after he was signed.

Nothing is too absurd for this organization, and no owner is more likely than Angelos to seek legal protection from the incompetence of his employees...

Smith claims he knew exactly when he was hurt.



�I was injured by the Orioles Athletic trainer Mitch Bibb (rehab guy down in Sarasota). They were doing tests 2 weeks or so into my workouts to get ready to go to Delmarva when he puts too much pressure on a certain motion. That's when I heard a pop and the next day I couldn't throw a ball. From that day on it was tendonitis or shoulder weakness, even went to Dr. Andrews and he didn't see anything so I rehabbed for about a year and a half trying to get back taking there word for what is the matter with me. After that Dr. McFarland at Johns Hopkins found a 90 something percent tear to the rotator cuff.�



As for being hurt before he was signed, Smith says he was given about five physical exams before signing and passed them all.

This sounds like something that would happen to the Pirates...

After seeing the Santana package and reports that the O's front office held things up...why wouldn't the Mariners pull their offer or at least decrease it? They risk losing the trade, but the O's would be the real losers, not getting one of the 10 best prospects in the game for Bedard, and likely not a better deal from someone else. I guess we'll see what the final package is...

I guess you haven't heard the story about how Chris Smith, the O's #1 pick in 2001, claims that he was injured by one of the Oriole trainers, two weeks after he was signed.

And the sad story of Milton Bradley, injured by his own manager who was trying to prevent him from injuring an umpire.

They risk losing the trade

And Bevasi risks losing his job. Or at least he thinks he does. He's pretty much said he needs and is going to get a #1 this offseason. I think he's near or at the end of his contract and needs to win now to keep it. Once you sign a Carlos Silva for $48 mil, it might not be a good idea to then suddenly decide to rebuild.

Things tend to get goofed up when the O's FO is involved, especially when it comes to physicals.

To levels of stupidity. Prelim agreements are made, then when the details are being ironed out, the O's (read, Angelos) stuff exhaustive provisions in asking for medical details on the player on the other end of the deal. While nearly all contracts are, "Pending a physical" the Orioles create this subjective out. Check the Burnitz deal in '06 for just one example. More than one agent/player loathes dealing with the Orioles because of this.

i just don't get what exactly is angelos' problem?????

does he LIKE having a lousy team? he spends money so it isn't like he's mcclatchy/nutting, but after TEN freaking years he must kind of see that his way isn't like working out

While nearly all contracts are, "Pending a physical" the Orioles create this subjective out. Check the Burnitz deal in '06 for just one example.

I guess it kept them from making a mistake that time.

I'd go with the Mets. They're run ineptly, but at the moment they have more than one of the precious few actually likable players in baseball.

But. . . but the Bensons are in Baltimore.

but after TEN freaking years he must kind of see that his way isn't like working out

Angelos is always the smartest guy in the room. If something doesn't work out the way he wanted it to, it's always somebody else's fault.

Popped a rotator cuff during testing? Ouch!

After seeing the Santana package and reports that the O's front office held things up...why wouldn't the Mariners pull their offer or at least decrease it?

You're talking apples and oranges...the two deals have little to do with each other. Bedard doesn't have a no-trade, he's under O's control for 2 more seasons - they don't have the urgency to make a trade that the Twins did. What the Twins got for Santana has no real bearing on what the O's should net for Bedard if they trade him.