Mariners still alive in Bedard hunt

[Mackus]

BTW, i see Sickels rated McDonald(from the Dodgers) a B+ prospect....LaRoche was an A-.

A LaRoche, Hu, McDonald and Meloan/Ethier package probably would have been made by the Dodgers...I still like that deal more than any other deal we are seeing.

I agree with you, and would certainly like to pick back up with the Dodgers. I don't know if the Dodgers would make that deal, but they get Bedard and get to keep all of their big guns besides LaRoche. I think from their standpoint they might want to keep McDonald and trade both Meloan and Ethier. I'd like that less (especially if its Ethier involved in the first trade), but I'd still pull the trigger.

[OSfanfromCT]

More info from the Mariners' offer from the Chicago Tribune:

They are continuing to talk to Baltimore about Erik Bedard as well.The package of talent they're shopping includes kid center fielder Adam Jones, catcher-DH Jeff Clement and second baseman Yung Chi Chen. The Twins and Orioles probably also would want Brandon Morrow in any deal with the Mariners.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-071224rogers,1,2075550.column?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

This is the first time I've seen Chen's name mentioned.

Here's his stats:

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/C/yung-chen.shtml

He might make a decent replacement for Roberts. He doesn't have a ton of power, but has a good OBP.

Looked at his stats, says only played five games last year. Just curious what was the injury/severity if anybody might have that information...But I liked what I saw as a potential 3/4 piece.

[Sports Guy]

I agree with you, and would certainly like to pick back up with the Dodgers. I don't know if the Dodgers would make that deal, but they get Bedard and get to keep all of their big guns besides LaRoche. I think from their standpoint they might want to keep McDonald and trade both Meloan and Ethier. I'd like that less (especially if its Ethier involved in the first trade), but I'd still pull the trigger.

Well, McDonald is expendable with their rotation depth and pitching depth in the minors...This is especially true if Elbert is healthy.

[JTrea81]

Looked at his stats, says only played five games last year. Just curious what was the injury/severity if anybody might have that information...But I liked what I saw as a potential 3/4 piece.

Had to sit out most of the season due to a shoulder injury the season before. He raked in the AFL when he came back as well, so the shoulder looks good. Here's another write up of him

http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071101&content_id=2290592&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea

AFL stats:

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Yung%20Chi%20Chen&pos=2B&sid=t529&t=p_pbp&pid=472594

[ChaosLex]

Question for everyone.

Does this article give you renewed hope that a Bedard trade will happen? Or do you still have your doubts?

[Ruzious]

I've posted this before, but here's a Mariners beat writer's scouting report of him:

Clement lacks athleticism which may catch up with him in his endeavor to prove he can stick behind the plate. He has adequate strength and hands and should eventually develop solid throwing technique but the questions that remain include his ability to move laterally to block pitches.

http://prospectinsider.com/?p=3

The Fick comparison is not real promising. It sounds like starting him next year might not be a good thing for our pitching staff.

[OSfanfromCT]

Thanks, JTrea for the info. I think it'd be great if we got this guy back in a trade. Instant Roberts replacement, less questions compared to E Patterson.

[Mackus]

Question for everyone.

Does this article give you renewed hope that a Bedard trade will happen? Or do you still have your doubts?

I still have hope that Bedard will be traded. Its not renewed though, because it never was gone.

There is probably a 90% chance Bedard is traded this offseason, IMO.

[Sports Guy]

Question for everyone.

Does this article give you renewed hope that a Bedard trade will happen? Or do you still have your doubts?

If the Orioles are abandoning hope of Jones, Clement and Morrow(and really, Morrow altogether, as the M's don't seem to want to trade him at all), then I think a deal can get done.

If they hold out for all 3 and won't do a deal without all 3 of them, then I don't see a deal happening.

[JTrea81]

Question for everyone.

Does this article give you renewed hope that a Bedard trade will happen? Or do you still have your doubts?

MacPhail has to drop his demand for Morrow. Jones and Clement are plenty for the main return. Chen is a good replacment for Roberts and if they can add Tillman or Butler, I think we'd have a deal. This trade fills a lot of holes and the only one left would be at SS which Clement packaged with a pitcher such as Penn or Olson might be able to net us...

[Sports Guy]

Thanks, JTrea for the info. I think it'd be great if we got this guy back in a trade. Instant Roberts replacement, less questions compared to E Patterson.

And if this is a guy we are targeting, you have to wonder if we are trying to get Cedeno instead of EPat right now and that could be why the BRob trade is being held up.

[ChaosLex]

I still have hope that Bedard will be traded. Its not renewed though, because it never was gone.

There is probably a 90% chance Bedard is traded this offseason, IMO.

I was freaking out a little the other day, but I still think Bedard will be traded. Now whether he'll be traded to a team we prefer (i.e., Mariners, Reds, etc.), I really can't say.

If things fall apart with any of our preferred teams, I have a feeling Bedard will be a Cub on Opening Day.

[JTrea81]

And if this is a guy we are targeting, you have to wonder if we are trying to get Cedeno instead of EPat right now and that could be why the BRob trade is being held up.

I don't think we are targeting him specifically. The Mariners are offering this package to both Minnesota and Baltimore. It may be MacPhail would prefer to have EPat over Chen. EPat certainly has more power, but less patience and is worse defensively.

[OSfanfromCT]

And if this is a guy we are targeting, you have to wonder if we are trying to get Cedeno instead of EPat right now and that could be why the BRob trade is being held up.

I would have to think and assume that the Bedard and Roberts trades are dependent upon each other and what we're looking to acquire from the possible trade partners. I don't have any doubt that AM wants and intends on trading both players by ST. Whether he gets it done is another story, but the fact I think he's looking at the Bedard trade first to see which team he works with and what the return is before deciding who from the cubs he wants. At least that's my guess...

[Ruzious]

I'd prefer a trade with Cincy centered around Cueto and Votto - hopefully with us throwing in one or 2 of the prospects in the Tejada trade (other than Patton) and getting Bailey.