ESPN SportsCenter Update

[forest leech]

The man has been a thorn for ten years. The bashing is never going to stop.

So bash him when he actually deserves it, not when there is a mountain of evidence supporting him doing nothing to hinder this trade. The only reason his name is involved in this mess is because some reporter decided to drum up some controversy by speculating that everything has been his fault thus far. MacPhail himself said that Angelos isn't holding up the trade, but I guess some people have more trust in unnamed sources.

[NewMarketSean]

OK, so stuff is starting to make sense. But my question is this... aren't all trades dependent on the players involved passing physicals, thus rendering what Jones said moot?

[The Wedge]

If this is indeed the truth... makes you wonder why it takes the Mariners 4 days or more to put together said document?

Indignation, or possibly denial, that they would even have to provide said document? Report did say it was going through the league offices for verification, so it sounds like we insisted, they balked.

[Dipper9]

Jones has no authority to bind either team to a contract. IMO, his statement(s) are essentially meaningless from a legal perspective.

No offense, but your opinion means nothign compared to Angelos' knowledge of the law. He may be a "bad" owner, but he knows his stuff in the courtroom. This is all starting to make a lot of sense! Trade done soon!

[centralpaosfan]

Jones has no authority to bind either team to a contract. IMO, his statement(s) are essentially meaningless from a legal perspective.

I wasn't thinking that Jones would have the authority to bind any contract. I was thinking Angelos would get upset because they may have said to the Mariners that they want Jones and Sherill checked out by their doctors before they say yes. Jones bc he is the headliner of the trade and Sherill so they can flip him to the Cubs. Then Jones makes this statement and undercuts the agreement the O's and Mariners may have had.

[japes121]

These are my thoughts as well. The article doesn't say that the M's are willing to comply...

True, but the tone of Onley's article seems to suggest that it is moving towards completion.

[baltfan]

So the question is how desperate does Bavasi want Bedard? Bad enough to risk the future value of his players? Or does he think they are 100% healthy?

They were already willing to take this risk. The thing is that no one would have known about it had the Orioles examined him, rejected him, and rejected the deal. Seattle has no one to blame but themselves. They should have told Jones to shut his mouth.

[The Wedge]

So bash him when he actually deserves it, not when there is a mountain of evidence supporting him doing nothing to hinder this trade. The only reason his name is involved in this mess is because some reporter decided to drum up some controversy by speculating that everything has been his fault thus far. MacPhail himself said that Angelos isn't holding up the trade, but I guess some people have more trust in unnamed sources.

I say again: the bashing is never going to stop. Never is pretty all inclusive. There will always be someone who will bash him. Even when he's dead and buried.

[Shopay]

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.

So the question is how desperate does Bavasi want Bedard? Bad enough to risk the future value of his players? Or does he think they are 100% healthy?

It seems to me that the Os want some very specific language/guidelines on what "passing" a physical means. Perhaps a heightened standard from what currently exist.

[NCRaven]

Jones has no authority to bind either team to a contract. IMO, his statement(s) are essentially meaningless from a legal perspective.

But the O's bringing him in for a physical AFTER his public announcement that he had been traded could be construed as an acceptance by the Orioles. They need to be sure from a legal and baseball rules standpoint, that if any of these players should fail their physicals, that the O's are not obligated to complete the deal.

It sounds like the real issue is getting MLB to make a ruling on the situation and that is what is taking so long. More and more, it looks like Angelos has had almost nothing to do with this. It also explains AM's insistence that no deal has been complete or agreement reached. That implies, again, that the Orioles are obligated in some way to complete the deal. So he has been very careful to comment in a way that won't have any rules implications.

[Why Not?]

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.

So the question is how desperate does Bavasi want Bedard? Bad enough to risk the future value of his players? Or does he think they are 100% healthy?

Why Jones and Sherrill and not the others? I sort of thought physicals were a a typical part of the trade process anyway. Isn't a physical part of the pending Santana/Mets trade?

[forest leech]

I say again: the bashing is never going to stop. Never is pretty all inclusive. There will always be someone who will bash him. Even when he's dead and buried.

You're right, but that doesn't make it any less stupid.

[Shopay]

I wasn't thinking that Jones would have the authority to bind any contract. I was thinking Angelos would get upset because they may have said to the Mariners that they want Jones and Sherill checked out by their doctors before they say yes. Jones bc he is the headliner of the trade and Sherill so they can flip him to the Cubs. Then Jones makes this statement and undercuts the agreement the O's and Mariners may have had.

OK. Sorry. I misunderstood.

[WildDave]

So to clarify things for myself...

Where we stand right now is that the deal has been put on pause because we are waiting to find out if we still have the right to back out of the trade if someone fails a physical. This is all weird because of Jones' statements to the media. Right?

This sounds like reasonable caution, but then how often does someone fail a physical?

[ChaosLex]

I'm having a delightful tuna sandwich for lunch today. That is all.