Schmuck: O's interested in Hairston, M's may non-tender Bedard?

[ChaosLex]

It'd be a no-brainer to pick up Bedard. That being said, there's no way the M's non-tender him, IMO.

[bej6789]

I think the potential to non-tender Bedard lies in the fact that the Mariners are going to have to blow that thing up and start from the ground up. It doesn't matter that his shoulder isn't right, it matters that he's just not the type of player they're looking for. If it was just about talent Manny Ramirez would still be a red sock. Erik Bedard alienates himself most likely more than anyone on that roster. At the end of the day you have to make a decision as to where you're going as an organization and what players you want going forward. It was the reason why Erik Bedard was traded in the first place, and it very well might be the reason why he's non-tendered in Seattle.

[davearm]

I think the potential to non-tender Bedard lies in the fact that the Mariners are going to have to blow that thing up and start from the ground up. It doesn't matter that his shoulder isn't right, it matters that he's just not the type of player they're looking for. If it was just about talent Manny Ramirez would still be a red sock. Erik Bedard alienates himself most likely more than anyone on that roster. At the end of the day you have to make a decision as to where you're going as an organization and what players you want going forward. It was the reason why Erik Bedard was traded in the first place, and it very well might be the reason why he's non-tendered in Seattle.

Those are valid reasons why the M's could trade Bedard.

They're not valid reasons why the M's could non-tender Bedard.

The only valid reason why the M's could non-tender Bedard is if they can't trade him first.

[OnTheBlack]

On the contrary (and I'm not opposed to bringing him back), I think his injury-ridden '08 season is more reflective of the pitcher that he is. His '07 season was the only season he really stayed healthy for most of the year, and even then he was still out for the last month of the season.

That said, I'd be down to bring him back if he signed for relatively cheap. But like you said, this is such a ridiculous scenario, it's almost pointless to talk about it.

Good point, I agree - '07 does stand as the anomaly in regard to his health. I will say, however - that Bedard has shown himself to be capable of pitching at a high-level when he is healthy, however often or not that may be. Unfortunately for the M's - it has been the later.

[NCRaven]

Montanez isn't on the bench to perform at SS or 2B, he's on the bench to be the 4th OFer.

But you have a good point in that they would all be right-handed.

But you'd have:

Salazar: 1B, 3B, 2B/SS/OF-in-a-pinch

Montanez/Reimold: OF

Hairston: SS, 2B, 3B, OF

We just disagree on the value of Salazar as a utility option at 2B or SS. I think he's fine for 1B/3B. And, could fill in at 2B or SS in an emergency for a game. But unless you plan on your regulars at those positions playing 162 games, I really would not want Salazar to be my middle infield utility player. If I thought Costanzo or Moore could put up Salazar-like numbers, I'd rather have the lefty, but I have little confidence in them. So, given the situation, I'd settle for the all righty (excluding the possibility of a LH or SH catcher) bench.

[DrungoHazewood]

Seattle's GM previously said Bedard's recovery was going well:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/390210_mari02.html?source=mypi

Still, they have to pay him at least $5.6 mm (80% of the $7 mm they paid him last year), so if they have doubts as to whether he's going to pitch the whole year and how effective he'll be, that's pretty expensive.

At free agent rates $5.6M is about 1/2 of a league-average performance for a whole year. Or a full year of a player who's somewhere between replacement-level and average.

If Bedard could give you 125 innings of a 4.00 then $5.6M is well worth it.

[DrungoHazewood]

It's not a 1 or the other situation, because Salazar isn't a reasonable option for middle infield - if a starter goes down. There should be room on the roster for both.

Isn't Salazar playing 2B in the winter leagues?

[health55]

The level of the Mariners frustration with Bedard last year is what keeps this story alive and intriguing. They despised him, his work ethic, fired Bavasi over the trade (mostly), and they made the decision to shut him down.

Peter Schmuck was irresponsible for raising the specter of a non-tender. For more than two months since Erik Bedard's surgery on September 27, the Seattle Mariners have been counting on Bedard to be available for the entire 2009 season:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/380896_mbok27.html

Erik Bedard disappointed Seattle in 2008, but he is not despised.

Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus sees Bedard as a fixture in the 2009 Seattle rotation, which Sheehan last week ranked among the top five in the American League:

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1149454/index.htm

I don't share Sheehan's optimism for Seattle's chances, but it's not all doom and gloom for Mariner fans.

[Ruzious]

Isn't Salazar playing 2B in the winter leagues?

Point being?

[blueberryale77]

Isn't Salazar playing 2B in the winter leagues?

You've seen Oscar Salazar. You've seen his body type and how fast he can move. Do you seriously think he's a real option at second base??

[clapdiddy]

You've seen Oscar Salazar. You've seen his body type and how fast he can move. Do you seriously think he's a real option at second base??

C'mon blueberry, don't you remember Juan Bonilla?

[SimplyZ]

I want bedard back!

[blueberryale77]

C'mon blueberry, don't you remember Juan Bonilla?

Not too well, I was 8 when he played his 55 games with the O's.

[Sports Guy]

You've seen Oscar Salazar. You've seen his body type and how fast he can move. Do you seriously think he's a real option at second base??

He obviously wouldn't start there but he probably could play second in an emergency situation in any given game.

[Roll Tide]

Does anyone believe Bedard would want to come back here???

Has he figured out that the grass isn't always greener on the otherside

A rotation of

Burnett

Guthrie

Bedard

Urehara

Patton ( or insert one of our many options)

Wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!