Bedard to the bullpen?

[rp0806]

There isn't a pitcher on the market who could get Conor Jackson.

Ok, but who could the Orioles get for Bedard?

[Sports Guy]

Ok, but who could the Orioles get for Bedard?

Well i haven't been on the phone with any GM's today but they could probably get some power guy with a big contract(Burrell) or a few very position prospects(perhaps Carlos Quentin and another guy).

Guys like that.

I wouldn't be shocked if we could still do a Bedard/Gibbons for Dunn deal either.

[MP]

Well i haven't been on the phone with any GM's today but they could probably get some power guy with a big contract(Burrell) or a few very position prospects(perhaps Carlos Quentin and another guy).

Guys like that.

I wouldn't be shocked if we could still do a Bedard/Gibbons for Dunn deal either.

Can we drag up the Bedard and Gibbons for Abreu deal again? :002_stongue:

[rp0806]

I would happily trade Bedard for Quentin or Bedard and Gibbons for Dunn, but I don't think those deals are likely. The Burrell deal might be plausible, and maybe not a bad idea.

[Loupgaroo]

Juggling the rotation and the 'pen isn't going to solve the team's problems. There is no combination or permutation of our current players that is going to get us the wins we all want. Sending Bedard to the 'pen would be disruptive to his progress, and it's not like we'd be replacing him with someone better.

This isn't a jigsaw puzzle, where we HAVE all the right pieces and just need to figure out how they go together. We don't have anyone who can fill that spot and get us better results. That's why I agree that we should trade Bedard before moving him. Sending Chen to the 'pen - fine; he's not going to be with us next year. But taking out Bedard and replacing him with someone of equal or lesser value... why?

[MP]

This isn't a jigsaw puzzle, where we HAVE all the right pieces and just need to figure out how they go together.

Fine analogy.

[rp0806]

This isn't a jigsaw puzzle, where we HAVE all the right pieces and just need to figure out how they go together.

Yes and no. Obviously the Orioles need better players, but they also have to maximize the talents of the players they have. e.g., maybe Gibbons at 1B and Markakis in RF is better than Millar at 1b, Markakis in LF, and Gibbons in RF (not saying this is true, but it's possible). Likewise, Bedard as a set up guy who can give us 90-100 IP with a 2.50 ERA with Loewen or someone else in the rotation might be more valuable than Bedard giving us 180-200 IP of 4.75 ERA as a starter.

[BigSteve]

I'm starting to fall more and more into the "trade him" camp. I don't want to give him away for nothing, but if we can get good value for him, I think we have to do it, especially if Loewen and/or Penn show us something over the next few months. Just look at his numbers since he came back last season:

GS  IP     IP/GS  W  L   HR  H    K    BB  ERA29  155.1 5.36   6   13 17  183 123 74  5.56

Not impressive at all. Considering how well Cabrera has pitched in that same timespan and the fact that Bedard is 27, I'm getting more and more concerned that he's never going to put it together. Putting him in the bullpen probably isn't a solution, either.

I haven't given up on him yet, but if we can fill a need with a power bat or if we can get a very good prospect, we have to be open to moving Bedard, IMO.

[Pheasants]

Just maybe, he turned the corner last night. After loading the bases in the fifth, he, if my memory is correct, struck out the side and than is quoted as saying he needs to throw strikes or be aggressive or some such. Has he possibly figured out what people are telling him? We may see if he remembers it. I won't give up on Bedard until we've got 4 others in the rotation doing well.

["Clank"]

He should be dealt before being sent to the BP.

Yes, but for what, SG? Everybody can see that this guy can only go 4 or 5 innings most of the time. What kind of value does he really have that another team would want him for their rotation? He sure is not helping the team as a starter, why not change his role to middle reliever? He's been floundering as a starter for three years now, and I'd bet the farm he'd be great pitching out of the pen. Isn't someone like him just what we need in the BP now, anyway. If he succeeds out there, when it comes time for that trade, his value would sky-rocket in that capacity. I can't believe they're not considering giving Kurt Birkins a shot at a start to see if he he can gives us 7-8 solid innings.

["Clank"]

Does anybody really believe that Bedard is ever going to be able to pitch us into the 8th and 9th innings on a fairly consistant basis? Let's face it, he's mediocre, at best, as a starter. As a long man, and eventually, set-up to Ray, he could be a LH version of Scott Shields, he'd be fantastic out there. A tremendous weapon for us or any contender.

[Sports Guy]

Does anybody really believe that Bedard is ever going to be able to pitch us into the 8th and 9th innings on a fairly consistant basis? Let's face it, he's mediocre, at best, as a starter. As a long man, and eventually, set-up to Ray, he could be a LH version of Scott Shields, he'd be fantastic out there. A tremendous weapon for us or any contender.

Show me a starter in baseball who does that.

I want the starters getting us into the 6th and 7th innings...Bedard has to improve himself by one inning, which he can easily do.

[rp0806]

Does anybody really believe that Bedard is ever going to be able to pitch us into the 8th and 9th innings on a fairly consistant basis? Let's face it, he's mediocre, at best, as a starter. As a long man, and eventually, set-up to Ray, he could be a LH version of Scott Shields, he'd be fantastic out there. A tremendous weapon for us or any contender.

Exactly. A guy like Shields can be a tremendous asset for a team. Bedard and Ray could be the Orioles version of Rivera and Wettland/Gordon and Rivera/Shields and KRod/Krod and Percival/etc. I've been as high on Bedard as anyone, but I have serious doubts that he'll ever be able to get into the 7th and 8th innings (let along 9th) on a consistent basis. As a result, he's not likely to ever give us more than 160-180 IP per year. 90-100 higher quality innings out of the bullpen in higher leverage situations might be a lot more valuable than 160-180 IP as a starter.

[skipshot26]

Whatever happens, it needs to be done soon. Bullpen, trade, whatever. He's arguably our worst starter now.

What needs to be done is that Erik needs to be given the ball every 5th day. He needs to pitch.

["Clank"]

Show me a starter in baseball who does that.

I want the starters getting us into the 6th and 7th innings...Bedard has to improve himself by one inning, which he can easily do.

Let's see, Ervin Santana, Curt Schilling, Brandon Webb, Roy Halliday, etc. BTW, [nothing to do with this thread, but], noticed what that bum, Jorge Julio is doing at Arizona?