Bill, Thanks for the stats on Jones. I never heard much about him prior to this, probably because we don't catch too many Seattle games,etc..
Let's hope this guy turns into something special because we are giving up the first decent starter we've had since Mussina. Don't forget that Bedard is only 28, so we should have at least made him a decent contract extension offer before trading him. If he doesn't accept that, just keep him for the next 2 years. Remember that if he bolts for free-agency, we still get draft picks.
Everyone knows that you win with pitching and the 'can't miss' players often so just that. I can remember all the experts saying the same things about Corey Patterson, Larry Bigbie and Louis Matsos.
I guess I'm a minority on keeping Bedard, but I've been following the O's for so long that I've almost become conditioned to seeing things turn for the worst.
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Terry,
I've stayed out of the debate on the Bedard trade because I realize they need so much help. But giving up great pitching, especially left-handed pitching, can come back to haunt you.
-- Bill O.

I dont like the trade. You never give up a known quantity for a number of unknowns. Its too risky. Left Handed starting pitching is so hard to come by. When you get an "ACE" you keep him at all costs.

I know that this probably was one of the reasons this trade has dragged on so long, but I was really impressed with his statement when he learned that he was to be traded. He wasn't bitter about going from a contender to a cellar dweller.

No, he was proud. In effect he said, "There are few greater pitching talents in the game than Erik Bedard, I'm honored that I'm being traded for him."

That's a great attitude.
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I noticed that as well. Without knowing much about the young man, that did seem to speak well for him.
-- Bill O.

i've had adam jones on my fantasy baseball radar for a couple years now. i like his swing , defense, speed and attitude (and youth).

"You never give up a known quantity for a number of unknowns."

Learn about baseball. You always give up a known quantity for unknowns. It's called rebuilding. If the Orioles are ever going to contend then these are the difficult decisions that have to be made.
If this trade ever happens than this and the Tejada trade will be the first good personnel decisions the Orioles have made in a long while.

captain jack -

With all due respect, you don't do ANYTHING at all costs, especially if you're a lousy team. Keeping Bedard isn't as simple as not trading him, it would have meant signing him to a market-value deal, which means something on the order of Santana money, 6/135. So, does that make any sense for the Orioles? I don't think so.

Is a would-be contender like SEA going to trade us major-league players? No, they need them to contend. So, you get prospects (which we need, badly), and you get several of them. Yes, they're "unknowns," but that's the way it goes. If one of them turns out to be a star roughly equal to Bedard in value, the trade is totally worth it, because you've shifted that star forward to a time when you have a chance to contend.

Well O's fans...I'm currently in Seattle and we are a little scared of this trade too. Jones is a stud and we've been told for the last couple years that he would be the future of our outfield along with Ichiro. In the games he has played in the bigs he's been impressive.
Sherrill on the other hand is AWSOME! We couldn't have asked for a better setup guy to get our closer Putz in the game! I gotta say, this is probably a pretty solid trade for both sides. The O's need a lot of help in the OF and bullpen and Seattle is in dire need of a starter. Being that Bedard will be the #1 guy with King Felix as #2 this trade could push us over the Angels hump we've had so much trouble with over the last 5 years. I really hope this goes down! Good luck guys, go beat up some Yank Sox…
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Stephen,
Thanks for writing from the Great Northwest.
-- Bill O.

Don't be too scared of Seattle prospects. A few years ago Seattle made a trade to the Red Sox to acquire Heatcliff Slocum. In return, the Red Sox landed Jason Veritek, and Derrick Low. OUCH!! That one still haunts us here in Washington State! Good Luck in 2008!

People keep referring to this trade as if the Orioles have a choice.
Sorry they don't.
They have to start rebuilding.
And keeping Roberts, Mora, Bedard, Millar...
only prolongs the inevitable.
Here's another thing few people are considering.
If you look at the body of Brian Roberts.
It is obviously not the frame of a home run hitter nor even a deep doubles hitter.
Which makes me wonder...
now that the whistle has been blown on the steroids matter...
are we really trading a singles-near doubles hitter instead of a lead-off superstar?
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Billy,
Thanks for writing.
What you say about possible trades may be true. I'm not taking issue with that.
I would say this, though, that anyone taking PEDs should have been scared straight by at least 2005 after Palmeiro so I would be surprised if many players have taken that risk since then. As we know, Roberts has admitted to a single use in 2003.
-- Bill O.

If Jones is really that good, then I'm fine with it. This team is still filled up with some washed up veterans, and we are right at the beginning of becoming a fresh young team who wants to win. Jones and Markakis in the outfield, that sounds like a pretty good mix.

this is the scuttlebut....i have seen it in more than one place
'Jones is arguably the best positional prospect the Mariners have had since Alex Rodriguez.'

This trade had to be done if our longterm goal is to compete with the yanks,sox,jays, and now the d-rays! In addition to these young minimum salary guys, we will need to get some "good" free agent signings in the future to mesh with the young guys. No more Huffs,Cordovas, and Seguis! Also why did the O's not pursue a deal with the Reds who had better talent? Why are we loading up on young pitchers when that is all we have in the minors? Who is the future at 2b and ss? Heres looking forward to 2011!

Nice comments everyone. I really am curious as to with Bedard being so much in demand and Roberts too, why don't we stick either Gibbons, Payton or Huff or Hernandez as tag-alongs just like the Marlins did when they traded Josh Beckett. Remember whoever took him had to also take Mike Lowell because Florida wanted to dump the contract and his poor stats (of course, look at how he blossomed)? I also think that they could get something for Melvin Mora (but not as a tag-along because he is better than that), but he has that no-trade (but would he veto it to go to a contender?)

I am shocked that the O's, who are stuck with these stupid worthless and unnecessary contracts, have not tried this yet. I bet they could get takers if they paid some of the salary, which is still worth it if others can then develop.

finally, some people of reason. whether you 'rebuild' (from what) or contend, you need a team core. i dont care what sport it is, but when you find a few players with exceptional talent and chemistry - build around them.
the o's have not had that since davey johnson was fired, alomar beggin for a way out, moose finally fed up and did the unspeakable, palmero refusing to do the 'brad,' and players around the league not wanting to come here. it just defined the angelos era.
a rare gem in bedard, spunky lead off in roberts, and future face of the o's markakis is just that-the core to 'rebuild' around.
each relate to a talent and commitment to win with teamwork. bedard was the ace the o's have been praying for and was the cornerstone of the core. he stops losing streaks singlehandedly!!!
a true gifted FO would 'rebuild' around bedard and co. but without bedard, why keep roberts or even markakis? liquidate them too and continue the miserable angelos era?
the o's shouldve dumped/traded the dead weights of gibbon, millar, huff, mora, cabrera, and half the bullpen for younger players. all of them for just a couple top maybe's wouldve been smart.
what is rebuilding anyway? hoping young players will turnout to be just as good as bedard?
retarded. ive been a loyal fan all my life, i just cant stomach anymore. atleast not untill we get a new owner.
sorry for the long entry.
bill, your article is the last article i read about the os. im done with this franchise. i'll take my son golfing with a mariners hat on instead of going to the yard. love the yesterO's.

"... he went 3-for-4 with a double and a walk and FIVE runs scored (I'm assuming there was some pinch-running involved) ..."

Not if the one out was a fielder's choice -- then he could have reached base and scored while still being charged with an AB.
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Thanks for writing. Well, before I wrote that I went back to look at the game logs of the series here in Baltimore but not the play-by-plays and he had a run scored in one game were there was no at-bat and no walk ... so I'm assuming that was a pinch running deal but he could have been hit by a pitch. If anything, it shows the kid can get around the bases.
-- Bill O.

I have a friend in Seattle and he likes the idea of getting Bedard. This seems like a fair trade for both sides. I haven't been to an O's game since Cal played and I look forward to bringing my daughter (8 months old now) to Baltimore when she is older to see a winning team...I saw Wieters played in Hawaii...I look forward to seeing him play in Balmer.
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Hey Dean, if you want to send some of that weather our way, feel free.
-- Bill O.

You guys in Baltimore may not realize it, but Sherrill is the steal in this deal. he is a great closer.

It is nice that the front office is fully committing to the rebuilding process, but you need a foundation to begin with before your team can truly rebuild. How can you rebuild with no foundation. That foundation is, has been and always will be the ace of your staff which should have been the one untouchable on our team outside of Markakis.

Now our foundation is gone. People can talk all they want about all of the prospects that we are getting, but that does not translate to direction. There is no foundation for those prospects to grow around. In Bedard, you had your Ace, veteran presence and foundation all in one.

We trade a great pitcher for a man who batted.246 last year. i sure hope someone sees him as a future all star or this will be the biggest goof since Albert Belle.

3/4 w/5 runs scored. Assuming there is pinch running involved? Not seeing the boxscore I think that would be the least likely thing. Perhaps he got on via walk or something. Sounds like you think you can just put a fast runner in anytime you want to keep speedy guys on base. This isn't whiffle ball where even there it would be frowned upon.
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Allen,
Thanks for writing. You missed something there. I wrote ... in a series here ... all those stats didn't come from one game alltough the at-bats and the walk did ... he had a run scored in a game where he had no at-bat and no walk. I didn't check the play-by-play before I wrote that because I didn't think it all that important but since you and someone else brought it up, I did and he ran for Jose Guillen and scored.
-- Bill O.

This trade has taken a bit of time longer than some expected. It appers that owner Angelos got involved by seeing if Eric Bedard could be signed long term. Those discussions probably took some time, behind the scenes. Once the Bedard team indicated that a GREAT deal of money wuld be involved, Angelos andMacPhail made the final decison to trade this excellent pitcher.
Also, other columns indicate that not only wil Adam Jones be a "find", but Sherrill will be the closer, and the other two have very high marks too. Good trade for the Orioles now that Bedard asked for too much money that the O's would not spend right now.

As much as I've been a fan of Bedard, I'm all for the Adam Jones trade. Over the past 10 years the O's have done nothing but make mostly bonehead moves.. Its good to see them try'n to do the right thing. Don't forget Bedard flew in under the radar we still have Hayden Penn and Adam Lowen who can be great left handed pitchers in the Bigs. Daniel Caberra is just a few tweeks away from being dominate and reminds me a lot of a Randy Johnson in his early days. Lets get these young HUNGRY guys on the field. I was only 9 at the time but I will never forget the '89 season a bunch of young scrappy guys who played their hearts out and fought till the last game of the season. Thats what Baltimore needs again..

This is an absolutely fantastic trade for the Orioles and the Mariners. Remember it gives up something to get something in return. Sure there is always uncertainty with prospects, but there is always uncertainty with pitching healthy. Let's remember that Bedard has only played a full season once in his career. I commend McPhail on this trade and the Tejada trade. I really do think we'll see returns in the next two years. That being said, they should do everything to sign Roberts to an extension unless they get completely overwhelmed by an offer.

The trade will be good for both teams.

As a native Baltimorean recently transplanted in Seattle...there's no doubt what the Mariners are getting. Bedard figures to win at least 15-18 a year here barring injury or a total offensive collapse.

The Orioles are getting a proven pitcher who they'll appreciate for his consistently strong performance and excellent control. He was a 7th and 8th inning set up man here but the O's can make him a closer. I'd rather the Mariners kept him and traded Brandon Morrow. Yes sports fans, George Sherrill is that good.

Adam Jones comes highly touted but is still unproven. Hopefully he'll realize his potential as the Orioles starting centerfielder.

The 3 young cherubs thrown in on the deal are prospects and you can't ever have enough of those.
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Bob,
Cherubs ... I like that ... were they originally from the Angels organization. Just kidding. Thanks for writing from out there.
-- Bill O.

The O's are now in their 10th year of "rebuilding" for the future. Perhaps they have finally learned how to do it and my grandchildren will be able to watch competitive baseball in 5 years or so.

So if the O's start to put a competitive product on the field I'll be back. Until then...geez--I've poured way too much money into seats at Camden Yards...

No question you guys in Baltimore will be pleased with this trade. Once Sherrill steps on the mound to close out a game you will see how good he is. And just wait till you see Adam Jones' swing... its beautiful. Waited a while for him to join the Mariners but at least we are getting a quality pitcher for him. And anything that helps a team beat the Sox and the Yanks, im all for it! Can't wait for some baseball!

This team has not recovered since losing Mussina and he was not even a left hander. Look what it has taken to get back to this point. Not every trade for propects works out. Looks how many bums we have picked up so far. Bedard is still a youngster. We cant lump him with Mora, Roberts and Millar. This game is still pitching..pitching..pitching. Anybody remember the Oriole way? Yeah, Weaver like the 3 run homerun. But, bottom line was 4-20 game winners.

A couple of comments on the comments on the deal:

1. Rebuilding is never easy and it means getting something in return for marketable personnel. Is it a gamble? Of course, but you make the best decision with the information in front of you. Unfortunately the O's ownership needs more than every other team in the league.

2. Matos and Bigbie were never going to be 'can't miss' players. Any expert that said otherwise should no longer have the 'expert' tag.

3. Jones comments about being traded for Bedard, regardless of the timing, were impressive. Hopefully that winning attitude spreads throughout the locker room.

4. A lot of comments on the board are deriding this trade, but this is a trade you have to make if you want to be better in the future. I am reminded of the deal the Cowboys made with the Vikings for one legendary Herschel Walker. If the O's are fortunate, maybe it will turn out the same way.

Face it you were LOSERS with Bedard this is a great trade for you guys WAKE UP !!!!!!!!!! its a trade that gets us the M's to the series.

Great comments. But I think the point that everyone is missing is that in order to get something of value, you have to give something of value up. The O's could keep Bedard, Roberts and Tejeda and still finish 4th or 5th in the division. What would that accomplish? Once the Bedard trade is official, you will have gotten 10 players for the 2 that you gave up. Let's say that 3 years down the road, 5 of those players that you got in the trade are on your roster and contributing. You just made a 5 for 2 trade and for players who are much younger.

This is not a new recipe for success. Detroit did it a few years ago. Minnesota and Oakland have been doing it consistently. All of those teams contend each year. So it can be done. But it can't be done if you keep your players and let them leave via free agency. Also, getting draft picks doesn't help. That is like trying to hit the lottery. Baseball's draft has very few sure things. Players drafted in the 20th round make the big leagues while those drafted in much earlier rounds never produce. I applaud Andy McPhail for being realistic enough to see that we can't win with the players we have and our farm system is in dire need of upgraded talent.

This is how you rebuild a team that has not had a winning season in over 10 years.
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Kennith,
Thanks for writing. I know what you say makes sense but losing Bedard is certainly painful. Hopefully, for the fans' sakes this works out.
-- Bill O.

They are still prospects. Didnt we trade somebody to Atlanta for 3 prospects? Did any of those 3 work out for us? What if only 2 of those 10 have minimal impact on the roster 5 years from now?

It was not just the Walker trade that helped rebuild the Cowboys. They got 3 picks a QB, and they got 3 more for another player. You thown in the Walker pickes and they did have 11 guys added to their own draft pool and that they drafted wisely and you know the rest of the story.

The Orioles have not drafted nor traded wisely. Granted Markakis is a bonafide stud. But, how many other recents stars have this club produced in-house?