I'm loving this and I fully expect to not get ANY work done today while I comb the internet for rumors.

J is for Jones!

It means potter hasn't gotten back to MacFail to tell him it's OK..... Those puppet strings can be a real struggle to untangle early in the morning....

MacFail is a control freak is what you are telling us Roch.... it fits with the other "stuff" I have heard too buddy. I bet having to go on bended knee to potter for trade approval must drive him to the early martinis.... luckily there is a potter spawn lurking at the warehouse that would gladly join him. :-)

Typical dysfunctional O's "trade" wouldn't you say Roch? Oh yeah, things have really changed under MacFail....

All of these rumors are going to be the death of me.

I'm with Dan the Man. Definitely won't be able to number crunch this morning at work. I have my homepage set to Baltimore Sun Sports and I keep hitting refresh. It's going to be a looooooonnnnng day. I don't even want to leave for lunch. I might miss something.

All I know is, if we trade Bedard, we better get some DAMN GOOD players in return or I might kill someone.

Roch,
This sure has been a frustrating offseason! However, unlike the Brian Roberts fiasco, this doesn't seem to be a simple internet rumor gone bad. ESPN, Ken Rosenthal, mlb.com, and the Seattle press all picked up on this story and confirmed, like you, that the actualy FO for both teams deny anything is official, but this sure seems close to happening today or tomorrow. I just hope Jones didn't delay things by spilling the beans in Venezuela.

I'm excited for the potential though!!

This IS fun. If we can't have a winning team, at least we have intrigue. I'm ready to see a team of youngsters--losing 100+ games--if at least they seem to be giving their all. After all that we've endured, I'm ready for a new fresh approach.

I don't understand Angelos, he has to know that everyone in this town hates him and he is the biggest joke around the league... Why not just sell the team to Ripken and be done with it?

I thought this was comment below was worth repeating.....

Also here is a wish that Bedard's arm blows up before he gets that big payday wherever he lands..... I can see him , soon, in a shack on some frozen pond in Canada, fishing through a hole in the ice ,wearing one of those hats with the flaps on it , calling people hosers.... like in "Grumpy Old Men..." ,except he is 29.

Well it would appear Bedard forced the trade, via his little "talk" with Jeff Z., that he wanted & that MacFail finally blinked....
Don't any of you find it interesting that Bedard was willing to be interviewed at THIS time? He runs from the press after a game he has pitched, jets out of town at the end of the year with weeks to go in the season with an "injury", BUT he grants a long interview in late Jan. ,days before MacFail's stated "deadline" for deals to be made before "they head in around direction..." Doesn't this all look just a tad self serving to any of you?
Other than Jones, the rest of those names are just roster fodder..... not so much for a top lefty starter if you ask me.... I would have insisted they take Payton off our hands at least OR included someone else useful now.

This is so bizarre. Is it just me or does it seem significantly more difficult for the Orioles to make moves in a normal manner than any other team? Why does there always have to be such drama?

It makes you relish the relatively peaceful siging of Guillermo Quiroz.

no way will i ever play poker, or chess, with mcphail!!!! this guy is a cold negotiator. my guess is that he really wants the catcher. or maybe it's quite the juggling act to make the bedard and the roberts trades to work together. no sense in getting the same things from both teams; much smarter to balance them out. mcphail is cold, and i LOVE it!!!!

q is for questions, the more answered, the more there are......

ooo what juicy goss to see first thing in the am

J is indeed for Jones.

Roch you point out some very good points between an agreement and a deal.
My guess would be that since the M's told Jones to stop playing games, and to report to Baltimore.....AM and the Bavassi are finalizing the agreement over the last player involved. And what this tells me is that the M's want to get this deal inked and if need be, will give in and let AM have the player he is pushing for. Probably a Class A pitcher with some upside.

Despite all of this, one must remember the P A effect. Because when it all is said and done, AM can say he is the GM but in reality he is the biggest puppet on the string. So dont be surprised if P A says no at the last minute. .....WOULDNT SURPRISE ME!

But I can see B-Rob saying enough and PLEASE TRADE ME if he sees E B sent packing.

WIth the players the five players I have seen mentioned Jones, Tillman, Sherrill, Butler and Mickolio, you would be a FOOL P A not to jump on this deal!

Imagine the idea that a young guy who is actually excited about the prospect of coming to Baltimore and getting a chance to play everyday getting in trouble because he didn't realize he wasn't supposed to say anything yet...

Maybe Pieper's notification that his client was in the process of being traded was subjected to the same fax machine that apparently changed his "we're open to the idea of an extension" fax to MacPhail into a "we'd prefer to go year by year" one.

Sorry...frustratingly slow offseason coupled with a late night trying to figure out why so many MLB deals seem to go as smoothly as if Congress was running the show tends to make me a little cranky. I'll be okay once I get my Starbucks..hopefully.

This isnt fun until a deal gets done.

How many trades under MacPhail will it take for people to ditch the Angelos veto crap? MacPhail is in charge. Angelos did veto some trades, but if you look at some of the trades he vetoed, it was for good reason. Angelos didn't trust his management. He trusts MacPhail.

Roch, are Sun reporters waiting at BWI for Jones?

RIP Prop Joe

Who knows if this deal will happen or not, but if the O’s can land another organization’s top prospect (from a decent organization like Seattle), you have to applaud that if rebuilding is the direction we’re going. It’s a shame that it’s come to Bedard getting traded; despite his recent comments, I believe the O’s could’ve extended him if they would’ve tried last year or the year before and shown they were serious about a commitment. Hopefully, this is a process that gets corrected in the future, particularly with Nick Markakis. But for now, moving Bedard, if it happens, confirms a rebuilding process, and you have to figure that Roberts will get dealt also. Making serious, risky moves, not acquiring mediocre veterans who have nowhere else to go, not standing pat—seriously, anything different than what has happened the last 10 years is refreshing.

Roch, the drama involved with this is just weird. It smells of a typical saga that has Angelos in the middle. To me, it’s worse if Angelos interferes in such matters than whether or not a particular trade gets made. His interference in the past might have stopped some bad trades from happening, but in the long run, that interference just assures that, at best, the team stays put (staying put isn’t a good thing when you’re a perennial fourth place finisher).

The intrigue and paranoia comes from people believing what they read on the internet. Wanna buy a bridge into NY? The deal will be done if all the parts fall into place. It's a market place. Without a willing buyer and a willing seller nothing is going to happen. The Twins must be disfunctional as well since they have not been able to complete a trade for Santana. McPhail has stated he will not allow the other owners to pick his pocket. He has a set value for Bedard, until it is meet there will be no trade. If Bedard goes in free agency the O's get two draft picks and two years of his service. Trade offers need to be of equal or greater value to get done.

I'm ready for the "speculation and rumors" to turn into the real thing. I've been on board with trading Bedard all along. I never thought we had a shot at resigning him even before he granted that interview a few days ago. I am more on the fence with trading Roberts though, maybe because his personality is the complete opposite from Bedard. I'm happy to get Jones out of the Bedard trade, but I know I'll be a little sad to see Roberts go, no matter who we get in return.

I love this quote from Sherrill (who maybe part of the package coming back from Seattle)

Sherrill, one of the Mariners' top relievers last season when he posted a 2-0 record and 2.36 ERA in 73 appearances, said Sunday night from his Salt Lake City home that he's not aware of any deal that includes him.

"I have not heard a thing," he said, "but am preparing myself for the worst."

...no wonder the O's are frequently described as 'dysfunctional' by the broader baseball media. h = (pick 'em) Humiliating or Hilarious

I like the deal.

Why don't they make the deal contingent on the Mariners taking some garbage off our hands. You don't get Bedard if you don't take Gibbons, Huff, etc. :)

Let's wait and see what we get for Bedard before we crucify McPhail. I have a hunch that the deal may be bigger than rumored. Seattle is trying to win now and we have some excess spare parts we could deal, besides Bedard, that might help their cause. It wouldn't surprise me to see Patyon or someone else go with Eric and we get like 6 or 7 players in return.

You can't fault the man for his approach. We are talking about an ace starter, maybe one of the best 5 starters in baseball. I'd take my time and get the best I can as well. Imagine how the Twins fans are feeling.

Does this mean he is Packed-Man Jones?

Just reported on ESPN First Take by Buster Olney that Adam Jones is in fact on his way to Baltimore for a physical...deal should be announced sometime today!

Just more of the same,it doesn't matter who the mouthpiece happens to be,the Puppetmaster is still behing the scenes pulling the strings.And the whole reason he won't sell the team is he is sure he and his dysfunctional boys can right this ship on their own,without caring what the fan base says or does.He's going to make his money from MASN and MLB any way you look at it.11 seasons and counting.It's a sad time to be an O's fan.

Roch - Which outfield spot Jones is projected to play? Also, he didn't exactly tear the cover off the ball during his September call up, .240 ish in 40+ games???

Geoff Baker has shed a little light on the puzzle. His paper has a special relationship with the paper in Venezuela and they were sent the story a day before it was published in the local paper in Venezuela. This is why people cannot find the information, but the story is accurate.

I hope if this deal does get finalized, that we somehow managed to get Triunfel included as well... have read so many good things about him...

Smart move Os. I sure hope Loewen is fully recovered and Cabrera matures, because I have a feeling my eyes are going to be bleeding a lot more this season (and that's saying something). Jones better be damned good (stating it politely and without using the more colorful words that would better describe how I actually feel).

I find it interesting that reports are now that the Roberts trade will soon follow (4-6 weeks Oriole time) and the deal will include Pie and Gallegher. We try for one and get two outfielders? Strange. I have learned though that you cannot believe the players involved until it is final. I suspect by the time the team opens in April we will know, until then it is all a guess. Who knows, AM may still be trying to finalize this deal come April so maybe I should say May?

Brian. I agree that if (or when!)this trade goes through, we aren't getting much back in return. Jones is 'supposed' to be a star but the 'experts' said the same thing about a lot of OF-our own Matos/Bigbie and Patterson for starters.
Sherill has some upside I suppose but he's basically a situational 31 yr Lefty-not exactly a key piece in any rebuilding plan. Walker already holds down that spot and could probably pitch forever ala Orosco/Groom.
I'm not sure about the motives behind Bedard's recent interview. A cynic could suggest it was to spark a trade but is McPhail that 'soft' that he would magically pull this off so soon just to cave in to a player? Some GM's with a 'pair' might just react the opposite and keep him here for the balance of his contract (or better yet trade him to one of the few teams worse than us-Pitts/Wash/KC etc).
At least we are not getting Sexson but having Seattle take someone like Payton or Gibbons might have made this trade a little easier to take.
Until it's official, I'll try not to dwell on this as King Peter nixed other deals at the last hour.

Roch, keep up the fine work.

I hope all this get confirmed very soon. It's a good deal for us. I'm a fan of getting young pitching, but we need some middle infield prospects. If this is who we're getting for Seattle, four are pitchers. And large ones at that. It would be nice if we were a basketball team.
"What I am getting is that it’s Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, George Sherrill, Tony Butler and Kameron Mickolio going to Baltimore."
I also saw once this is done, then B-Rob to Cubs for Pie and Gallagher. Again not a bad move but who's playing second? If you have Jones and Pie, where's Luke going to play? Cause lets not be rediculous, he will lead our team in HR's if he gets the at-bats. Hopefully we throw in Payton, Mora, and Gibbons in these deals!

Thanks for keeping us up on the news, Roch. This is what blogs are made for.

We'll have to have a little faith in McPhail right now. Give him the benefit of the doubt until it either consummates or falls apart. The guy's not dumb.

ESPN said that Jones and Sherrill had said that they are scheduled to take physicals shortly.

Clement, Morrow, and Truinfel are Seattle's best prospects, after Adam Jones. If at least two of those three are not in the deal with Jones, then MacPhail got taken to the cleaners.

Unless the Cubs are high on Sherrill, I can't imagine why the Orioles need him. He's old and the difference between his 60 IP and the 60 IP you'd get from Brian Burress is negligible for purposes of 2008 and 2009.

I'm more worried than excited, now.

Sherrill has confirmed with teammates he has been asked to attend physical. Tillman was ranked #3 Mariners prospect but did not have great numbers last year. We shall see. (Report) He is hearing Jones, Tillman, Sherrill, Tony Butler, and Kameron Mickolio to the O's. Mickolio is a AA relief pitcher and Butler is A starter, 20 years old. You never know about prospect but that is five players for Bedard, two highly reguarded, an established reliever, and youngster and a AAA pitcher. Pieces to another puzzle?

ESPN' s newest article says Jones and Sherrill have told teammates they are taking physicals for a trade.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3218093

Is it feasible that Adam Jones has been following the rumor mill closely this winter, just like Bedard, and has drawn conclusions about his FO's intentions regarding his return to the US?

Everyone is asking "What is Jones incentive to make up a story?"

Maybe Jones misunderstood Bavasi's requests, assuming he's unfamiliar with how the business of baseball works, and has accidentally distorted the facts in an emotional reaction to being pulled in the middle of the winter playoffs. All we are going on is what Jones has said.

Remember, Jones is a baseball player, not a GM, and is not involved in the deal making.

Among the many things I do not understand about all the counter-information floating around (where to start!), is the idea that the O's are going to follow this up with Roberts to Chicago for Gallagher and Pie.

First, this does not make sense. If we get Jones and the idea is for jones to play CF why would we need Pie? If we have Scott in LF and Markakis in RF and Jones in CF, Pie becomes the odd man out. Why would we give up Roberts for a reserve?

Second, as much as the roto-geeks rave about Pie, the opinion about him in Chicago and among the scouts seems to be that he is not the guy his PR says he is. If we get Gallagher (projected as a # 3) and Pie for Roberts we will have been fleeced.

The more I hear the less I know.

Instead of auditioning for Commissioner, could MacPhail be auditioning for Director of the CIA?

ESPN is reporting that the deal is awaiting Angelos' approval. This is fun.

Tah Dah !!!!! From ESPN

Source: Angelos yet to greenlight proposed Bedard trade
By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: January 28, 2008, 12:30 PM ET
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Orioles owner Peter Angelos hasn't yet signed off on the proposed deal that would send Erik Bedard to Seattle, according to a source familiar with the Orioles' internal discussions.

Bedard

The same source also indicated that Angelos wasn't informed of the particulars of this latest proposal until late Sunday and that he won't be available Monday to confer with the Orioles' baseball officials because of a personal matter.

Given Angelos' long history of vetoing trades, one baseball man who has dealt extensively with Angelos predicted that "this could get more interesting as it goes along" if Angelos has yet to approve this deal.

Indications are that the trade is still likely to happen, given the abrupt departure of its centerpiece, Mariners outfielder Adam Jones, from winter ball. But the source confirmed a Baltimore Sun report that Jones isn't currently scheduled to fly to Baltimore for a physical.

Both Jones and Mariners relief pitcher George Sherrill have informed teammates that they have been asked to take physicals in conjunction with the trade, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. It is not known when those physicals will take place.

Jones, Sherrill, minor league pitcher Chris Tillman and a fourth undisclosed prospect are believed to make up the package of players the Orioles desire in return for the 28-year-old Bedard, who was 13-5 last season with a 3.16 ERA and 221 strikeouts, third in the AL, for a 93-loss team.

Tillman, who turns 20 in April, was Seattle's second-round pick in the 2006 draft. Baseball America ranks him as the organization's No. 3 prospect.

Jayson Stark is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Jerry Crasnick covers Major League Baseball for ESPN Insider.

Now that the O's are getting Jones in a deal (move it McPhailure!!!) and probably having him play CF... would it benefit them to also acquire Pie? Getting Pie is going to diminish the overall quantity and quality that the Os could get in return here...

Pie & Gallagher

or

Gallagher, Marshall, Cedeno, and Murton

The question there becomes, what is more valuable Pie (CF), or Cedeno (SS/2B/3B/CF), Murton (LF/RF) and Marshall (LH Starter...dare I say Bedard's replacement???)

A Murton/Scott plattoon in Left isn't too bad until Murton shows by the All-Star break that he simply needed a chance to go play every day without pressure...

I maintain that if Hill is involved, then it's Hill for the "juicer" straight-up...

As I sit here, I see a picture in my mind of McPhail walking toward Pangelos' office March 31st, as a glacier passes, and he informs him that "We're going to build this team around Brian Roberts because we cannot get enough in return...and he's your favorite Oh great Peter". Meanwhile, the Os finish last in the AL East in 2008 and 2009, and McPhail's moves or lack thereof are underacheiving as they always do...Brian Roberts gets out of town via Free Agency after the '09 season for a 3 or 4 year deal from the Brewers or Cardinals or something, as the Os get nothing in return...Enjoy the combination of McFailure AND Pangelos...it could be the worst match in professional sports history.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3218624

Two interesting points in this post.
First, your idiot owner isn't letting his baseball people make baseball decisions.
Second, George Sherril is the second Mariner saying he is heading to Baltimore for a physical.

I believe this is all a formality---AM is making sure he gets the write off from PA before involving the players--the report from ESPN makes sense--I believe word will come out Tuesday after Angelos finishes with his personal business details

Well it appears that Angelos is the only thing keeping this trade from going through. This certainly explains why McPhail has been so cryptic regarding the deal being finalized. If Angelos were to block the trade, McPhail will publicly take the position that a deal was never finalized.

This would follow a long line of brilliant moves by Peter The Great: El Sid, The Rafael Palmeiro/Esteban Yan Expansion Draft fiasco-- which would have netted Al Leiter in his prime, Albert Belle.

So, what's the deal now? Looks like ESPN is reporting that Angelos hasn't greenlit the trade yet? Thought he wasn't the one to do it? MacPhail was the guy in charge?

Quick, somebody needs to be an impostor and confirm the trade to MacPhail, making him think Angelos said yes!

Why do we deserve this drama!

R is for reruns!

Dave - When did 30 become "Old"?

Becareful what aspersions you cast!

Check this out from Frank Robby's biography:
"Prior to the 1966 season, Reds owner Bill DeWitt made the controversial decision of sending Robinson to Baltimore in exchange for ace pitcher Milt Pappas, pitcher Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson. The trade tarnished Dewitt's legacy, and outrage over the deal made it difficult for Pappas to adjust to pitching in Cincinnati. DeWitt famously defended the deal to skeptical Reds fans by claiming that Robinson was "an old 30."

Meanwhile, Robinson's first year in Baltimore was a historic one. He accomplished the rare feat of winning the Triple Crown, leading the American League with a .316 batting average, 49 home runs and 122 runs batted in. The Orioles won the World Series, something Robinson's Reds had never accomplished, and Robinson was named the Series MVP."

How many players UNDER 30 were in the MLB leaders for hitting? Only 1 (Holliday) in the top 6.

In ALL of MLB in 2007, Old George was 28th in appearances and 29th in ERA for pitchers with over 20 games.

With the same stats, he would have been 3rd in appearances and 1st in ERA for the O's. Imagine Old George called into the game instead of youthful Rocky Cherry (26), Hoey (25), Liz (24), Birkins (27), Doyne (26) or FCab (26)?

Youth will be served, but talent trumps age at every turn.

ESPN is saying that Angelos hasn't approved the deal yet... well if he would stop counting his money which he won't spend on the team for two seconds and let his GM do his job maybe we would be having a press conference at the warehouse right now. If Angelos vetoes this McPhail should just pack his bags and leave.

ESPN is reporting that the hold is up Angelos...he had not seen the deal and has not approved the trade.

So it may be another lost opportunity if Angelos decides to veto the deal...

So much for thinking that McPhail was really in charge...

I still can't beleive we couldn't have got a better offer from the Reds.

Please do not get Tillman. He stinks.

I agree with Dave above. No idea why we would want Sherill for a couple of years.

If it's Jones-Clement-Triunfel/Morrow, then I could live with it, but I'd hardly say it's blowing us away as AM promised he wouldn't deal unless he got an offer that belw us away.

Jones .246 hitter in MLB
Tillman ERA above 5.00 in high A ball.
Triunfel been a disapointment so far.
Clement, potential but catching capbilites questioned.

Is this blowing us away? But please, please do not get Tillman.

ESPN.com is now reporting that according to sources familiar with the Orioles internal discussions, Angelos has yet to sign off on the Bedard deal and will not be able to sign off today due to a personal matter.

If he does not sign off, this franchise will officially be unsalvagable. At some point, this man has got to realize that you leave your baseball man to make baseball decisions.

This is it folks. This is the call that determines if the Orioles will ever have a chance to win under Angelos. And I am not saying this trade determines anything, I am saying that Angelos undermining MacPhail's ability to do his job will determine if this franchise will ever have a chance to be viable under the Angelos regime. He needs to swallow hard and just listen to what his baseball man tells him.

If he doesn't, it really is over. The O's will have officially been reduced to the exact opposite of what they were from
66 to 83.

Angelos, the jury's out on you right here, right now.

I agree with TerryP & Dave..... as for Roberts, I don't want any Pie or a marginal SP for our leadoff hitter & SB threat that is a league leader there.

Clement is rumored to have holes in his swing, plus they did draft Weiters. Clement would seem to be a redundancy. I'd rather get a position player or one more of those hot shot Ps they have. Bedard is a dolt, but he is also a top flight SP. I went on the record as saying I'd almost rather keep him here, pitch him to death, & maybe deal him at the deadline or next year.

According to ESPN: Angelos hasn't yet signed off on the proposed deal, wasn't informed of the particulars of this version of the deal until late Sunday and won't be available all day today . . . according to a source familiar with the Orioles' internal discussions.

Also, Chris Tillman, pitcher ranked number 3 prospect in Mariners' org by Baseball America is said to be part of the deal, along with Sherill and a fourth player as yet undisclosed.

With no real concrete reason for it, I suspect that Seattle decided to "give in" on a player they had previously declined to include and thinking that would make the deal a go, pulled Jones off the field in Venezuela, but that McPhail either tried to pull a switch at this point or tried to get some of our cash rich performance poor flotsam and jetsam taken off his hands leaving things in a "not so fast" mode.

Doesnt anyone else see Bedard as not very tough physically or mentally and thus a good chip to pass on before that is exposed? I see him as a number two pitcher for that reason; Unlike a Clemens he will never be dependable enough to be a number one. He will be more like a poor man's Pedro . . . all time great when going 100% , maybe putting one or two all time great seasons together but always being just unhappy enough or just nicked enough to not put together the string of seasons that a Clemens or Ryan put together. No question he is the best we have. No question he is potentially as good as anyone in the league. But is he sound enough to be the foundation of a great rotation? Is he gritty enough to win when he doesnt have his best stuff? Will he go out there every 4th day when his shoulder or elbow is stiff or his knee is sore? I am not saying he isnt a great player. I am just saying I wouldnt consider him untouchable and I am fine with this trade happening now.

The next step has to be making a Yankee like move. Cut the expensive spare parts we have accumulated over the last couple years. If we bring in a haul of 12 to 15 players by trading Tejada, Bedard and Roberts, I hope we make room on the 40 man by eating the contracts of Gibbons/Millar/Payton. What separates the Yankees and their payroll from the rest isnt their ability to go out and sign the flavor of the month every offseason; it is the ability of the Yankees to cut loose that flavor of the month when they realize he doesnt taste as good as they thought he would. PA cant repeat the Belle debacle and let a dead players salary keep us from moving on. I would like to see money put up off the budget line item for salaries to clear the dead weight instead of keeping it on the 40 man for budgeting reasons

If we are to believe ESPN's report, then I have only one question about Angelos. What "personnal " reason could be more important then approving this trade? I could understand if he was having surgury or a family member died but I bet that is not the case. If Angelos truley trusts MacPhilIf we are to believe ESPN's report that the deal is waiting on Angelos approval, then I have only one question. What "personal” reason could be more important then approving the trade that could eventually stop your club from being an embarrassment? I could understand if he was having surgery or a family member died but I bet that this is not the case. If Angelos truly trusts MacPhail then he should only have one question. “Andy is this the best deal we can get? “ If any says yes, then the deal is a go. How long does that take. I am sure Peter will want to personally inspect every player’s medical record because he was ONCE right about Sele 5 plus years ago.

We already know that Angelos waits forever to make a decision (like a lawyer), now we see how slow MacPhail can be. I think they should start fielding July 31th trade offers now.

To replace Bedard lets sign Trachael again. Maybe trading him the Cubs in August can be a yearly tradition.

Hopefully the hold up is that Seattle can't decide which extra piece they want between Payton and Gibbons, since they need a rightfielder. Because the Bedard deal is a 5-for-1 (or hopefully a 6-for-2), another hold up may be McPhail trying to figure out who gets axed from the 40-man roster.

Hey Tom, ever heard of thinking on your feet? Lawyers have to do it all the time. That means they have to think fast. Has anyone ever considered that Angelos is just an a-hole, and it really doesn't have anything to do with him being a lawyer? There are a lot of honest, hard-working, non-pro-sports-team-ruining attorneys out there who should never be lumped into the same category as Angelos.

Why wouldn't it be a simple as Bedard finally going public with his frustration in re-working his deal? He got impatient and who knows the threats that went on under the headlines. I'm sure it's the O's that folded and not the M's. I guess we'll see tomorrow when the whole deal is announced. Thanks for the Cy Young candidate, Baltimore. :-)