Bill Bavasi on the Unemployment Line...

Since you can't fire the players...

The Seattle Mariners decided to from GM Bill Bavasi this afternoon due to their lack of success in 2008 and having the worst record in baseball. Currently at 24-45, they are worst team in the sport, and after a sweep by the Washington Nationals changes were in order.

Although the Mariners won 88 games in 2007, and acquired Erik Bedard from the Orioles via trade and Carlos Silva, the deals have no translated into additional victories.

Considering that they were expected to contend, the writing was on the wall after two and a half months of ineptitude.

Again, I ask, do you think Mariners fans are happy with Jones and Sherrill in an Oriole uniform, along with three of their former prospects in the farm system?

I think not, and from the beginning I knew the Mariners gave way too much for Bedard.

Even the Seattle papers out there at the time said this deal would kill the team (ok, this has not so much done that -- it's the fact their high priced players can't hit, their pitching sucks, as does their 'pen)

Now Bavasi paid the price and Andy MacPhail has come off looking like a genius so far.

Um, John McLaren, you might want to start updating your resume...

McLaren Blows Up: What Must Erik Bedard Be Thinking?

Ah, Erik Bedard, perhaps he might now regret going to Seattle and not staying with Baltimore. As for us, man, does Andy MacPhail look more like a genius each and every day.

I feel for Mariners fans, this deal has needless to say not worked out in their favor.

Now Seattle skipper John McLaren has blown a gasket, and his tirade now will perhaps inspire -- however, not likely -- they're simply not a good team.

Oh boy, what will happen next?

The Roundup, Buster Olney, Orioles News...

Well, since I will assuredly get minimal work done here today, here's some words of wisdom from Buster Olney's blog this morning. He's looking at the crystal ball towards the Orioles' immediate future, and it ain't good.

From ESPN's Olney: "If the Orioles do follow through and trade Bedard and Roberts, they will be putting pieces in place that could help them in their attempts to reconstruct their organization. In the big picture, that's the right thing to do. But as they compete within a division that includes the defending champion Red Sox, the Yankees, the sleeper Blue Jays and the markedly improved Rays, the Orioles are poised to have the kind of season that will make you want to avert your eyes.

Then again, they lost a game 30-3 last year, so is it really going to be much worse than the way it has been for the last decade in Baltimore?"

Ouch.

Hey, most figured that the Washington Nationals would be one of the worst teams of all time in '07; alas, they finished up with 73 wins and played a pivotal role in the collapse of the New York Mets.

***

Roch Kubatko updated his blog this morning, and still isn't saying there's movement taking place. And, for the umpteenth time, Jeff Zrebiec reports that the Orioles are denying that a deal is taking place with the Mariners, and talks are on-going.

Tony Giro of the Examiner has his thoughts on the rumored Bedard trade to Seattle for Adam Jones and a number of guys...

The Orioles.com and Mariners.com website has news of the rumored move...

Matt Bender of WNST believes that the Orioles may live to regret trading Erik Bedard, assuming he gets traded; Thryl Nelson believes that the news of the trade is encouraging to the organization and the fanbase; Meanwhile, Drew Forrester thinks that someone is lying about the whole deal...

There are several threads on Orioles Hangout talking about the trade -- here, here, here, here and here. I'd recommend checking out the site for the various opinions on the trade and the players involved.

Here's a piece from CNNsi.com John Heyman, ESPN, The Seattle News-Tribune, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, & the Seattle Times.

Camden Chat has more details on the trade from sources and also the potential location of the physical (Bethesda???); Ben of Oriole Central thinks we are being played with; HRB of Dempsey's Army knows what we all know -- the rumor mill is in full swing; Orioles and Lobster along with Weaver's Tantrum has their take on the whole deal with MacPhail, Bedard and the Mariners;

If Bedard Is Traded, Is Roberts Next?

Ah, since Sunday night, it seems that business has picked up for the Orioles. Now, take a look at what CNN/Sports Illustrated writer John Heyman wrote last night...

First, more news on what most fans know already:

There are signs the deal is getting closer -- such as Jones telling reporters that he's headed to Baltimore for a physical -- but late word Sunday night is there's still some internal debate in Baltimore over the deal. Club owner Peter Angelos is famous for nixing deals involving his best players.

Mariners GM Bill Bavasi said by phone Sunday night that it was not a done deal. "We're not there yet,'' Bavasi said. "I can't tell you anything.''

Meanwhile, Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail echoed that sentiment to the Baltimore Sun. "We do not have an agreement with the Mariners," MacPhail said.

Sources told SI.com that Jones (.314 with 25 homers at Triple-A Tacoma), reliever George Sherrill (2-0, 2.36 with Seattle), a strikeout artist who could bolster Baltimore's injury-ravaged bullpen, and minor-league pitcher Chris Tillman (6-7, 5.26 at Class-A High Desert), are among players who have been prominently mentioned in trade talks. Catcher Jeff Clement (.275 with 20 homers also at Tacoma) was discussed at one point, but it's believed the Mariners will hold onto him.

Here's what Heyman says thereafter about the Cubs possibly acquiring Roberts:

If the Orioles do complete the Bedard trade, word is they would likely then send All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts (.290, 12 HR, 57 RBIs, 50 SBs) to the Chicago Cubs for prospects, possibly outfielder Felix Pie and pitcher Sean Gallagher (3-1, 2.66 at Triple-A Iowa). Pie batted .362 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs at Triple-A Iowa but hit just .215 in 177 at-bats with the Cubs in 2007.

However, the Roberts deal appears to be waiting on completion of the Bedard deal.

It looks like one deal may come after the other; however, let's wait and see. As most Orioles fans know by what is written by our great scribes is not gospel, as things can change by the minute.

If all goes as rumored, the Orioles would have accomplished in greatly turning over their roster, and more importantly getting guys under their control for several years.

Yet, another tip of the hat to Ian of Sox & Dawgs for the info...

Erik Bedard Finally A Goner?

A big tip of the hat for Ian of Sox and Dawgs for emailing me this:

From ESPN: 2:56 p.m. ET, from Amy Nelson

"The Orioles and Dodgers may be close on a deal that will send left-hander Erik Bedard to Los Angeles, a baseball source said. The O's are in need of a center fielder and a closer who can play at the major league level, and the Dogders seem willing to part with outfielder Matt Kemp and reliever Jonathan Broxton, who could come in a close in lieu of Chris Ray, out for the year after Tommy John surgery. "They want Bedard bad," said the source."

Like I said, don't be surprised that MacPhail jumped on a chance to get some good youngsters who could contribute immediately. The Dodgers have a deep minor league system and a lot of prospects, so it is only prudent that the Orioles take advantage of it.

Now this:

From the ESPN Winter meetings blog: The Blue Jays continue to talk with the Orioles about left-hander Erik Bedard. Toronto probably has the young pitching to anchor a deal.

Ok, now I don't know if ESPN is just reporting chatting as a rumor, fact, or what; however, I will be surprised if Bedard is an Oriole still by the weekend.

A New Player In the Sweepstakes For the Baltimore Orioles' Erik Bedard: The Seattle Mariners...

When the teams that lose out on the Johan Santana sweepstakes decide to move on the next target, they'll set their eyes on Erik Bedard.

Now, there's a new player in the Bedard sweepstakes -- the Seattle Mariners.

From the News Tribune (Seattle): The Mariners officially acknowledged they were out of the run for Johan Santana, and turned their attention to another coveted pitcher – Baltimore’s Erik Bedard.

Bedard isn’t nearly the marquee name Santana is, but he’s a 29-year-old left-hander with a 40-35 record and a 3.83 lifetime earned run average. Unfortuantely for Seattle, he’s hardly a secret.

Among the teams already pursuing Bedard are the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, and the team that finishes second in the Santana derby is almost certain to join this fray.

As with Santana, Bedard will come dear – Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail wants to remake his roster by moving Bedard and shortstop Miguel Tejada. That means ready-for-the-majors talent.

For the Mariners, that means the same three treasured prospects: outfielder Adam Jones, right-handed pitcher Brandon Morrow and catcher Jeff Clement.

Forget the moment that might not be enough – is Bedard worth the cost?
Last year, he made $3.4 million and is arbitration-eligible this spring. He’s never pitched 200 innings in a season, never won more than 15 games in a season.

Business is about to pickup for the Baltimore Orioles. Like I have said before, if the Orioles can trade Bedard, considering the talks with him so far, I say do it.

The Santana Fallback: The Baltimore Orioles' Erik Bedard

As I have opined time and time on this blog and on Oriole Magic, I didn't think that Erik Bedard was all that hip to signing an extension and staying in Baltimore.

Now according to the Washington Post's Dave Shenin and Barry Svrluga, Bedard does not want to stay in Baltimore

For those teams that lose out on Santana, there still is no shortage of attractive pitchers available on the trade market.

Perhaps the best of those is left-hander Erik Bedard of the Baltimore Orioles, who is definitely available now that, according to league sources, he has informed the team he has no interest in signing an extension to stay in Baltimore beyond 2009, when he hits free agency.

And Bedard, who is perhaps one more solid year away from establishing himself as a true No. 1 starter, could be a poor man's Santana, costing a team half the talent and less than half the money (if they are interested in extending him) in a trade.

I have said before, he may not stay with the Orioles and considering his success in 2007, now is the time to deal him. He needs to put up good numbers for one more year before he can really, really reap the benefits of free agency and prove he can stay healthy.

Baltimore will not likely contend for at least 2 seasons, and I'd see resources put in place to secure young players who could be a core part of the organization's future.

I know some people may give me grief, but the move should be done if Erik has no interest in being an Oriole. I would hate to trade with the Red Sox or Yankees; however, if they can give us prospects or major league talent, I say move on it.

The Baltimore Orioles: What To Expect At The Winter Meeetings...

The Baltimore Orioles after finishing worse in 2007 than they did in 2006 with a payroll above 90 million dollars are looking to rebuild after a decade of futility.

Chief Operating Officer, Andy MacPhail is looking to perhaps rebuild around youth, and is open to trading anyone on his roster if it improves the organization.

Much of the talk in Charm City has been centered on flipping Miguel Tejada for talent, as well left handed pitcher, Erik Bedard. If the Orioles could also find a way to unload bloated contracts such as those handed to Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, and Jay Gibbons, they’ll manage to do so.

The player most likely that Baltimore will deal is Miguel Tejada. He’s probably one of the better hitting shortstops in the game, but his range at the position has gone down in the past few seasons and most teams would find him to be an ideal third baseman.

The teams that have shown the most interest in Tejada are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers. A good reason for him not being moved as of yet is that the situation with Miguel Cabrera must be settled before he is dealt, if at all.

For the teams that do not get Cabrera, Tejada is a great fallback option.

The Orioles are right now trying to determine what to do with Erik Bedard as he’s a valuable piece not only on the field, but as potential trade bait. The latest rumor being thrown out there is that Dodgers are looking at getting him, as well as the Mets.

From reports in the Baltimore media, Bedard has not show a willingness to stay in Baltimore or sign a long term extension. He's still under our control for two more seasons, thus, they do not have to trade him.

With Bedard, the O's have the upper hand -- they still have him for 2 years under their control. The team does not necessarily have to trade him; however, his value may not be higher than it is now, and if the team is looking to flip him for young prospects and major league ready talent to contribute for the years to come, this may be the time to move him.

The Orioles should be expected to use the trade market to bolster their roster as well the Rule 5 Draft.

Quick Hits: The State of the Orioles, Andy MacPhail and the Roundup...

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday out there and are enjoying the last remnants of the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Well, as of right now, much has not happened on the Hot Stove front with the Orioles at all. Understandably, that has some fans concerned and for a deal to be consummated quickly. However, we have a little less than three months until spring training, the organization should make a move sooner rather than later, and then rebuilding process will start to begin.

Keep in mind, I am going fathom that things are being held up mainly because of Florida's situation with Miguel Cabrera & Columnist Peter Schmuck of the Sun goes into it further in detail in his latest article. As well, I think some teams are waiting for the market to play itself out and as well pondering where a lot of big free agents (Rowand, et. al) and trade bait (Santana) end up.

This week, I and B have looked at some of the chatter involving Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard. For most, it is a foregone conclusion that Tejada will be an another uniform when the season begins, and the jury is still out on Erik Bedard.

Another very good reason for lack of activity -- or the perception of it is Andy MacPhail himself. It's not to say that he isn't doing anything, you just don't hear a whole lot from him. Well, in the past, he's built respectable, contending teams, so I am thinking he's just not releasing all his cards yet, keeping it within his inner circle and not releasing the details of any potential moves or deals.

At this point, I am just putting my full trust in him, as nothing else has worked the past decade.

I am sure a deal will be made one way or the other by the new year.

Heck, Roch Kubatko wants something done with the team, & Tony's Take wonders if the Orioles will go after Barry Bonds...

Spencer Fordin of the Orioles.com has a piece on the charity and community work that the team has done in 2007.

The Bedard Rumors, Part Two

B, who has been a tremendous help on the blog and who has a great tab on the Orioles wrote a post on Bedard earlier this week and the interest he’s had on the open market.

The Orioles are right now trying to determine what to do with Erik as he’s a valuable piece not only on the field, but as potential trade bait. The latest rumor being thrown out there is that Dodgers are looking at getting him; however, they are preoccupied with a way to get the Marlins’ Miguel Cabrera via trade.

With Baltimore on the verge of a potential and lengthy rebuilding process, perhaps the best thing to do would be to trade Bedard considering the value he could get in return.

This evening, I read a interesting piece on Press Box’s column, the “Oriole Insider” and Craig Heist has a Q&A with Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and one of the questions center around Erik.

Here’s what Rosenthal opined: “... I think the only way to really gauge that interest is to make him an offer. Now, if I were Erik Bedard, I would not accept any offer right now, because two years from now when he becomes a free agent, the money could be totally outrageous as opposed to just normally outrageous. So, to me, if you are the Orioles, you kind of gauge his interest, see where he is, perhaps make him an offer, and then based on the response I think you have to at least consider the idea of trading him because of the limited free agent market, the great demand for starting pitching.

You don’t have to do this today. You could do it at the deadline next year. But his value will be higher today, and if he gets injured some time in the near future, you would be trading him at his peak. For all those reasons, I think it is a smart idea, and it would yield the maximum return, much more than Tejada or anybody else. You see what has happened with Tejada. They held onto him too long, and he will bring a minimum return.

There are several reasons I can think why we should keep Bedard and why the organization should not keep him.

First & foremost, left-handed pitching is hard to find – especially, good left-handed pitching. His numbers do show that he's one of the best hurlers in the game right despite his experience.

However, he's never really been healthy for a full season, he’s 28, and furthermore there are questions about his attitude, work ethic and desire to be an Oriole.

Let’s not forget -- he's still under our control for two more seasons, thus, we *don't* have to trade him. With Bedard, the O's have the upper hand -- they still have him for 2 years under their control. The team does not necessarily have to trade him; however, if he does not show a willingness to stay in Baltimore, he should be dealt.

Since it is shown that Baltimore is clearly rebuilding, do we keep him around in the hopes we get good or somehow have a miracle 2008, or do you trade him when his value his high (like now)?

It remains to be seen, but if the Orioles are truly rebuilding, I'd dangle him and see what it is out there. Well, I do think right now the Dodgers will give up one premier prospect for him, plus maybe one or two of their lower level guys. I’d only trade him if I could get a major-league ready guy, plus additional pieces.

If the team keeps him and for some reason he gets injured, or his numbers for reason end up worse than they were in 2007, the Orioles would have perhaps blown a precious opportunity to go in another direction.

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Erik Bedard at the ESPN Zone This Afternoon...

This afternoon at the ESPN Zone in the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Oriole ace and Cy Young Award candidate, Erik Bedard took out time from his schedule to meet and greet fans.

I will say that I have not missed one event this year, and in my opinion, his appearance at the restaurant perhaps has drawn so far the most amount of fans I have ever seen.

I was interested in this event in particular, mostly because the way Erik has been portrayed in the national and local media. He's more or less been seen as an arrogant, moody, ornery athlete who despises the media and fans in general.

However, on Thursday afternoon, those who got to meet him would think different about our ace.

Although I would say Bedard is fairly reserved, low-key (just by his demeanor), comes off as a little shy and perhaps unaware of the attention he's now receiving for his mastery on the mound; however, he was relaxed and down to earth.

The fans who were in attendance only gave Erik a lot of love and high praise, as he's a talent that the organization cannot afford to lose.

The event was emceed by Jim Hunter, and most of the questions directed towards him were of the pitching variety, and almost very little on his personal life. He spoke a lot about his pitching philosophy, how he was able to learn the nuances of the game and transform himself into one of the best pitchers in the baseball.

***

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Amazing Erik Does It Again: O's Beat Rangers 6-2, the Rundown...

Erik Bedard is the man.

He's described a shy, but a great teammate; however, he's seen as a bit anti-social and ornery in the local and national media.

Despite it all, he can pitch.

Having a close-up view of the action behind home, as I was four rows back, (I got complimentary tickets thanks to a good friend), I got to see the wizardry of Erik Bedard in a way I have never witnessed before.

He helped the O's cruise to a 6-2 victory last night over the Rangers.

On Tuesday night, in front of a crowd that could not have numbered more than seven thousand due to weather, Erik Bedard struck out 11 over seven innings to win his ninth straight decision. As well, he tied the team record last night with his 218th strikeout of the season, and walked none.

Folks, if you have not seen him pitch, do so before the year is out.

Miguel Tejada and Aubrey Huff hit home runs off the woeful Ranger pitching.

As well, Sammy Sosa returned to Baltimore, and was he ever booed bad.

***

The Baltimore Examiner, Washington Post, Orioles Hangout, & Oriole Magic!

Roch Kubtako has his thoughts of last night, as does Bill Ordine of the O, by the Way Blog.

Dave Trembley has now been hired as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles for 2008. The man has more than proven himself with the Orioles improved play and leadership.

Spencer Fordin of the Orioles MLB site has more news of Trembley hiring.

Rick Maese of the Sun is happy with the hiring of Trembley, but shows a little skepticism as the team goes into September, a month where the Orioles have traditionally fell on their face.

Kevin Cowherd, in a great article in the Sun, sums up "Wild" Bill's life and influence on the community as an O's fan and how his passion is pretty much non-existent at Camden Yards.

Surprise, surprise: Former Oriole, Sammy Sosa considered his 2005 season in Baltimore a mess. You don't say Sammy, eh?

The Orioles MLB site has a profile on Garrett Olson and his life in the majors so far.

Just In: Bedard & Guthrie Are Good and ESPN Is Taking Notice...

This just in.

Erik Bedard and Jeremy Guthrie are good, and only now is the national media is starting to take notice.

The sometimes defacto Yankee-Red Sox network, ESPN has a great profile on Erik Bedard and his case for the Cy Young and a Video of Jeremy Guthrie on their website.

Bedard may be enigmatic and surly to the media; however, he is looking now as one of the best pitchers were have seen in recent memory. He had a shaky start to his career, but under the tutledge of Leo Mazzone, his changeup and a jolt of confidence, Erik's career is taking off.

And what can we say about Guthrie -- a great guy, pious, and he's got an incredible arm. The Orioles should be appreciative of every day he wears that uniform. I have chatted with Jeremy several times, and let's celebrate having him on the team because he is a class act.

Check it out!

Also, check out David Picker's article in the New York Times about Erik Bedard...

O's Upend Yanks in 10th, They Win 6-3; The Rundown, Weiters and More...

The New York Yankees are the hottest team in baseball and have an all-world batting lineup, but right now, the Baltimore Orioles seem to have a “never say die” mentality instilled in them, and yesterday afternoon they came back from the brink of destruction.

With a 3-0 lead, the Oriole bullpen in the ninth inning all but erased Erik Bedard’s masterful start. Danyz Baez came in and was ineffective, but the Oriole nearly faced certain doom as the Yankees had tied the game on a three-run homer by Shelley Duncan off reliever Jamie Walker in the bottom of the ninth.

Never fear O’s fans, as they’d come back much like they did in the first game of the Yankee series and last weekend against the Red Sox.

The Orioles came back in their very next at bat as Miguel Tejada drove in Nick Markakis to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead, and then Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer to finally defeat the Yankees.

In the end, the O’s won 6-3 over the Yankees on Wednesday afternoon.

We did it against Mariano Rivera, only the best closer in the history of baseball.

Chas Bradford closed out the game and got the win.

The story of the game, however, was Erik Bedard and his case for the Cy Young award.

He struck out eight, threw seven innings and now has over 200 strikeouts this season. Even though he did not win on Wednesday, he’s now not lost in two months and the league really, really needs to take notice of this guy.

My only complaint was why could Bedard not have finished the game? Sorry, with the start he had and with the lead he was given, he could have made a concerted effort to dig deep and continue his dominance.

Ok, so I know the answer – but, it would have been sweet for him to do it.

***

The Baltimore Examiner has a recap of the game, as does the Washington Post, & Orioles MLB site.

Meanwhile, the O’s are building up momentum during the home stretch of the season.

There was some concern yesterday as Derek Jeter was hit a pitch by Bedard, as both Tejada and Markakis were hit by pitches in 12-0 rout on Tuesday; however, both Bedard and Trembley are denying that they hit Jeter on purpose.

The Baltimore Sun has a question with Chad Bradford.

Meanwhile, the big buzz with the team last night was that Matt Weiters was finally signed, and columnist Peter Schmuck believed the move was great not only for the organization, but for the fans.

Roch Kubatko of the Sun in his blog has his say on the deal as does the Baltimore Examiner.

The Washington Post also has a report on the Matt Weiters signing as does Orioles Hangout.

The Case For Erik and the CY Young; The Rundown

Erik Bedard is a on roll, and with his success as of late, he's no doubt a contender for the Cy Young Award this season. Although he'll never win the award for most talkative or for community service, he's doing something special this season for the Birds.

If you get a moment, read the piece, "Here and Now", by Jeff Zrebiec in the Baltimore Sun today on Erik Bedard.

Right now, if I were the Orioles, I'd be working on a way to lock him up now before his asking price becomes absolutely astronomical and other teams come into play.

Bedard is currently leading the league in strikeouts, and has won eight straight.

It mystifies me that he is not getting the national attention he deserves, and playing for the Baltimore Orioles (along with their decade of losing) is the reason.

We have a gem here, it seems to be, and let's hope the Orioles do right by Bedard and most especially the fans.

Bill Ordine in an excellent post on the O, by the Way blog on the Baltimore Sun website illustrates why Bedard should be re-signed; meanwhile, also brings up the Orioles' history of signing pitchers long-term, which has been anything but stellar.

However, Peter Schmuck who wanted Bedard traded is now changing his tune...

Spencer Fordin of the Orioles.com answers questions from fans about the team...

Josh Frazier of Press Box Online believes that the Orioles must go after Mark Teixeira after his time is up in Atlanta.

Dave Trembley is not going to quit on the season, and from the looks of it, the team is responding to him. At this point, the Orioles have an outside chance at .500...

Meanwhile, Stan "the Fan" Charles" gives us his thoughts on Ripken and the whole Hall of Fame induction experience; meanwhile, some local kids from the Baltimore region took in the sights and the sounds of Cooperstown...

Press Box Online has more stories from fans about their experience in Cooperstown.

Allen McCallum believes that Cal Ripken and Tony Gywnn are the last of their kind...

Bedard K's 11 and is Rolling; O's Top Rays, 11-3

Erik Bedard keeps rolling, and it is safe to say that he’s one of the best starters in baseball today.

If it has not already, the sport needs to take notice.

Okay, so he was not immaculate on Sunday afternoon, but he did a decent job as the Orioles whooped up on Tampa Bay, 11-3.

He struck out 11.

The Oriole offense came through in a big way as Miguel Tejada, Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora homered.

Finally, the team is playing as it should be with the talent on the roster, and just imagine if they had played like this early on – the O’s would be in the wild card hunt.

Corey Patterson drove in three runs and Nick Markakis drove in two.

***

The Baltimore Sun has a recap of the game, as does the Baltimore Examiner, and the Washington Post.

Aubrey Huff has been a disappointment in general, but this weekend he got out of a prolonged (that would be an understatement) slump and bashed his old team.

Roch Kubatko has an interesting piece on Orioles’ prospect, David Hernandez.

Bedard Stymies the Rangers 4-0, Rundown

The last few years have been nothing but lackluster for the Orioles, but last night, ace Erik Bedard threw one of the best games by any pitcher this year.

No disrespect to Daniel Cabrera, but I think what Bedard did last night was even masterful than his one hitter against the Yankees.

In deep heart of sweltering Texas, Erik Bedard struck out 15 and gave up 2 hits as the Orioles beat the Rangers 3-0 on Saturday.

Criticized by most in the media for being standoffish, not going deep into game and at times “just packing it in”, he seemingly took his game to a new level as he stymied the Rangers and was just plain nasty.

He was so good last night, he struck out the side in the ninth inning.

I didn’t see the game live, but I caught a replay online and he looked like I guy I had never seen before – and keep in mind, he leads the league in strikeouts.

Things went so well last night that the struggling Jay Gibbons homered, and had three hits.

The Wit and Prose of Bedard: Post-Game Quotes:

• When the media was waiting for Bedard to talk (from the Baltimore Sun): In fact, the hardest part of Bedard's evening appeared to be his post-game talk with the media. Bedard delayed it as long as possible, even turning to a group of reporters behind his locker at one point and saying, "What are you guys waiting for?"
• Comments from Bedard: Asked if he could have thrown any better, Bedard said, "Uh, perfect game. No-hitter. I just battled out there. We won. That's the bottom line. If I throw a complete game, I throw a complete game. If I don't, I don't. Today we won, and that's all that counts."
• More from Bedard: Asked how he kept his pitch count so low while striking out so many, Bedard said, "I was throwing strikes with everything, so it was hard to lay off, I guess.
  

The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, Washington Post have a recap of the game last night.

Baltimore Sun Columnist Dan Rodricks believes that the Baltimore Orioles have lost their way; however, not literally. In a well written piece, because the team is not winning, whole generations of youngsters are being deprived of a team that had a past full of glory.

Kevin Millar is picking it up at the plate as he’s now plying everyday. As well, he says he wants to stay in Baltimore…

In light of the chatter of Mark Teixiera wanting to be an Oriole in 2008, Peter Schmuck believes the Evil Empire will want to take a chance on him.

Sun beat writers, Candus Thompson and Monica Lopossay barnstormed the Mid-Atlantic region and visited all the minor-league affiliates of the Orioles.

Utility guy Freddie Bynum is on the DL now. The Washington Post has more.

From the Archives: Kevin Millar Giving Love to Paul Bako with Erik Bedard

(click to see the large image...)

Sorry, I found this the other day in my archives while compiling an upcoming gallery of pictures to be posted on this blog. I was at Yankee Stadium on a freezing Sunday when I got a chance to snap this picture.

As we all know, Kevin Millar is a fun loving guy, and as they were walking to the dugout, he decided to show Paul Bako, the Orioles backup catcher some love. In the image, you also see pitcher Erik Bedard accompanying them.

Erik Bedard: 'I Think, Therefore I Am...' -- Thoughts on His Postgame Interview with the Scribes Last Night...

As much as I have criticized MASN, one of the most interesting aspects of the coverage of the Orioles on that network is this year is that you get a lot of in-depth and post game stuff that is fairly rare on other networks.

Last night (keep in mind, I never watch the post-game stuff either because I am at the game, or I have better things to do), but Erik Bedard put on one of the most bizzare, yet alluring post game interviews I have ever heard.

I watched, laughed in amazement and then asked myself why Erik Bedard was such a dick last night.

Basically, I saw the wit, brilliance and utter ignorance of our ace.

Both Matt Palmer of the Baltimore Examiner and Roch Kubatko of the Baltimore Sun have the transcript of the post-game interview on their respective blogs, but I just copied and pasted it from Roch's.

Reporter: "Were you just in a zone with those strikeouts?"

Bedard: "It just happened. I was throwing strikes and they were swinging."

Reporter: "Is there any difference in how you pitched tonight and how you were pitching earlier? The results are different, obviously."

Bedard: "Same. Same."

Reporter: "You don't think your location has been any better?"

Bedard: "No. I think it's pretty much the same."

Reporter: "Do you like those kind of games, those tight games, where any one pitch can mean the difference?"

Bedard: "It doesn't really matter. 5-0 or 0-0. It doesn't matter."

Reporter: "I'm sure you wanted to get the win. Was it hard not to talk your way back in the game and go another inning."

Bedard: "Yeah, but I was done."

Reporter: "Is there any added pressure when the guy across from you on the other side is dealing the way Shields was tonight?"

Bedard: "No, not really. You just go out there and pitch."

Reporter: "How do you explain the difference in the results, how you were pitching earlier and how you pitched tonight?"

Bedard: "Results?

Reporter: "Yeah."

Bedard: "The same question three times?"

Reporter: "There's got to be something that's different. No? You don't think so?"

Bedard: "No."

And that was it for Bedard, who removed himself from the interview, much like he removed himself from a scoreless game after seven innings by indicating to pitching coach Leo Mazzone and manager Sam Perlozzo that he was tired. Or "done" in his own word.

I didn't know what to think, but I was oddly entertained. However, it brings me to this point -- being an athlete, especially one with the talents of Bedard, one would think that it is in your job description that you may have to deal with the media every once in a while.

Especially if you're the "man" on the squad, and pitched a masterful game.

Concerning Bedard, I heard an interview this spring, (I can't remember where) and he was animated, funny, thoughtful and more importantly, not anti-social; therefore, I thought he seems like a cool guy, and I harked why does he not do more interviews?

He's no doubt part of the future of the team, and Baltimore is fairly docile in terms of the media in comparison to New York, Chicgo or Boston where if he pulled what he pulled last night, well, he'd be in therapy if he ever read the papers.

It would be nice if he'd make himself more open to the fan base and the media. However, he's just an *athlete*, so we should not realistically expect any more from him. I'd figure that he would have learned by now that dealing with the media is part of your job, and sometimes you just have to grin and bear it.

The media serves as a conduit between the athlete and the fan, and some athletes like Bedard need to think real hard that maybe some of us fans might want to know what you're thinking.

No one says you have to become Curt Schilling and start up your own blog, but an interview would not hurt every once in a while.

A lot of time it takes a lot of more effort to be standoffish than it does to be nice.

Some of these guys should remember that they are lucky to be in the position that they are in...

Quick Hits: O's and MASN Related Stuffage...

photo from the baltimore sun...

Erik Bedard and Arbitration: There’s an article from the Ottawa Citizen about O’s pitcher Erik Bedard and his hopes for a contract extension. It’s an interesting read, and it sounds like at this point all he wants is the deal to be done so he can focus on pitching.

I think the Orioles seriously should start looking at possibly giving him a contract extension if Bedard so desires, as starting pitching is at a premium, and he if he continues his success, it would be far cheaper to sign him now than later down the road.

Ken Rosenthal and the O’s: In light of the media bashing of the Orioles and their winter moves, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal believes that Oriole might surprise the skeptics.

Here are some notable quotes from the article:

"They play in the wrong division. They've got the wrong owner. And after nine straight losing seasons, it's reasonable to call them the game's most underachieving franchise; the Orioles, playing at Camden Yards, possess far greater financial resources than say, the Pirates and Royals."

That much I agree with. We just don’t have the firepower to fight the Yankees and Red Sox.

Then he says:

"The only way for the Orioles to challenge the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays, however, is if Cabrera and Loewen make the same jump that left-hander Erik Bedard did last season. If that happens — and if the division somehow proves weaker than expected — then the O's could turn into the Tigers East, reviving with young pitching."

I think this statement is key, even moreso than the upgrade of the bullpen. I believe a team’s success is measured by its starting pitching. If Bedard, Loewen and Cabrera can take their pitching game to the next level, then the Oriole can seriously look at contending with anyone. Even though the Yankees and Red Sox do have the dominant pitching in the division, if the young arms develop – look out.

And finally…

More likely, the Orioles will improve modestly, then target a breakthrough in '08. Of course, the Devil Rays should be much-improved by then, while the Red Sox finally should have a closer and the Yankees could have Andruw Jones playing center field. Things never get easier in the AL East.

The statement above is why I think 2007 is critical to the long term success of the Orioles. If the Orioles can make can finish at or above .500, then the team is in perfect position to upgrade with marquee free agents in 2008 and perhaps make a serious at contention. However, if the Orioles finish at the same level as they did 2006, much of the moves done will mean nothing and the team will once again have to deal only with mid-level free agents rather than the marquee names needed to make an impact.

MASN News: According to the Baltimore Examiner’s Jim Williams, Rick Dempsey should be officially named to MASN this week. He’ll most likely work the pre and post game baseball shows for the Orioles. MASN is still looking for talent, and that will help shape the network, according to Phil Wood. I noted in a previous post that network may be going after ESPN’s Gary Throne.

As well, Williams says that Comcast Sports Net will still have a presence with baseball, especially at Camden Yards as it will too have its own pre-and post game shows.

In the same article, he mentions that Amber Theoharris might be leaving the network for a higher profile job in New York. I sorely hope MASN can keep her in town, as she is one of the better talents in the area and brings a great perspective on sports in the Mid-Atlantic region.