Your mulligan on the Randy Johnson fiasco
LisaMariner gave us an exec-class memo on Erik Bedard's radio interview Thursday. http://www.marinercentral.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2628
Most interestingly, Bedard publicly "announced" that he would like to be a Mariner long-term. The mainframe crunch on this:
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1. I remember Geoff Baker, who is an absolutely outstanding baseball *analyst* as well as writer, putting forth a hum-dilly of an argument that Bedard wasn't going to even consider the Pacific Northwest. The argument was logical and convincing, and had its arms around both the on-field and off-field issues.
Geoffy has a much better feel for clubhouse intangibles than *anybody* in cyber-Seattle, and his column made me a little queasy. :- ) It was the main reason that D-O-V hasn't been runnin' down the road very hot on this one.
We mention this not only because Baker's rep is secure in any case, but to underline what a pleasant surprise Bedard's announcement is. Serendipity, baby. When Jessica Alba sidles up to you and asks you where you've been all her life, you don't start wondering what is the catch here. You just dial up Ruth's Chris Steakhouse before she has any chance whatsoever to realize that you're a dilwad.
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2. We also remember, however, how disgusted Erik Bedard was in Baltimore -- and yet, how interested he was in giving them a discount on a 4-year deal.
I mean, Bedard REALLY sprained his eyes rolling them upward on the TV interview Justynius mentioned to us. Hometown TV postgame, reporter gushes about how it's helped him to be with the Orioles.... on TV now, Bedard looks directly at the camera, rolls his eyes contemptuously, and says "Yeah, the Orioles."
And they'd BEEN a joke for several years, because of Angelos...
This is the team from which Erik Bedard aggressively sought a contract extension. Meaning that Bedard, being the intelligent man that he is, likes comfort zones and doesn't want to gamble $60M against a possible $90M. If you had $60M in your checking account, would you bet it all for a shot at $90M? Even if you had 10:1 odds in your favor?
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3. Bedard's statement is one more feather in Don Wakamatsu's ever-lengthening headdress. It is a statement, from the inside, that the stormclouds have parted.
Carlos Silva won't be throwing Erik Bedard up against a wall in Seattle, because the new administration prefers great pitchers to ... um, other types of pitchers.
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4. Erik Bedard has started 10 games in 2009, and the MOST (!) runs he has given up is 3.
Look at the runs column on this game log! http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?n1=bedarer01&t=p&year=2009
Go through his games and you'll see that his W/L record should be, very reasonably, 8 and 1. The man is LITERALLY pitching as effectively as Randy Johnson used to.
He is never going to be Warren Spahn. He's going to give you 180-190 franchise innings per season. Pull him at 100 pitches, every game. Skip a turn every once in a while. Drive him like a short-stroke Ferrari, watching the red line, the way that teams did with David Cone and Pedro Martinez and Bret Saberhagen.
You've got your 9K lefty Cy Young ace and he just announced that he wants a contract -- just like Randy Johnson did in 1997. You going to stare at the downside here, like you did with RJ in 97-98?
Cheers,
Dr D