Bedard Deal: Good Move

The Mariners finally completed the Bedard-for-Jones deal today. A lot of Mariner fans are upset over the deal, especially the boys over at U.S.S. Mariner. We love those guys' work and we read them weekly, but we have to disagree with them on this one.

The M's just acquired the top left-handed starter in the Amiercan League. Match that with Felix Hernandez and the Mariner's have the best lefty-righty combo in the league. Last season the M's starting pitching was bad, now it looks like the strongest part of the team. The bullpen broke down because the starters couldn't pitch deep into games. Gone now are the days of Jeff Weaver, Horacio Ramieriz, and Cha Seung Beak. The guys at U.S.S. Mariner found that in games started by those three (plus Ryan Feierabend) the M's went 32-36. We gotta believe that they will go 40-28 in those games this season. Add into that the fact that the bullpen should be better rested and the offense won't have to score as many runs, based on the improved pitching, and the Mariners are better off.

What's the most important thing in MLB? Starting Pitching! Did the Mariners pay a price to get it? Yes, they paid a hefty price. Adam Jones most likely will be a star in this league, but he isn't a start yet. Bedard is a proven commidity, someone that is a potential Cy Young canidate every season. The fact that the Mariners not only traded Jones but a quality lefty reliever and their top minor league pitcher in 2007 shows the worth of Bedard. They traded a lot but the Mariner's didn't trade away the farm.

Compare the Mariner's 1-2 guys with other teams in the American League. Other than Detriot's Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman, Bedard and Hernandez are tops. It might just be our personally perference, but we love the thought of having a solid 1-2 punch better than the good chance of a quality rightfielder.

M's acquire Erik Bedard from Baltimore [Seattle Times]