Comments on: Why Is Miguel Batista Still Around?

By: nvn8vbryce

nvn8vbryce — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:59:26 +0000

Rumor is Bedard wants to be traded to the Montreal Expos.

Last time I checked, the Expos aren’t in Montreal anymore, and they’re not the Expos. Now, my geography may be a little rusty, but I think that they’re called the Washington Nationals now…

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:11:49 +0000

That might be the worst comment anyone has left all year.

By: AdamN

AdamN — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:49:24 +0000

Why Bedard at a discount? He is comming off an injury plagued year and career. Mark Molder can’t go out and demand high pay because of his injuries. with that being said, bedard knows this is a risk and knows that high contract prices were far and few between in the last off season. You sign him at Abreau like contract, its a discount, a huge discount. Extensions tend to be at a discount and are largely accepted because the player doesn’t want to change teams. I.e. money isn’t everything. I hope my logic makes sense…if not oh well.

i do agree if the right deal comes along to trade any player off, they should go for it. heck maybe Baltimore may want to trade back like padres did with Burke. Lets hit their boards make them feel guilty.

By: Soonerman22

Soonerman22 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:39:16 +0000

Dave,
You took the words right out of my mouth.

P.S. Has anyone been down to Tacoma? How does Tyler Johnson look?

By: henryv

henryv — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:17:30 +0000

Rumor is Bedard wants to be traded to the Montreal Expos.

4 years at $60M seems a little high. AJ Burnett got 6 years and $82M. I’d expect something more in the Oliver Perez area, especially if its in Seattle.

By: henryv

henryv — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:10:21 +0000

AdamN, I didn’t say that they should trade Washburn and Bedard right now, I said “if”. And I think they’re true. IF the team has a long-term intent of trading them when the team plays to its expectations, they would want to keep Batista. But that’s an if, also. IF the team plays back down to its ability, and IF the team gets a good price for the great white hypes, then Batista might have a role on the team again, as a starter.

Its not unimaginable to believe that the depth chart of the rotation could be Felix, RRS, Silva, Jakubauskas and Batista. If it was, you could easily assume that the season had gone to heck in a handbasket, but that’s not unreasonable, either. And with Silva struggling, and seemingly losing his “stuff”, it might very well be that the roster includes one or two starters that started in Tacoma, or even AA. Garrett Olsen is down there, and who knows who the M’s get back in return.

I’m not saying that’s what should happen, and definitely not what I want to happen, but it MAY be what Dr. Z has rolling around in that giant bald melon.

By: MadGirlDragon

MadGirlDragon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:04:30 +0000

We’re in first place, damnit – get used to it!!!

By: nickwest1976

nickwest1976 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:03:54 +0000

I actually think the M’s are in a great position to extend Bedard. He HATES large markets where the media bombards players so that takes out teams like NY, Boston, Philly, LA. From all accounts he seems happy with the new management, Wak and the direction of the team. He seems like a better teammate so far this year. Maybe that is him in a contract year but I am going to except that it’s geniune and the guy learned from last year.

Where Batista plays in to this (since this thread is about Batista) is the $9 mil that comes off the books after the year when he is gone. That along with the $10 mil to Washburn is $19 mil. Bedard already makes $9 mil now.

Would a 4 year, $60 mil deal get it done? That’s $15 mil per year and if Bedard pitches like an ace that seems like a bargin. That’s about $6 mil more than he makes now.

The only positive about Batista is that he is in the last year of his deal and I think the M’s should capitalize on that and use some of this salary slot to keep Bedard. They gave up the farm for Bedard and when healthy he is one of the best pitchers in baseball.

As for Batista, cut him right now and move one. It’s a sunk cost that the M’s have no prayer of moving to another team.

By: tmac9311

tmac9311 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:34:56 +0000

the only thing i can take out of it is Wak has some desire to have a veteran in the bullpen. sending 6 or 7 first or second year players out there. I suppose Aardsma and Johnson could be considered in that role, so Batista really is useless. Wak and Z will probably realize that Batista’s 9 million dollars is better spent on developing a White or Kelley, then it is on a 38 year old mop up pitcher

By: egreenlaw9

egreenlaw9 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:08:19 +0000

I’m sort of praying that at some point before the All-Star break they announce a 5 year deal for Felix and a 3-4 year deal with Bedard.

And with Z and the new clubhouse, I think it’s actually a possibility.