The Orioles? target date to finalize their trade with the Seattle Mariners is today, according to a source close to the situation.
The deal, which would send ace left-hander Erik Bedard to Seattle for outfield prospect AdamJones, left-handed reliever George Sherrill and three minor league pitchers, was reportedly close to completion Monday.
Jones and Sherrill were in Baltimore Monday to take physicals, and Bedard flew to Seattle yesterday to take his examination, according to several media reports.
The deal has been on the verge of being finalized for more a week, since Jones reportedly told a Venezuelan reporter he was the “centerpiece” of the deal.
The Orioles would not confirm Tuesday whether any players had taken ? or are scheduled to take ? physical examinations. But the hold up, according to a source, is because the Orioles have been hesitant to make trade their best pitcher for unproven players. Bedard, 28, went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and a club-record 221 strikeouts in 2007.
“I think the holdup is the Orioles want to protect themselves in case one of those guys failed a physical, because of the comments Adam Jones made,” the source said. “I think overall, the position that they?re in, [the trade] makes a lot of sense. The only criticism I?d have of it is Bedard is one of the top six or seven pitchers in the game. None of the players they get back fits in that category.”
The trade, barring anything “unforeseen,” will be consummated, the source said.
Jones is on pace to be a star, according to several analysts. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Jones, 22, batted .314 with 25 HR and 84 RBIs in 101 games at Triple-A last season. If the trade is completed, he?ll be the Orioles starting center fielder, with Nick Markakis in right and Luke Scott likely to play left field.
One talent evaluator said Jones? only flaw is his propensity to strike out, which he did 106 times in 420 at-bats in Triple A. In 73 career games with Seattle, Jones hit .230 with three home runs and 12 RBIs, striking out 43 times against six walks in 139 at-bats.
