Bedard Re-signs With The Mariners

This incentive laden deal could possibly be a bigger boost to Seattle than bringing aboard Chone Figgins (which I'm on record saying won't help them much).

I love Eric Bedard but the key here is if he's healthy. And that's a big "if".... When healthy, you can put him in the same category as a Josh Beckett, Cliff Lee type of pitcher... Just dominate stuff. However staying healthy is the issue. As it stands right now, they don't expect him healthy till late June / early July and even that may be rushing it (he had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder). This deal reminds me of the Red Sox with John Smoltz last year. They signed him for low money in hopes he'd recover from surgery and be able to give them something in the second half of the year. He didn't..... So they parted ways.

All in all, I like this deal by the Mariners as they desperately need a number 3 pitcher. It'll be interesting to follow.

Bill