Mulder and Bedard?

[Turnbowsaves24]

I was watching Hot Stove this morning and they are convinced that Mulder and/or Bedard will come to the Brewers. So I am wondering who would be the better bet? Eric Bedard is younger, only a year though, and has pitched in the previous two seasons even though it was in a limited amount of games. But Mulder is apparently throwing very well off the mound now and has a history with Macha and Rick Peterson. So who would you take?

[Invader3K]

Mulder will probably cost less, and seems like a lock to sign a minor league contract with the Brewers, based on reports. I wouldn't mind looking at Bedard, but fear his asking price may be too high.

[Milltownhooker]

Everybody's asking price has to be coming down at this point. I think around what Brett Myers got is the bellweather figure now.

[brewerfan82]

I think Mulder's a foregone conclusion to sign, but I'd be stoked to get Bedard as well. He's a step up from Wolf and on par with Gallardo when healthy. I'd love to see a Gallardo/Bedard/Wolf/Bush/Parra rotation going into the season with some quality depth in Mulder/Capuano/Suppan/Narveson.

[And That]

The only way the Brewers get Bedard is if he a)really, really wants to sign here because b)he'd have to settle for a low base salary ($2-4 mil), with a lot of incentives based on innings pitched, the payment of some of which might have to be deferred to 2011. Or, sign a deal that doesn't pay a lot this year, but includes a lucrative 2011 option that vests based on innings pitched.

 

I'm all for signing Bedard. Any innings you get out of him will most likely be very good innings. I just don't think the Brewers are in a position to give him much money up front because who knows how many innings he'll actually give you.

[Milltownhooker]

I don't think any team is in position to give him much money up front. If they were he'd be signed already.

[paul253]

I'd love to get them both. I am wondering though. I've been hearing for weeks now that Mulder is a foregone conclusion to come to Milwaukee, but if that's true why hasn't he signed yet? And is there a chance another team could come in with a better offer if he is indeed pitching that well? Personally, I'd make a run at both of them. If Mulder signs a minor league deal, there's really no risk. And Bedard is certainly a better option than Suppan, assuming he can actually pitch.

[And That]

The Brewers are sitting down with Mulder and his agent today. I'd expect a signing in the next couple of days. Rick Peterson already went out of his way to praise Mulder, saying he's healthy and just has to get his mechanics back in order.

 

As for Bedard, I know no one is going to give him $8-10 mil guaranteed, but I'd bet someone would be willing to give him at least $1-2 mil more than what the Brewers could offer.

[thebruce44]

I'd love to get them both. I am wondering though. I've been hearing for weeks now that Mulder is a foregone conclusion to come to Milwaukee, but if that's true why hasn't he signed yet?

 

They had the winter meetings, then DM went on vacation. When he got back it looks like they worked him out and are not going to sit down and talk money as And That said. Seems like the proper schedule of events that would lead to a signing to me.

[wishicouldhit]

Turnbowsaves24[/b]]I was watching Hot Stove this morning and they are convinced that Mulder and/or Bedard will come to the Brewers.

I wonder if Bedard is just pure speculation, my assumption is that their Bedard claim didnt come from any scources. With that being said, I would love the Brewers rotation if they get Bedard and didnt have to start both Parra and Supppan.

[Brian the Automator]

at Tanagra?

[RockCoCougars]

If Bedard could be ready for Opening Day, I'd be all over him. However, if it's one of those 'early May' things, I don't want any part of him. The way the Brewers luck seems to be with that sort of thing is that 'early May' turns into 'late June', then 'after the break', then 'a setback in his rehab start may mean that he will miss the rest of season'. Haven't seen anything lately, but last I heard it's pretty questionable that he will be ready for the beginning of the season.

 

As I've said on other threads, I don't expect anything out of Mulder. I have no problem inviting him to spring training on a minimum contract with incentives (though I'm worried that they will give him more). He should be signed with the thought that if by some chance he makes a remarkable comeback, it's gravy.

[Invader3K]

Sounds like Mulder could be a ways off from actually pitching yet, based on latest reports. Supposedly he's not even throwing off a mound yet. Doesn't really sound like a promising outlook at this point.

[tigerbrew]

Like others, I'd like to get both. But if I had to choose one, I prefer to get Bedard.

[MNBrew]

I'd think Bedard has a solid chance to make an impact in the bigs -- he just needs to be healthy. Mulder would be much more of a crapshoot.

 

And I firmly believe they should work hard to get both as well as Davis. At worst, some team would take Bush or the like in a trade when the alternative is AAA flotsam/jetsam.

[BrewCrewForever]

Mulder seems to be a lock, just a matter of when. Bedard I would love at a low risk contract, but I doubt it happens. If he would be healthy he could instantly make me more excited about our rotation.

[smbrewersfan15]

I'd think Bedard has a solid chance to make an impact in the bigs -- he just needs to be healthy. Mulder would be much more of a crapshoot.

 

And I firmly believe they should work hard to get both as well as Davis. At worst, some team would take Bush or the like in a trade when the alternative is AAA flotsam/jetsam.

I'm all for getting as many decent to good starters as possible but getting Davis and Bedard would leave us with four lefties and Gallardo in the rotation. That seems a little southpaw heavy in our right hand heavy division.

[MNBrew]

I'd think Bedard has a solid chance to make an impact in the bigs -- he just needs to be healthy. Mulder would be much more of a crapshoot.

 

And I firmly believe they should work hard to get both as well as Davis. At worst, some team would take Bush or the like in a trade when the alternative is AAA flotsam/jetsam.

I'm all for getting as many decent to good starters as possible but getting Davis and Bedard would leave us with four lefties and Gallardo in the rotation. That seems a little southpaw heavy in our right hand heavy division.

Yeah, but, on the slight chance it would happen in the first place, there's no guarantee they'd all be in the rotation at the same time. For one, there's no way Mulder's ML-ready by Opening Day. If Parra continues to undermine his ability through his total lack of confidence and subsequent crappy pitching, he's in the bullpen. Heck, there'd be no guarantee Bedard would go the whole season without injury.

 

So swap Garland for Davis in my previous quote. It doesn't matter. The main deal is finding any way possible to upgrade the talent in this rotation.

[smbrewersfan15]

Ye I see your point. Upgrading on talent is the end result. It shouldn't matter what hand they throw with as long as they produce results. If you were to tell me that when spring training starts that the Crew will have 2 of Bedard, Davis and Garland, I'd definitely be excited about that.

[wishicouldhit]

Getting 2 of Garland, Bedard, or Davis would almost guarantee the brewers a playoff spot but there is NOOO way the brewers can add that payroll.

[princeginterhallhelms04]

Well i would go Garland and Davis but the payroll would be out of control. So if i had to choose i'd want Garland and maybe a three year deal at about 4 mil. a year?

[Invader3K]

Why does anyone want Garland? I still don't get it.

[princeginterhallhelms04]

Well i think he's going to be good this year. I like Davis but i think we can get Garland at a better price and more upside!

[TheCrew07]

He's going to magically start missing more bats at 31? Where's the upside with any of the FAs? They are what they are this point, once someone has been in the league 6 years, they've pretty much established who they are.

 

Upside is a player like Parra or Rogers or Rivas or Arnett... someone young, with a live arm, that hasn't harnessed the pitchability aspect of pitching yet. In other words, someone with the potential to be better in the future than they are today. If you're suggesting that Garland will be better going forward, what are you basing that opinion on?

 

Soft tossers don't have upside, that's why only a few people around here really got excited about Chris Cody or get excited about Evan Anundsen even though they've gotten very good results in the minors.

[MNBrew]

The thing is, I have this sneaky feeling that Bedard would have to come pretty cheap and incentive-laden.

 

If they could sign Davis or Garland, then the burden of Bedard's contract should be offset easily enough to find someone desperate enough to take Bush.

 

Better yet, if they got even luckier, Suppan might even be pitching well enough to entice someone to pay even $4M (1/3) to $6M (1/2) of his contract (pro-rated, of course, for whenever the sucker, er, team would be desperate or fooled enough to make this happen). Okay, this part's a pipe dream. But the first scenario wouldn't seem as unlikely -- if of course you could get Bedard + one of Davis/Garland/Washburn signed in the first place.