FanHouse George Sherill

SEATTLE -- Given that the Mariners have struggled mightily offensively, the signing of No. 2 pick Dustin Ackley serves as a serious momentum boost for an organization looking to escape a series of shaky moves under the Bill Bavasi tenure.

For example, Bavasi traded Adam Jones and George Sherill for Erik Bedard, and he selected Cal's Brandon Morrow over the University of Washington's Tim Lincecum in the 2006 draft. Morrow is in the minors while Lincecum is one of the top starting pitchers in the major leagues.

So the Mariners needed this. They needed to sign the best hitter in college baseball. Ackley hit .422 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI in 66 games for the University of North Carolina. Signing him went down to the final minutes, with general manager Jack Zduriencik revealing that the deal was agreed upon at 8:45 PM PT, about 15 minutes before the deadline.

As Matt Watson told you yesterday, the Erik Bedard trade to the Mariners looks like it is finally coming to fruition. Players are taking physicals and the official announcement is expected at any moment. That doesn't look like the last deal coming out of Baltimore, however. Buster Olney's reporting that the O's are just waiting for the ink to dry before they pull off another trade to restock their system with players. And, as is the Oriole way this winter, its another long gestating transaction.

It was almost a month ago that the lines burned up with word that Brian Roberts was headed to Wrigley Field to play second base for the Cubs. That was quickly and summarily dismissed by both sides but Olney reports talks never really ended and are heating back up. According to Hot Stove Cubbies, George Sherrill, part of the Mariner haul, is a reason why.

The O's have no use for a 31 year old reliever in there pen and want to get younger. Sherrill will ensure that the O's will get at least two pitchers in the deal from the Cubs. They have stated that the Cubs are in desperate need for another lefty in the pen and the deal would include two of Sean Gallagher, Jason Marquis, and Sean Marshall.

The housecleaning might spell another long summer in Baltimore, but Oriole fans should feel good about Andy MacPhail's moves this offseason.

After being on the job for less than a year, I think Andy MacPhail is finally getting a taste of what he signed up for when he agreed to run the Baltimore Orioles. Two days ago, the Seattle Times was reporting that the long-rumored Erik Bedard/Adam Jones deal was as good as done with a press conference coming to announce the trade as early as today. Now, according to Ken Rosenthal, the deal is back in limbo. The reason? Peter Angelos, of course.

Rosenthal gives a ton of reasons why this deal may not go down now. He says Angelos has apparently learned through "back channels" that Bedard may be open to an extension with the O's. The Orioles organization is reportedly furious with Jones for leaking news of the deal to a Venezuelan reporter on Sunday. Finally, Angelos is just a bitter old man who can't stop meddling in matters he should stay out of. Actually, that last one was on my list, not Rosenthal's.

I'm not entirely convinced that the reported Jones, George Sherrill, and Chris Tillman for Bedard was a great deal for the O's, but I'd be completely supportive of MacPhail if he decided to run for the hills if (when?) Angelos keeps this trade from going down. The guy's been working on this deal all winter with the implied support of Angelos, only to have the old man pull the rug out from underneath him. That's no way to do things.