Don’t mess with Mother Nature … or Peter Angelos

Published 10:04 pm Monday, January 28, 2008

When a general manager works for the Baltimore Orioles, he treads lightly around meddling owner Peter Angelos. Same for any other team that tries to put together a deal with the Orioles.

The Mariners seem to be learning that in a painful way this week, with their trade efforts for Orioles pitcher Erik Bedard fluttering to the point that a deal that has taken months to put together may fall apart becuase of one slip of the tongue.

The Mariners appeared set to trade Adam Jones and four pitchers — reliever George Sherill and minor league pitchers Chris Tillman, Kam Mickolio and Tony Butler — in exchange for Bedard.

However, when Jones told a reporter in Venezuela over the weekend that he was being called back to the U.S. from winter ball because the trade had gone through, officials from both teams shuddered.

Both the Mariners and Orioles are extremely guarded in discussing any aspect of trades, signings and negotiations. According to Foxsports.com writer Ken Rosenthal, who is well connected around baseball and especially with the Orioles, Angelos may be so upset that Jones leaked the news that the O’s will mandate an upgraded package from the Mariners or even call off the trade.

The Mariners have been on the receiving end of Angelos’ work. In 2000, after the Orioles had signed pitcher Aaron Sele, Angelos backed out of the signing because he was nervous about the health of Sele’s arm. The Mariners swooped in and signed Sele, who went 32-15 for them over the next two seasons.

There no telling what will happen with the Bedard deal, although plenty of people around baseball wouldn’t be surprised if it falls apart because, they say, Angelos is the type who’ll do if if he’s angry enough.

The Mariners obviously maintain hope that with time it’ll still go through. They’ve even got a connecting deal in the works to replace Jones in right field, possibly with left-handed-hitting Brad Wilkerson, who is a free agent.