Of all the Seattle Mariners players that will appear in trade rumors this month, Erik Bedard is probably one of the more likely to be traded. 

It’s amazing, considering what has happened this season, that Seattle was gearing up for a possible title shot over the winter, trading away top minor league talent for Bedard.  No one expected a collapse of these proportions, but many were wise enough to argue that Seattle was more than one starter away from competing this season.  I, for one, liked the boldness of the move.  Either way, it didn’t work out and Seattle is back to rebuilding, so interim GM Lee Pelekoudas will likely deal Bedard this month, hoping to get back some of what Bill Bavasi traded away.  One assistant GM told Prospect Insider that he thinks Seattle may still be able to get back “75 cents on the dollar,” which isn’t bad at this point considering some of the negative reports on Bedard’s performance this season.

The Phillies, as we all know, are looking for pitching.  They were already in the market for a starter, and now that Brett Myers has been jettisoned to AAA they’re getting desperate.  Charley Kerfeld, Phillies GM Pat Gillick’s right hand man, was in Seattle recently to take a look at Bedard.  Is the fact that Gillick sent his closest advisor instead of a normal scout significant?  Hard to say, but worth noting.

It’s never easy to look at an unfamiliar organization and guess what players could be involved in a potential trade, but I would have to think that Seattle is looking for pitching that is close to being MLB ready, as most of Seattle’s pitching depth is in the lower levels of their system.  Unfortunately it appears that most of the Phillies’ top pitchers seem to hanging around high-A. 

Seattle could pry away Carlos Carrasco, ranked as the Phillies number one prospect by Baseball America last November.  Before you get too excited, Carrasco’s ranking seems to be a product of the weak Phillies farm system.  He’s got some talent and would be a welcome addition to AA San Antonio or AAA Tacoma, but he is fairly erratic and projects as a mid-to-back end starter, maxing out as a number two guy.  He does pitch deep into ballgames and possesses a good fastball and plus changeup and is a winner.  Seattle scouts were present at his last start, but he did not pitch due to shoulder stiffness.

Greg Golson is another name that Seattle wouldn’t mind  having included.  The 22 year old is a potential five tool player.  Considered by some as the system’s top athlete, Golson possesses blazing speed, great range and arm out in center field, the ability to hit for average, and a developing power game.  His downfall, and the reason why he’s only in AA right now, is that he is a strikeout machine.  His inability to recognize the breaking ball helped him tally the most strikeouts in all of minor league baseball last season.

The Rays have been rumored at times to be interested in C.C. Sabathia, so it makes sense that they could look into Bedard as well.  Since Tampa Bay already has Scott Kazmir and James Shields at the top of their rotation they shouldn’t be desperate for a bonafide ace, something that Sabbathia is and Bedard isn’t.  If the Rays fail to get Sabathia Seattle will be hoping that the Rays (and their rich farm system) come knocking.