Why Mariners pitcher Erik Bedard should qualify for Type A free-agency

Many of you have been asking about my statement yesterday that Erik Bedard should qualify for Type A free-agency and net the Mariners a pair of draft picks should he leave as a free-agent by year's-end. First off, while his situation appears similar to that of Adrian Beltre, another Mariners player right on the cusp between Type A and Type B free-agency, there is a big difference. Bedard is having a much better season this year than Beltre is. Another thing worth noting is that, because baseball's financial landscape has changed, Type A free-agency might actually mean more in Bedard's case than in Beltre's. To receive the draft picks, teams must first offer arbitration to a player. If that player accepts, the team would have to work out a one-year deal. Beltre earns $12 million this season and would likely win at least that much in arbitration (teams can't offer a paycut of more than 20 percent and arbitrators, who pick one of two proposed figures, usually don&#...