Detect-o-Vision discusses the Mariners-Orioles negotiations for Erik Bedard. The Mariners are negotiating backwards:

We remind negotiators of this, and they go, "Well, no duh." They are aware of the idea, but then you sit and watch them go ahead and direct 80% of their discussion time towards trying to subtract from their side of the deal. It's human nature.

It is the guy who spends 90% of his time on the opposite paradigm -- "what does the deal look like if you get everything you want" -- who gets deals closed.

Not that any of the M's suits listen to advice on this kind of stuff ... but for D-O-V readers following the script? You may want to pay more attention to what Baltimore would be willing to kick in (a realistic hope), than to whether they're willing to cave in on Wlad (probably not a realistic hope).

The trades for Miguel Cabrera and Dan Haren are great examples of this.