This is not which pitcher is better right now, as clearly that would be Bedard. The question is: Which will have the better full career, Erik Bedard or Daniel Cabrera?
Both of them are basically at the same stage of their Major League career, though Bedard (26) is older than Cabrera (24), and has already had major surgery in the form of his Tommy John operation. You can't ignore that, but it almost seems inevitable that Cabrera, who throws gas and has some mechanical issues, constantly having his delivery tinkered with, will eventually have his own Tommy John surgery.
But that will, of course, all play out over time.
For Bedard, you have the fact that he's a lefty with the superior control of the two, and a mighty nice K-rate this season (8.2 K/9).
In Cabrera's favor is that he has an arm that's just about as good as anyone's, and when he's on, he is about as dominant a pitcher as there is in the majors. He strikes out his share, too, with 8.6 K/9.
Bedard is far more hittable, but Cabrera allows more baserunners because his control isn't as good and he's far more erratic.
Both look like they're going to be good, long-term pitchers. Bedard will need to stay healthy, and Cabrera will need to master his control and a third pitch to be a truly reliable starter. Bedard has more polish. Cabrera has more upside.
So call it in the air: Bedard or Cabrera? If both were available to you in an expansion draft right now, which would you take, and why?