Here goes

[bigbird]

First I was in arbitration hearings most of yesterday. It looked really wild here.

I only rec'd 2 small text messages from my guy during the day. Spoke to him in detail last evening. Here's what I can pass on. As usual read into this as little or as much as you like:

Roberts: What happened yesterday was not a witch hunt by the FO to find a leak. There were Roberts to the Cubs talks and lots of them. Angelos seems to be on board now, but that could change depending on how he woke up this morning. He thinks this deal should happen soon. No trade paperwork has been faxed to MLB as of last evening.

Bedard: Nothing close. He is not hearing that Cincy is adding Bruce. He said nither package from Seattle nor Cincy is what the front office deems acceptable at this point. This may drag out a while but after what Silva just received there is zero chance Bedard will resign here.

Dotel: A 1 year offer w/option has been made to Dotel.

The small trade he mentioned yesterday was Payton. Lots of talk about him the last few days. Depending what happens with Bedard/Roberts will have an impact on a Payton trade partner.

SS - We will not enter the season with with a starting SS currently on the roster. We may try to get Cedeno from the Cubs which may be holding up the Roberts trade. Outside players being talked about are Jack Wilson and Juan Uribe. He personally does not feel we'll go that route. No talks of Jones to SS if we get him in trade.

That's it............. After today he's out of the office till the new year......

[Jik]

thanks for the info BB ! always appreciated.

[Moose Milligan]

Thanks as always, bb!

[Peace21]

Awesome, thanks BB, Glad to see Angelos has approved a Roberts deal.

[bobmc]

Thanks BB for your report! Have a great holiday!

[Peace21]

Doesn't Dotel want 2 years?

[BillySmith]

Silva = all the reasons in the world to acquire a ton of young pitching.

Have you guys counted up in your head the number of young starting pitching candidates we will have if Gallagher and Bailey come here? It's fantastic.

And is there some rule that you have to be 35 to become a free agent? I'm joking, but looking at the 2009 FA thread, free agency really is only good if you are filling a hole or two in order to win the whole thing. Guys who are on the decline are getting incredible numbers. I digress.

[Jagwar]

For What It's Worth V: A New Hope

Good to hear that there is a lot of activity on a Roberts trade

[JTrea81]

Thanks BB, it wasn't the Roberts stuff that was the witch hunt, it was thought to have been the Bruce stuff, and it was most likely Belkast's source that did that on his own. Anyway if the Roberts to Cubs is supposed to happen soon, and your guy is leaving today, I would guess we would see something today then if anything at all...

[BillySmith]

Well, that's one thing out of the way. No Luis Hernandez at SS. SG will be bummed.

[tywright]

That's it............. After today he's out of the office till the new year......

Hopefully AM didn't read this

[Jagwar]

Hopefully AM didn't read this

My guess is that the majority of employees are out of the warehouse all of next week

[Jagwar]

Well, that's one thing out of the way. No Luis Hernandez at SS. SG will be bummed.

Depending on which pieces come back in Bedard/Roberts trades, I am fine with LH at shortstop

[tywright]

My guess is that the majority of employees are out of the warehouse all of next week

I would hope not...they should be working 24/7!

[ChaosLex]

First I was in arbitration hearings most of yesterday. It looked really wild here.

I only rec'd 2 small text messages from my guy during the day. Spoke to him in detail last evening. Here's what I can pass on. As usual read into this as little or as much as you like:

Roberts: What happened yesterday was not a witch hunt by the FO to find a leak. There were Roberts to the Cubs talks and lots of them. Angelos seems to be on board now, but that could change depending on how he woke up this morning. He thinks this deal should happen soon. No trade paperwork has been faxed to MLB as of last evening.

Bedard: Nothing close. He is not hearing that Cincy is adding Bruce. He said nither package from Seattle nor Cincy is what the front office deems acceptable at this point. This may drag out a while but after what Silva just received there is zero chance Bedard will resign here.

Dotel: A 1 year offer w/option has been made to Dotel.

The small trade he mentioned yesterday was Payton. Lots of talk about him the last few days. Depending what happens with Bedard/Roberts will have an impact on a Payton trade partner.

SS - We will not enter the season with with a starting SS currently on the roster. We may try to get Cedeno from the Cubs which may be holding up the Roberts trade. Outside players being talked about are Jack Wilson and Juan Uribe. He personally does not feel we'll go that route. No talks of Jones to SS if we get him in trade.

That's it............. After today he's out of the office till the new year......

Thanks bigbird. It'd be nice to get a Roberts trade completed soon, but I have a funny it'll wait until after the new year.

Stinks about Bedard. I wonder what kind of packages the M's and Reds are offering. I'm presuming Jones and Morrow/Clement are still available from the M's and Votto and Cueto/Bailey are still available from the Reds? Here's hoping at least!

I still have a funny feeling that a dark horse team will come into play and target either Bedard or Roberts. We'll see...