Official Winter Meetings Thread

[TonySoprano]

All the big reporters said gonna be lot's of deals this week. So far day 1 is a bust.

and then stuff happens within a few hours

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhiteSox?src=hash">#WhiteSox</a> close to acquiring Samardzija from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Athletics?src=hash">#Athletics</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS">@JonHeymanCBS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan">@JeffPassan</a> were on it.</p>? Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="

">December 9, 2014</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Chicago <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Whitesox?src=hash">#Whitesox</a> have just signed closer David Robertson to a 4 year deal in excess of $40 million.</p>? Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) <a href="

">December 9, 2014</a></blockquote>

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[wildcard]

Dan gives hints as to who he will sign.

1) Free Agents more likely than trade.

2) A righthanded hitter and a lefthanded hitter.

Delmon Young - We already know that the O's have offered him a one year deal and are willing to add an option year. There is the righthanded hitter.

Aoki - Leadoff hitter with a .350 OBP over the last three year who can play rightfield.

There is the lefthanded hitter. Probably a two year deal maybe with an option. He adds speed though not a high precentage base stealer.

Those are my best guesses from what Dan is saying.

Check out Melewski's video

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2014/12/duquette-on-the-outfield-market-and-more.html

[Can_of_corn]

Everyone has hitting too. But the White Sox were one of the worst pitching staffs in the AL last year (90 ERA+). They only had/have two good starters in Sale and Quintana. Samardzija will really help the rotation as a #2/3, although I think his hype overrates him.

Everyone doesn't have hitting. If you are watching folks are trying hard to trade arms for bats.

[weams]

Everyone doesn't have hitting. If you are watching folks are trying hard to trade arms for bats.

When the Royals asked about Gattis several weeks back, the Braves asked for young righty Yordano Ventura in return.

MLBtraderumors

[Can_of_corn]

MLBtraderumors

When we are in a world where the Braves can even ask for Ventura for Gattis you can see how far the pendulum has swung in favor of pitching.

[DrungoHazewood]

When we are in a world where the Braves can even ask for Ventura for Gattis you can see how far the pendulum has swung in favor of pitching.

I think that people are probably mis-evaluating this. They're still chasing mythical .900-1.000 OPS guys and not accounting for the fact that in sub-four-run baseball .850 is the new .975. I'd stock up on pitching and defense. Take advantage of the perception lag.

[Frobby]

Schilling on Baseball Tonight says we're gonna be has-beens and PA is to blame because he won't get us an Ace.

The same Curt Schilling who lost $50 mm when the video company he founded went bankrupt? The same one who denies that evolution is a scientific fact? I'm very concerned about his opinions.

[DrungoHazewood]

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Always nice when other teams are willing to pay tens of $millions for what you made out of whole cloth a year ago.

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[weams]

The same Curt Schilling who lost $50 mm when the video company he founded went bankrupt? The same one who denies that evolution is a scientific fact? I'm very concerned about his opinions.

Didn't he and his crony politicians lose 100 million for the state of Delaware as well in his fantasy warfare boondoggle?

[Can_of_corn]

Didn't he and his crony politicians lose 100 million for the state of Delaware as well in his fantasy warfare boondoggle?

Rhode Island.

Taxpayers were put on the hook for $115.9 million in principal, interest and fees stemming from a $75-million loan guarantee for 38 Studios arranged by the R.I. Economic Development Corporation.

How exactly do you blow through that much money that fast making a video game?

[fastball]

I don't know why my message of Dan Duquette was scrubbed last night. But I feel if Dan is GM of the Orioles and he doesn't really want to be here, these winter meeting to the Orioles are useless.There is to much to be done and to many important decisions to be made.

I'll be glad when this is over and we move on, to singed a player or make a trade to improve this team.

I've been a Oriole fan since 1957, have seen the good and bad years but most important the last three years and looking forward to more.

[weams]

I don't know why my message of Dan Duquette was scrubbed last night. But I feel if Dan is GM of the Orioles and he doesn't really want to be here, these winter meeting to the Orioles are useless.There is to much to be done and to many important decisions to be made.

I'll be glad when this is over and we move on, to singed a player or make a trade to improve this team.

I've been a Oriole fan since 1957, have seen the good and bad years but most important the last three years and looking forward to more.

It wasn't scrubbed. It was merged.

[weams]

I don't know why my message of Dan Duquette was scrubbed last night. But I feel if Dan is GM of the Orioles and he doesn't really want to be here, these winter meeting to the Orioles are useless.There is to much to be done and to many important decisions to be made.

I'll be glad when this is over and we move on, to singed a player or make a trade to improve this team.

I've been a Oriole fan since 1957, have seen the good and bad years but most important the last three years and looking forward to more.

I probably put it in the Winter Meetings thread. I left a one hour reminder in the forum.

[weams]

I don't know why my message of Dan Duquette was scrubbed last night. But I feel if Dan is GM of the Orioles and he doesn't really want to be here, these winter meeting to the Orioles are useless.There is to much to be done and to many important decisions to be made.

I'll be glad when this is over and we move on, to singed a player or make a trade to improve this team.

I've been a Oriole fan since 1957, have seen the good and bad years but most important the last three years and looking forward to more.

Dan Duquette has been an important part of the Orioles being relevant and good again. His position with the Orioles four the next four years assures that he will continue to do a super job.

[Frobby]

It wasn't scrubbed. It was merged.

As this should be, IMO. The subject has been well covered. In any event, I have every confidence that Dan will give his best efforts to the Orioles during these meetings. He wasn't likely to make any big, splashy signings in any event, so I won't take the lack of them to mean he isn't pursuing his plan, which has been pretty consistent since he first took the EVP job here.