Wednesday Halolinks: Angels Silent So Far At Winter Meetings, Still Linked To Every Pitcher

Day Three of the 2012 Winter Meetings takes place today, and hopefully the Angels do something good. While you're waiting for the next Halo blockbuster, peruse these links:

• Current Baseball Prospectus writer, former OC Register blogger, and forever Halos Heaven friend Sam Miller has become legit: BP Announcements: BP's New BBWAA Members - Baseball Prospectus. "Joe Hamrahi and Sam Miller are inducted into the BBWAA". Congratulations Sam! Free baseball for life!
  
• In other words, nothing new to report: Halos remain pragmatic in pursuit of free agent Zack Greinke - angels.com. "Obviously, things can change very quickly, and Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto has a recent track record of being very coy about his pursuit of big-name free agents (see: Albert Pujols, December 2011). But the price tags continue to be sky high -- the latest being Haren's $13 million contract and Shane Victorino's reported three-year, $39 million deal with the Red Sox -- and the Angels appear content with simply adding one middle-tier starter and one back-end reliever." I hope that's true, a mid-tier starter (Brandon McCarthy) and a back-end reliever (Koji Uehara) are who the Halos end up with after the meetings end.
• MLB Trade Rumors has the news on Angels rumblings:
  
  Brandon McCarthy - Angels Rumors: Haren, Greinke, Pitching. "4:45pm: The Angels' once-tepid interest in Brandon McCarthy has picked up in Nashville, tweets DiGiovanna." Yes, please.
  
  Ryan Dempster - Latest On Ryan Dempster. "8:21pm: While the Red Sox remain in the mix for Ryan Dempster, the Angels are out of the running, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter)." No thank you, please.
  
  Kyle Lohse - Red Sox, Angels Interested In Lohse. "The Red Sox and Angels are among the suitors for free agent righty Kyle Lohse, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The 34-year-old turned down a qualifying offer from the Cardinals, signing him will cost a draft pick." No. NO. NO! (please).
• I know it's not real, but it is fun: SB Nation Winter Meeting Simulation - We're Making Moves! - Halos Heaven. "1:30pm - On the recommendation of our Director of Scouting, T.K. o'Cera (The King of CERA), we signed Matt Lindstrom to a 1-year, $2.5M contract. 1:45pm - In negotiations for an "impact bat". 6:30pm - Signed Eric Chavez to a 2-year/$7M contract. Signed Koji Uehara to a 2-year/$9M contract." The impact bat is, wait for it...Josh Hamilton. Shaun Marcum is also being talked to, while an offer has been submitted to Joe Saunders. If you have the time, please offer up your suggestions over in that thread.
  
• I may have to look into a couple of these guys for the sim-thing: Relievers who could improve in 2013 - The Hardball Times. "Some may look at (Jason) Frasor's 2012 season see a guy who is on the wrong side of 30, coming off a career-worst year. But I see a 35-year-old reliever who has had a solid and durable career, and could end up as a free agent bargain, because of his ability to strike out right-handed hitters." Or JP can look into them for the real-thing.
  
• I don't know what to make of this. Scutaro is 37-years-old and, next to catcher, plays one of the most physically demanding defensive positions in baseball: Marco Scutaro staying with Giants with three-year, 20 million dollar deal - FOX Sports. "The San Francisco Giants have reached agreement with free-agent second baseman Marco Scutaro on a three-year, $20 million deal, pending a physical." Marco Scutaro and Irrational Exuberance - FanGraphs Baseball "Two years ago, when Scutaro was a free agent, he got $12 million over two years. After one year, the Red Sox essentially gave Scutaro to the Rockies in order to free up some payroll space to sign Cody Ross. In July, the Rockies gave Scutaro to the Giants in exchange for non-prospect Charlie Culberson, and picked up part of his remaining salary to help the trade go through. In the last year, every team in baseball has had the chance to pick up Marco Scutaro for a pittance in both salary and talent. Now, headed into his age-37 season, the bidding for his services is intense enough to require a three year commitment?" In the Winter Meeting sim, the Blue Jays signed Greinke to a 6/175 contract and people went off about how unrealistic that contract is. Yeah, but this seems just as unrealistic. But it's not.
  
• I hates you Texas Rangers! Lawd, do I hates you! <shakes fist in the air while giving a wrinkled grimace> Texas Rangers pursuing Josh Hamilton, Zack Greinke, this offseason's top two free agents. - FOX Sports. "The Rangers are competing for both players, major-league sources say, while also continuing to engage in trade discussions for Arizona right fielder Justin Upton, Tampa Bay right-hander James Shields and others. The team’s goal: To land both a star pitcher and a star hitter. Here's something they (Rangers) may be involved in: Will winter baseball meetings produce a blockbuster? -FOX Sports
• The debate is, "How healthy is Dan Haren?" If he's all better, this is a good signing for the Nationals. If he still has a boo-boo, not so much: All hail the Washington Nationals! - Baseball Nation. "But also because they're signing Dan Haren for $13 million. At that price he's a bargain! I saw it on the Internet! That sore hip that bothered him in 2012? No problem! Right?

Red Sox didn't like what they saw on Dan Haren's medicals on his hip. — Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) December 4, 2012

• I think Cistulli slept with this guy's girlfriend: Does Carson Cistulli's Admittance To The BBWAA Finally Justify His Preposterously Detailed Wikipedia Page? "Would a hip young sabermetric writer like Cistulli have helped Mike Trout in this year's MVP voting? Or would Cistulli have felt awkward voting for someone with a shorter Wikipedia page than his? Sadly, we'll never know." Really, make a deal out of his Wiki page? Tito, get this guy a tissue.
  
• These guys do a great job of tracking down stuff like this: No Frick-in’ Clue: Investigation Shows $500k In Rare Letters Looted From MLB Commissioner’s Files At Baseball Hall of Fame - Hauls of Shame. "After a three-year investigation into the Ford Frick-related documents that have surfaced in the hobby and have been sold at public auction since the early 1990s, it has been determined that the Frick papers housed at the NBL have been compromised to the tune of close to $500,000 including valuable autographs representing some of the greatest rarities in the game." It's too bad the HOF doesn't do anything about it. (Hat tip: Baseball Think Factory)