Welcome to The Week AFTER Winter Meetings. So much time, so much history, so much perspective. Everything should be clear about everything, at least all the way up to , well, little more than head counts. Which brings me to, the head count. Yeah, that's all we got. a head count. But, boy, is it telling. Look at the turnover in Oakland! We are talking about a team that won 88 game made the playoffs last year. Same with the Dodgers, who won 94. The Blue Jays have been busy, but not as busy as the D'backs. The Marlins have been busy, too, but nothing close to the Dodgers.
Logic would dictate that those teams that fare poorly would be working very hard to improve, using all available means. Those means, of course, might often be extremely limited and restrictive, so not all mediocre/poor teams will be busy. But some are. On the other hand, note how hard teams that have been successful, are working to remain so. For a team such as Oakland, it's more about shuffling the cards and dealing new hands with regularity, having learned how to leverage extreme value out of 4 deuces. For teams such as Detroit, the Dodgers, and Angels, it could be about windows. Windows are objects that don't remain open forever.
But hey, it's gonna happen. Scherzer is going to land somewhere. Scott Boras will control the timing. It's time to start an office pool. What's your guess? Who will sign Scherzer, when will he be signed, will it be before or after James Shields, for how much money, and for how many years??
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Elsewhere in the Heavens of Anaheim: Trout Porn: The Face of Major League Baseball rises...........Ouch. This is a tough angle. Andrew Heaney carries the burden of making fans forget Howie Kendrick? No pressure, or anything..............For future consideration: if you are sitting in the seat of Jerry Dipoto, and are still pulling theoretical knobs and levers for a major bolster to your rotation, James Shields and Max Scherzer are going to cost you your first round draft pick next year. Which one is worth that pick?
Around Baseball: Curious as to what happens amongst all those umps with headphones during an Instant Replay review? Well, here you go. Wonder no more..............Talent continues to drift in to the gravity well that has become Chicago, Illinois. Most recently, Melky Cabrera to the White Sox..............I have, as many do, a sentimental spot in my heart for ex-Halos, especially ex-heroes. But, boy, I sure am glad that Jerry Dipoto allowed Kendrys Morales to walk away when he was..........The nationals and Bryce Harper and Scott Boras and the MLBPA continue to hurtle towards a train wreck of Charles O. Finley proportions. if things don't get sorted out today, tomorrow could be the start of cheapskate ugly.............If you are a fan of baseball cards, you may not have known it but your hero was Sy Berger, and he just passed away. Do you love baseball? Are you good working with wood? Have you always dreamed of a career in sports? If you answered yes to all of the above, just follow this guy's dream!
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To all our Jewish members, neighbors, and friends, Happy Hanukkah!!