HumpLinks: Let's dig deep for news

These are the deadest days of the dead of winter, in terms of baseball news. It's way too hard to get these personalities and principals to do worthwhile things that I might use to entertain you. This leaves us with the most exciting thing about today being that it's National Bicarbonate of Soda Day. So celebrate your coming hangover by diving into these Links:

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Everywhere In Baseball

Bar Chatter: The scribes are all ganging up on the Yeonis Cespedes story, throwing out reasons to push various teams into the ring. The Angels are an obvious choice, and media members want to think that we are players (..."and Angels are also in the mix"...). After all, our need to tremendous. But then you get to the reality check, and we are all left deflated. Again. "The Angels have long been connected to corner outfield upgrades, and GM Billy Eppler has said he believes owner Arte Moreno will approve a luxury tax penalty for the right player. The rest of the team’s moves this winter, however, would seem to indicate a strong preference to remain underneath that $189MM barrier, however, as the additions of free agents Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry as well as trade pickups Yunel Escobar and Andrelton Simmons have all been of the lower-cost variety (financially speaking)."...........

Value: The Nats signed Stephen Drew to a 1-year deal for $3 million. Infield depth. Cheap. You might be wondering why Eppler didn't grab that depth at that price? Because we already have a Johnny Giavotella who is a huge upgrade over anything Drew brings, and he come in at 1/6 the cost. So, by my wife's logic, we just saved $2.5 million that can now be added to the LF fund...........

TJ Recovery Forecasting: With Tyler Skaggs coming back this season, what might we forecast for his contribution to the rotation?...........

Time Heals All Wounds: Barry Bonds is picking up support in his Hall of Fame chances. It happens. What was once deemed improbable should now be considered inevitable. It's funny that the "time" needed for Roger Clemens appears to be much, much greater than for Bonds. Clemens might need the same help that Bobby Grich should be getting (and Jim Edmonds might someday get), out of the Veterans Committee...........

Unaminamonous. Or, 100%: Yeah, the BBWAA needs to get over itself, and "tradition". Ken Griffey Jr. needs to be on every ballot...........

Long Overdue: The Dodgers are going to build a statue honoring Jackie Robinson. Sure, it will be at Dodger Stadium, nothing's perfect, but this should have happened decades ago...........

Looking Back at 2015: Favorite Home Runs.............MLB Managerial Hijinks..........Best TV Calls..........Top 10 GIFS...........A. J. Pierzynski being his usual dickish self...........

Famous ex-Ballers: How come I didn't know this? So surprising, to me at least. Did you know that Kurt Rusell played pro baseball before he rolled into acting full time? Did you know that he played for the Angels?? It's true! And, yeah, it's the same Kurt Vogel Russell...........

Age Before Beauty: Think about this for a moment, folks. The Atlanta Braves are abandoning Turner Field for the suburbs. Yeah, that's where the money is but, still, Turner Field opened for business in 1996 for the Olympics, and then for baseball in 1997. Meanwhile, further south in Florida, Tampa Bay officials are actively working for a new stadium for the Rays. Tropicana Field was opened in 1990. So Turner Field lasted 20 years, and Tropicana Field has lasted 25. And those franchises are busy with upgrades they feel are necessary. Meanwhile, the Angels are still playing in a non-descript, Disney-fied, patch job of a park that is now 50 years old. Yeah. It's time...........

OT: Texting while walking is also a seriously bad idea..............