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The GM Meetings are over. News might slow down a tad. We should think about some award whining and improbable trade ideas. If we get all that out of the way now, we can have a more peaceful holiday season this Winter.
I do have a plan to keep me busy this off season. Working on it now. I just need a couple more art ideas and I can launch. Stay tuned. And have some WeekEnd Links:
A Little Bit of Angels News
Mike Trout picked up his 5th consecutive Silver Slugger Award. Pretty much his 2016 Participation Trophy. I want Trout to be rewarded with all the hardware he can get, but there are some suspicious names on this year's list. For example, I love me my Trumbombs and I totally get the Mookie Betts slobbering, but WTF? Nelson Cruz, anyone??? (I am assuming that Gary Sanchez of the Yankees failed to qualify, explaining Salvador Perez.) And why Anthony Rizzo over not Freddie Freeman? Because Cubs??? And why not Adam Wainwright over Jake Arrieta? Again, because Cubs????............
Trout Porn............
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Everywhere In Baseball
Standardized medical reports, mandated by MLB so we don't have to read about GM shenanigans anymore? I say hell yeah, and let's make sure we all formally name it the "Preller Rule" so that all baseball members and fans will forever tag A.J. Preller with the ignominy............
We can hate on the MSM all day long. And we can hate on many of the characters therein. But sometimes you gotta stop and take a breath and realize that these are human beings, fellow travelers on this earthly journey. And some of these dinosaurs are good dinosaurs. Joe Resnick is an Associated Press sports writer who gave us the facts, crisply. Like here. Or maybe you remember this game? Well, earlier this year Resnick was attending to a spring Angels game when "...official scorer Ed Munson noticed that Resnick had lost weight and was looking pale. He urged Resnick to see a doctor for the first time in 25 years. The Angels set up him up with team physician Craig Milhouse. The diagnosis was advanced colon cancer."..........We are going to lose Resnick. You might want to spend a moment with the man before he goes.............
Maybe, when I retire, I'll have the time to crank out stuff like this: Game 7 highlights in Legos. I have enough of them from the days when my boys were kids. You just never throw that stuff away. Might as well put it all to use...............
Pay attention to this. The Hall of Fame Veteran's Committee has some players to be considered for induction, passed over by the BBWAA. It's kind of a weak class this year. Good names, with good years, but not necessarily HoF careers. Well, except McGwire. And we all know what kind of conversation that will drive. But next year...NEXT YEAR....the Modern Baseball Era will be back on the docket and that is the one that parallels the career of Bobby Grich..............
MLB is still trying to turn back time. I have to wonder how much pressure they are getting from their TV partners in this?................
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Trade Winds
When the Free Agent market is weak, as it is this year, the action turns to the trade market...........
Therefore, Miguel Cabrera to the Astros?..........
Here we are again. Chuckle if you will, but I am still predicting we see at least one Jurickson Profar package to the White Sox as a means to get Chris Sale in return..............
That bit about the Dodgers looking to possibly trade Howie Kendrick, could possibly be because Howie Kendrick wants the Dodgers to trade him...........
You might have read this LA Angels acquisition target list in the OC Register yesterday. You need to pay attention when a Jeff Fletcher doesn't claim to be getting his info from an inside source. That means he is merely doing what we do...........
Billy Eppler appears to be holding his line and not letting teams try to get the better of him. Apparently, somebody came to him with a partial fix for second base and Eppler knows that it is early enough to hold out for an opportunity to get a player who is a more complete package. Let your speculation rage on as to who it was that Eppler may have turned down...........
Eppler may have been one of the GM's calling on the Twins about Brian Dozier. He's 29 and on the hook until 2019, costing only $15 million along the way.........On the other side, the Twins decision-making team is a bunch of rookies, trying not to be overwhelmed............
Remember when R.A. Dickey was a freaking miracle? Just a couple of years ago. Hell, even as recently as 2015 his WHIP was 1.194. And aren't knuckleballers supposed to survive forever? Welp, he fell of a cliff in 2016 and the Blue Jays let him walk. The Braves snatched him up yesterday, to a one-year deal for $8 million.............
The Duffle Bag
Because we have TV graphics, and graphics are cool, TV baseball fans (especially those young enough) don't know baseball without some visual clues telling them what to think about the quality of balls/strikes umpiring. So, in response, MLB is considering making umpires adhere to the rule book strike zone, since that is what the robo-zone is presented as...........Andrew McCutcheon almost landed with the Nats last season? That's a blockbuster headline, but maybe too little, too late. Cutch ain't what he used to be..........Cord cutting is catching up with Disney, right in the pocketbook.............Tim Tebow: "Not horrendous".............Derek Jeter still wants to own a ballclub. Maybe Arte would let him buy into the Angels and be his pinstripe buddy............
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