MondoLinks: Ok, Let's get on with 2017.

Having just returned from a weekend in Vegas, and with a requirement to report for jury duty this morning, I am postponing my launch of this off-season's special feature by a few days. Maybe next Monday?

I do have two tasks outstanding to deliver. I promised a look at the final 2016 LAA payroll (I've been hoping that Cots would do their first so I could check my work, but they are still late), and I have some World Series strike zone graphics to share. This week, maybe.

So while I burn my day at the county court house, you guys do some Links:

Bud Black ain't taking over the LAA dugout any time soon. Of course, that was never going to be the case anyway, but there are still some out there who were pretty sure that was what was going to happen. Well, if they still feel that way, those people are going to have to explain how it is that Bud will be commuting from Denver, where he now manages the Rockies...........

You ain't getting Terry Francona in Anaheim, either..........

Torey Lovullo, bench coach in Boston, did end up getting hired for the DBacks gig in Arizona............

That warm and fuzzy Cubs' family ain't without it's post-party squabbling. Miguel Montero feels particularly dissed at the whole thing...........

Is Jose Bautista fading from the baseball scene? The Blue Jays aren't keenly interested, it appears, and we know that the old man is going to want a big paycheck from a long list somebodys who are all too familiar with what went down in Anaheim recently...............

I, for one, would be totally down with the chance to purchase an Oculus VR, if they did have content of long-lost MLB ballparks.............

Trade Winds

Keeping an eye on all things here..........

Yeonis Cespedes DID opt out of his Mets contract, planning to re-enter the Free Agent market. The Mets have until 11:59 EST tonight to negotiate with him exclusively before all the other teams can come knocking. But, with Billy Eppler (yeah, guys, I DO know the difference between Theo Epstein and Billy Eppler!) pulling off the pre-emptive strike last week and trading for Cameron Maybin, the Angels are not on board as a potential suitor..........I am going to be very interested to see where Cespedes ends up, and for what money, because I'm the kind of guy who wonders how many time can we keep dodging the Cespedes opportunity?............

That new DBacks manager Torey Lovullo is going to be without the possible services of right-handed pitcher Vicente Campos, as Eppler claimed Campos was claimed off of waivers...........

Hmmm...The extremely talent-rich Chicago Cubs just cut loose Jason Hammel.  He only made $10 million last year, which is $7 million below the QO level. And Hammel appeared in 30 games and tossed 166.2 innings, with an ERA of 3.83, and ERA+ of 105, a WHIP of 1.206. That's not a lot of moola for what would be a 2nd Matt Shoemaker. Just sayin'............I hope they waited until after the parade to let Hammels know............

Scott Kazmir won't be a possibility to be brought back. He loves it in Chavez Ravine too much..........

The Duffle Bag

The Mannequin Challenge as done by the UC Riverside baseball team, because the internet needs to find something new to do............Doing your proposal on a Jumbotron? Anybody can do that. Proposing to your girl while she is holding the Commissioner's Trophy certainly ups the game (or downs, depending on your opinion of such things)............I wonder if that World Series approach of nothing but breaking balls is something that the Cubs batters will see carry over against them next season?...........The Tammany Hall ballot stuffing machine is alive and well in Chicago, The WS Champ parade and party is claimed to have drawn 5 million spectators. That is historical and amazing levels. Note that only 2.7 million people live in all of Chicago.............Mike Napoli, stuck in Cleveland, partying anyway..........

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