WeekEnd HaloLinks: 14 days to go!

It's that time of year again, when everybody gets all up in a tizzy, new flat screens are showcased for friends and neighbors, cheap food and booze is all the rage, puppies play with footballs, advertisers go apeshit, America endures a crappy musical revue, billions of dollars are lost to ridiculous betting notions, and we can all finally turn our attention - properly - to baseball.

To help you survive all this, have some Super Links:

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Everywhere In Baseball

The GA Moving Company: Garret Anderson will be making an appearance at Angels Stadium for Moving Day celebrations. We can safely assume he will not be tasked with loading anything..........

Wilsonian Moment: Focus on the no-trade clause here. Teams are reportedly calling on Billy Eppler to test the waters regarding C.J. Wilson. We got one shot at this, so we better get it right. even if that means doing nothing, doing nothing better turn out to be the right thing to have done..........

Aim High: I missed this tidbit a couple of days ago. In a Ken Rosenthal piece about the trials and tribulations that Jean Segura is going through, and the hope that he can regain his career trajectory back in Arizona (all of which are admirable), there is this: "Segura, who turns 26 on March 17, rejected a seven-year, $40 million extension with an option for an eighth year in the spring of ’14, according to major-league sources. He felt he deserved better, particularly since the Braves had just signed Andrelton Simmons to a seven-year, $58 million deal." Segura's agent using Simmons as his comp? That's some moxie, right there. (STEAMER projects Simmons at 3.5fWAR, and Segura at 0.9. I could go on but you know how to find FG and BBR by now.)...........

Not Joshin' Around: The Blue Jays have an interesting problem on their hands. Immediately in front of them is the inevitability of an arb hearing over Josh Donaldson's 2016 pay rate. After his MVP season, we know it's going to be at least $11.35 million. Meanwhile, they are trying to negotiate a longer-term extension. They have until the hearing date to close that deal. But here is the part I find interesting: how sustainable is Donaldson's run? Being a part of the Toronto lineup is one boost. Being at a position where the alternative are mostly weak is another boost. But is Donaldson really a year-over-year high 7's WAR guy? It's time to ask, because that is the only data that Toronto has to go on to date concerning Donaldson..........

New York, New York: Imagine the dichotomy going on there. On one side of town, you have the New York Yankees, who are affluent and NOT spending, presumably for the future when they can sign Bryce Harper away from the Nationals. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, you have the New York Mets who are NOT affluent and who have a huge financial decision looming in their near future should they wish to capitalize on their pipeline..........

Dirty Business: I alerted you to this project weeks and weeks ago, and now it has begun. The Blue Jays have started the work to convert their infield to all dirt.  This should make Mike Scioscia happier..........

Oh, Appy Days: This might be something we should all test when Opening Day comes around. Sports Illustrated has launched a new mobile app for real-time sports scores and updates. Having an app that really really DOES do real time updates and alerts would be a very good thing. I have yet to find an app that meets that standard in my eyes............

PEDS Blocked No More: Theo Epstein has an interesting angle in this podcast, that the modern day testing has curtailed the ability of pros to extend their peak years, allowing for more youngsters to get a shot at taking over a roster spot when they are younger. Hence the Mike Trouts and Bryce Harpers. Not sure I agree. (To be fair, he also speaks to the elevated level of the game today and how that ages players out faster at the back end of their careers. This is something I would agree with.)...........When you are done taking that podcast segment all in, click on over to Fangraphs and read about how this effect is being seen in the relationship between Qualifying Offers and the protection of draft picks...........

Smells Fishy: Well done, Mr. Marlins twitter idiot. Well done, indeed............

Danger Ranger: Mike Trout takes his life in his hands and goes driving in the worst blizzard of the century, because it's fun and he wants to report on the weather. Kris Bryant sees Mike Trout his snow driving skills, and raises him with swimming with sharks..........

Holy Cow: By my esitmation, Kevin Kiermaier now has 21 days to recover from his gorging before he is forced to run around a baseball field. Personally, I wouldn't make it..........

In Only Four Words: Let's jump on this. Write the saddest story about the Angels that you can , using only 4 words. Mine: "Scioscia signs lifetime extension." (I cam up with a ton more, but none that made me as depressed as that.)..........

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This Date In Baseball History: 1930 - Leo Durocher actually started his career as a Yankee. But after his second full season, he got into a salary dispute, pissing off the Yankees. So on this day, he was sold to Cincinnati...........1934 - Hank Aaron is born. Tomorrow will be Babe Ruth's 39th birthday...........1951 - Earl Warren, Governor of California, denies that he has his hat in the ring to become the next Commissioner of Baseball. Instead, Warren will become the Chief Justice of The Supreme Court 3 years later. This is the Chief Justice Earl Warren who will soon be leading the investigation int the assassination of JFK, and have his name forever etched into history with The Warren Report...........1999 - MLB announces that they will award to the best hitter in each league a new honor, to be named after Hank Aaron. The same Aaron we just told you was born on this day..........2002 - Baseball announces that they are canceling plans for contraction. The Twins and Expos were on the block. Pretty laughable looked at from our POV. The scam was never going to be allowed by the MLBPA, but it did get the Twins a new stadium and the Expos and entire new city...........2002 - The Astros file suit to cancel the contract and have the name "Enron" stripped from their stadium..............

HISTORY BONUS: Always great, the Home Run Derby from way back at Wrigley Field. Not the Chicago Wrigley Field. The Los Angeles Wrigely Field, home of the Los Angeles Angels. A television show braodcast in 1960. (h/t Uni Watch)

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