Yesterday’s Winter Meeting action can be placed in two categories: things that happened and incredible amount of rumors swirling about things that might happen. I guess that’s not different than any Winter Meetings. Sources are via MLB Trade Rumors and Twitter Links from Baseball Personalities.
Things That Happened:
– Rangers Signed Soria to a two-year deal
– Giants Signed Pagan to a 4 year, 40 million dollar deal
– Red Sox Signed Napoli to a 3 year, 39 million dollar deal
– Rays Signed James Loney
– Padres Signed Jason Marquis
– Rangers Signed Soto for 3 million
The surprises in that group included:
– Napoli getting that much money
– Pagan getting that much money and that many years
– Soria electing for a two year deal to be a set up man. I would think he would go for a one year deal and try the market again as a closer next year
For the second group, things we heard a lot about but haven’t happened yet:
– Dodgers are in on 10-12 trade ideas right now
– 8 Teams are interested in R.A. Dickey. Teams that
– Astros may move Bud Norris
– Indians may move Cabrera
– Marlins shopping Escobar. Nolasco next?
– Diamondbacks have had discussions about Upton and Kubel
It looks like the entire trade market is being bogged down by two players, which also isn’t surprising. Greinke is holding up the starting pitching trades. Teams that are interested in Dickey, like the Rangers and the Dodgers are also in on Greinke. Once Greinke signs, the trade market for pitchers will make more sense. If the demand for Bud Norris is low, I would expect the Mets to also wait until Sanchez signs. That way both big and small market teams will be desperate for starting pitching, and the Mets could get a larger return for Dickey or Niese.
Trading bats is being held up by mostly Hamilton but also partially by LaRoche. When the former signs, teams with money that will need a bat will either have to take a risk on the free agency market or make a trade. Since a lot of the bats this year are tied up in pitching trade talks (Upton, Myers), this could turn into a big game of chicken until both Hamilton and Greinke sign.
