Electricity is in the air at the baseball winter meetings. I hope to share the news with you as it happens.
The structure and set-up of baseball's annual get together is really amazing. Every major newspaper and sports outlet in the country is represented here at the meetings. A huge ballroom is set up with rows and rows of tables. Each is staffed by blurry-eyed writers waiting for the announcement of trades and free agent signings. Most of us will never see the outside of the hotel until Thursday's departure. A massive table is placed at the front of the room, surrounded by microphones and cameras. When action begins, spokespersons from individual teams will step forward and make announcements. I will share the news with you. The room is a sea of laptops and cell phones.
I'm really thrilled to be spending quality time with RotoWire colleagues Derek Van Riper and Jeff Stotts. We are able to share these experiences together with the goal of bringing you the freshest and most up to date information possible.
The Hilton Anatole Hotel is like a small city. It takes time to go from one part of the property to the other. As a result, one has to plan time and logistics to nourish the body with expensive but quality food. I have never missed a meal in my life and I have promised to keep that streak in play, regardless of the countless miles I have to walk to eat.
Last night we learned that Jose Reyes did indeed sign with the Miami Marlins. It will mean some shifting of position for either Reyes or Hanley Ramirez. But Reyes is a great sign for the Marlins. He can motivate Ramirez as well as bring his own game to new heights. If he's healthy. If he's healthy there are few in the game with his ability to generate electricity and put pressure on a defense. Granted, the amount of money is outrageous and I am way beyond even thinking of the mega-contracts as a negative issue. I have come to accept that ridiculous entertainment salaries are part of life.
Still no word on where Pujols and Fielder wind up. I still believe Albert stays in St. Louis, but they haven't moved on the offer they made before last season began. If the Marlins and Cubs are seriously considering throwing unthinkable years and dollars at him, Pujols will likely depart. He wants to be paid appropriately. Fielder may wind up in Seattle. He has a comfort level with the general manager, it's an American League city that allows him to eventually DH and it's an up and coming franchise. Then again, the Brewers want to keep him and they may surprise us. But it's a National League city and long term, that doesn't bode well. That's why the Cubs don't make much sense to me. How about the Blue Jays? Now you're talking. Blue Jays or Mariners seem to fit. They both have some money, they both are on the verge of breaking out and they are American League cities.
The hotel lobbies are loaded with the elaborate set-ups for live television. ESPN, MLBTV and other outlets are set up with huge production crews and sets ready to transmit all the action. They will be trotting out all the usual names and general managers as well as field managers will rotate in and out of the sets.
Player agents really dominate the meetings. Everything takes time. Agents meet and listen to team after team. Even if a club has not expressed overt interest in their particular player(s), agents may make contact. Why? They want to represent themselves to teams as well as representing their stable of clients. Agents try hard to establish solid relationships with personnel from every organization with an eye to the future. At some point in time, the same agent will want to move a client to a particular team. It's as much about establishing relationships with clubs as it is selling their players.
I'll be back with you later today if there is anything to share. For now, it's like watching a cloudy sky and waiting for rain. The clouds are building and they may burst at any moment. But when it rains, it pours. Stay tuned.
Follow me on twitter from the winter meetings @BerniePleskoff. Follow me on MLB.com by clicking on Other Voices if my article is not on the home page. As always, your questions and comments are welcome.