Is this really necessary?
Major League Baseball dispensed with the major league portion of the winter meetings for awhile back in the 1990s because of the travel costs and the fact that the sport’s annual convention had largely been taken over by player agents and their free-agent clients. There also was the growing realization that everything that could be accomplished in a hotel room could be done on a conference call, but the meetings came back into vogue as industry revenues rose and baseball executives figured out that it’s more fun to schmooze their colleagues in a hotel cocktail lounge than help with the Christmas shopping.
There’s also something to be said for the spontaneous deal that can come together when two sets of front-office types start throwing around names over a few margaritas. It’s not like the old days, but there is some marketing value to be derived from a week of trade and free-agent speculation in the middle of the offseason, though maybe not quite so much in this economy.
I’m sure there are a few people out there who might want to equate this convention being held in Las Vegas with the social obliviousness that was displayed recently when the Big Three auto CEO’s flew into Washington on their private jets to beg for a government bailout, but there really is no comparison. These winter meetings were scheduled several years ago and the fact that they are in Las Vegas is fairly insignificant, since most of the executives, agents and media members only leave the hotel lobby long enough to eat and sleep.
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Comments
But not you, though, Peter?
You just sneak away long enough to gamble and get your boogie on before coming back to write about the news.
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Pete's reply: Well, I am a Vegas kind of guy.
Posted by: Ben W | December 6, 2008 7:43 PM
plus Vegas is super-cheap right now cuz nobody is gambling. you can get a room in a nice hotel on the strip for 60 bucks a night...
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Pete's reply: The lowest I could find was $97 for Saturday night, but with all the construction going on, it won't be long before they'll be going for $35.
Posted by: winston | December 7, 2008 1:41 AM
It doesn't make sense for the O's to sign any free agents before the Rule 5 draft. To do so would require them to expose one player on the 40 man roster for each signing.
Also blogging of the Rule 5 draft, what ever happened to the first baseman the O's lost to the Yankees last year? I seem to remember he was traded to the Royals.
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Pete's reply: I'm guessing the Orioles have people on the 40 they aren't afraid of losing.
Posted by: Rusty | December 7, 2008 7:56 AM
P,
We should expect the front office to do more window shopping at the meetings this week. Why should we expect anything else? We are being Buffaloed. I keep hearing , "Lets wait for next year's free agent pool or we are playing for the 2010-2011 season. I am 40 years old and I am tired of it. Although I dislike the Yanks and Boston, I do like the way they are aggressive with free agent players.
The Owner is sitting on large amounts of money from MASN. Just like an attorney.....GREED
ALSO
Why wouldnt the O's go after Olsen from Florida Marlins. He's 24 Years Old.
Posted by: Smitty | December 7, 2008 9:59 AM
Smitty - It has been reported that the O's did talk to Fla about Olsen. And every team in baseball needs starting pitching so obviously for Fla to trade him so early, they obviously felt that better offers werent forthcoming from anyone, not just the O's.
With MSN broadcasting the Nats (worst TV ratings in major league baseball) and the O's (third worst tv ratings in major league baseball) just how do you think MASN is this huge money making machine like NESN or YES?
Lastly, who cares what you are tired of? MacPhail has his plan, he is gonna follow it and your being tired has no bearing on whether his plan is the right way to build this team or not. May I suggest a multivitamin or iron supplement for your being tired?
Posted by: Lucky Horseshoe | December 7, 2008 2:40 PM