Baseball winter meetings

by: pageian

Major League Baseballs winter meetings have come and gone with less activity than most fans had hoped for.  There were a few major signings and a bad contract or two handed out but overall most of the major story lines for this offseason failed to develop.  The Chicago Cubs, hamstrung by Milton Bradley's attitude and contract didn't make any significant moves because they're unable to take on any payroll until they know how much of Bradley's salary they'll have to pay.  None of the big three free agents, Matt Holliday, Jason Bay and John Lackey landed a contract and in fact the main contenders for their services have yet to be clearly defined.  The Mets are in on Bay along with the Mariners and the Red Sox.  The Mariners are also interested in Lackey and while there hasn't been much evidence to support the notion that the Yankees are in on him they can't be ruled out yet either.  The Cardinals have apparently made an initial offer to Holliday and it appears that it's the only one he's received so far.  No doubt Scott Boras is going to turn it down and with no other suitor in sight Holliday may not sign until most of the other significant free agents have found a home and the market for him becomes more clearly defined.

Hang in there, we've got a long way to go this offseason and with few teams being in a position to spend big things are likely to unfold slowly.  I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more blockbuster trades this winter like the one that brought Curtis Granderson to the Yankees.  Roy Halladay has yet to be moved and it may well take a three-team trade for players like Bradley and Pat Burrell to get traded.  It should make for a fun, if slow developing winter.