INDIANAPOLIS—Why don’t we just roll up our sleeves and go ahead and get the rudimentary crap out of the way now…
For the news and analysis stuff from here at the baseball Winter Meetings, go to our site, CSNPhilly.com. That’s where Leslie Gudel, Rob Kuestner, and our new guy, Jim Salisbury, will drop the comings and goings of the week here from the Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.
Yes, I know… another Marriott.
This place, this so-called, “Food,” is for the little ancillary things. You know, kind of like the DVD extras. For instance, walking to the winter meetings this morning I happened across a historical marker that chronicled a rather Draconian time in Indiana state history.
And no, it had nothing to do with Larry Bird or Scott Rolen.
So why don’t we just get started already?
Here’s what we have… there’s a lobby full of agents, managers, front-office types and baseball writers. Oh yes, it’s a geek fest. Additionally, a large (or as they say, “Venti”) coffee costs $2.85 in the lobby Starbucks. When Leslie complained that her skinny vanilla latte cost $20, she was told that it was because there is a 10 percent sales tax in downtown Indy.
“It’s kind of like being in an airport,” the barista said.
Anyway, this just might be the first mass Twitter-ed baseball winter meetings. Last year in Las Vegas Twitter hadn’t bore itself into the middle ear of the consciousness of the baseball world. If I can remember correctly, I’m pretty sure I dropped a whole bunch of stuff onto my Twitter feed last year in Vegas, but back then it was kind of like a dorky conversation with a bunch of people who actually knew what I looked like.
To be honest, it was much more fun back then.
Oh, the old days… sigh!
Ya want some rumors? Try these out: Pat Burrell might get traded to the Mets; Little Sarge Matthews might get traded; and Roy Halladay will get traded. and
Meanwhile, the Phillies are looking at a whole bunch of pitchers. One of those guys in the lobby gave me some names: Fernando Rodney, J.J. Putz, Brandon Lyon. That’s it so far.
As far as the Phillies go, it might be a quiet week. Last year the Phillies left Vegas with Ronny Paulino, Raul Ibanez and were almost finished with signing Chan Ho Park. Plus, Charlie Manuel got a contract extension in between sessions where a whole lotta tires got kicked.
Regardless, you can’t go to Indianapolis and leave empty handed, right? Expect Ruben Amaro to do something or at least talk a whole lot about something.