Sunday Bantering: Winter Meetings

The Winter Meeting start today in San Diego. Looking out my window at the falling snow I’m think I should be in southern California.

The good news is that we should, at very least, hear some rumors over the next few days. I’d love some news. Something interesting.

There is this:

Google translate suggests it means something like:

Japanese Yoshitomo Tsutsugo’s deadline for signing with an MLB team through the Transfer System expires on December 19 at 5 pm (ET). Apparently 4 clubs are interested and Toronto is the favorite to sign it.

Oh I hope so.

And the former Hall of Fame ‘Veteran’s Committee’, now called the Modern Baseball Era Committee will vote on letting one of these ten men into the Hall of Fame. The ten:

Dwight Evans, Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Marvin Miller, Thurman Munson, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Ted Simmons and Lou Whitaker are the candidates the Modern Baseball Era Committee will consider for Hall of Fame election for the Class of 2020. All candidates are former players except for Miller, who was the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1966-82. All candidates except for Miller and Munson are living.

Marvin Miller should definitely be in the Hall. There is no excuse for him to not to be in the Hall.

Beyond Marvin, I’d like to see Dwight Evans and Lou Whitaker make it. If Derek Jeter is going in, those two should be in as well.

That’s what I’d like, but since he was a Yankee, I’m expecting Don Mattingly to be voted in.

And the Ford Frick Award winner will be announced, electing a local team broadcaster. The eight finalists are: Joe Castiglione, Jacques Doucet, Tom Hamilton, Ken Harrelson, Pat Hughes, Ned Martin, Mike Shannon and Dewayne Staats.

Jacques Doucet was the voice of the Expos for those who liked to listen to their baseball in French.

And the Spink Award winner will be announced too. That’s for ‘meritorious contributions to baseball writing’. The nominees are Patrick Reusse (who writes about the Twins), Jim Reeves (who is retired from writing about the Rangers) and Nick Cafardo (who passed away this year).

Beyond that we will hear that the Jays are ‘interested’ in many many players. Whether we actually land any of those players is another question. I doubt that anything will happen during the meetings, but then I’m at the point of doubting anything will happen at all.

I don’t want any more of this:

I don’t what to be runner up. I want an actual signing.