So far, there’s been nothing significant to report from the 2009 Winter Meetings in Indianapolis.
Despite the huge buildup leading up to Sunday night when most GM’s and their staffs began arriving, there’s been little buzz in a baseball market that is still difficult to accurately gauge. At his point, most of the rumors are as predictive as reading tea leaves.
There’s a growing philosophy taking hold that suggest that this years Baseball Meetings may focus more on laying the groundwork for deals and opening up a dialog with other teams. In past years, super agents like Scott Boras ruled the roost and overwhelmed the agenda with their stables of free agents.
The economy still seems to be a big issue, and some teams are reporting that they will cut payroll, including the New York Yankees whose exorbitant free agent shopping sprees are the stuff of legend.
Personally, I love trades more than I do signing big free agents. There is so much more to analyze and debate which is what make the hot stove season so much more interesting.
HoJo, why don’t you give the GMs time to have a cup of coffee and spend some time chatting before you get depressed about the meetings. They just got there, bud.
Sorry if I gave that impression. I just wanted to convey that nothing is happening yet and that I think this year the meetings will focus more on trades which take time to develop rather than signing free agents which happened at a rapid pace last year beginning Sunday the day before the meetings officially started.
If the economy is down and teams are cutting payroll, would this not be a good offseason for the Mets to swoop in and grab a big name for a bargain price? And Hojo, no worries about your concerns. The Mets are already telegraphing the fact that they will probably not do much this week. It seems like everytime those of us who want to be sure that the Mets get busy this offseason say something, here come the Met apologists telling us to wait, wait, wait. I think that the time to be heard on this is now BEFORE the Mets do nothing, or do something stupid. Once it’s done, it’s done, no matter how much we complain. Yes, I know that they don’t listen us fans per se, but I think it is essential that the point of view that some of us fans are getting fed up is important to get out there into the blogosphere.
What do you mean by Met apologists?
I think you know. I’m talking about all of the folks who are dead set against any negative posts from Met fans, insisting that we say nothing until we see what the team is going to do. I respect that, but I also think that our frustration should be heard before the fact, in the hope that our opinion will have some influence and the team will do the rignt thing instead of after the fact when they may have already done the wrong thing, like signing Alex Cora for 2 mil for example. I know that they don’t listen to us, but I do think that they should KNOW that there are some frustrated fans out here who are hungry for a winner.
I get that but what do you mean by apologists?
Uh Chicho/OMAR I think he means those fans (maybe you)? who insist that the Mets are doing everything within their power to manage the team, when it’s clear that they have been in a holding pattern, doing just enough to make a fan think they are concerned for the team but showing that they are more concerned with Citifield celebration galas and naming rights deals then actually putting out a world championship team on the field.
I think they are doing everything they can to manage the team.
oh its out there that Met fans are frustrated and demanding the team execute a sensible strategy ASAP…