Five Predictions For The Winter Meetings

Our senior editor John Delcos should be arriving in Orlando within the hour and he will be sitting in with Sandy and his staff for each briefing, usually one in the morning and sometimes supplemented by another one if moves warrant it.

I told John that if he starts tweeting pictures of the lobby, the food, or executives walking by, that I would disassociate myself from him. He said, “Are you kidding me? What about my hotel bathroom, can I at least post pictures of my hotel bathroom?”

There’s a buzz that the Mets may officially introduce Curtis Granderson here in Orlando, possibly on Monday or Tuesday if the logistics work out.

The Winter Meetings don’t officially kickoff until Monday, but all 30 GMs and their staffs, along with many free agents and player agents will all get in before the night is over. Don’t expect a quiet night as many a deal has been struck on Sunday night which was when the Marlins announced the Jose Reyes signing two years ago.

Normally, I’d say that the Winter Meetings is when the Hot Stove really gets cooking, but the Hot Stove has been a raging inferno already, and those of you who read my thoughts here all know why.

Here are some of my five predictions for this year’s Winter Meetings…

David Price will not be traded as Andrew Friedman – the best GM in the game – will bide his time and wait for the biggest package he could get for his prized ace. That could take as long as late December, but trust me, he will be traded.
The Mets will sniff around for a deal on Ike Davis and Lucas Duda, but will hold off on trading either one until Corey Hart and James Loney are off the table. If Sandy is as smart as I think he is, he knows he’ll get more bang for the buck once those two are off the table.
Free agent shortstop Stephen Drew will not get signed while in Orlando, however Scott Boras will certainly find a top-buyer for Shin-Soo Choo and he’ll get his $100+ million deal. Drew’s market has taken a hit after rejecting the qualifying offer. Teams don’t see him as being worth losing a first round draft pick. Could he fall into the Mets’ lap at a decent price? Absolutely.
The Mets will head back to LaGuardia Airport with a bullpen arm, bit I have a funny feeling that they’ll now backtrack and admit that after the last three weeks, LaTroy Hawkins for $2.5 million has got to be considered the steal of the offseason so far. Missed opportunity for the Mets who will likely pay more for less.
Bronson Arroyo will not get signed during the Winter Meetings. He’s one of the most durable and effective pitchers in the game over the last eight years, and there is definitely a three-year deal waiting for him. However it won’t happen in Orlando.