I just took a break from reading everyone’s tweets and admiring Mel Antonen’s haircut to walk over to the Convention Center to check out the Trade Show.  It’s really something to behold. Geared more towards the minor leagues than the majors, the Trade Show is where some 300 exhibitors hawk wares ranging from caps, blankets,…

Manny Delcarmen had a 2.41 ERA in the first half and a 7.27 ERA in the second half, and today agent Jim Masteralexis explained that the reliever kept an arm injury secret while struggling: He told me his arm just didn’t feel right. He thought he could pitch through it and bounce back, but it…

According to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers turned down the Diamondbacks’ offer of catcher Chris Snyder for reliever C.J. Wilson. Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s uncertain health status has the Rangers in the market for catching help, which is why they brought in Ivan Rodriguez down the stretch, but Snyder is owed $11.25 million over the next two…

The New York Times’ Ben Shpigel asks why the Mets seem insistent on dealing Luis Castillo.  Seems like an easy call to me: he has no range he has no power, he makes too much money, and there are actually teams out there who might want to deal for him. The real question, it seems,…

Last night Matthew discussed the Giants’ potential interest in trading for Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla in order to make him their starting left fielder and today MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes that the Orioles may also be interested in acquiring him to play a position other than second base. Baltimore reportedly would move Uggla to…

There are all sorts of indications that the Dodgers are broke — not offering arbitration to Randy Wolf, shopping George Sherrill, unconvincingly pretending to be interested in Roy Halladay — but Ned Colletti tells Dylan Hernandez of the LAT that it isn’t so: Asked whether the Dodgers’ payroll could decrease, Colletti said, “Not at the…

Whitey Herzog is in the press room for his welcome-to-the-Hall-of-Fame press conference.  I’m a huge Whitey Herzog fan. I grew up in the 80s, so his legend loomed large.  Just because I’m in the press room doesn’t mean I’m not still a fan, so I went up to him. Me: “Whitey, can I get a…

Random conversation overheard in the hallway here at the Meetings: “So Melvin tells Kendall’s agent — ‘I got $2 million to pay a catcher. You let me know if you want it or not.’ Kendall thinks he’s worth more than that and says no.  Jesus, what the hell does that guy think he’s worth? He…

One of the more interesting sight at the Marriott early last evening was the throng of Japanese media standing in the lobby by the front doors, apparently waiting for someone or something.  What were they waiting for?  “Mr. Reagins,” said one of the photographers. This is how you know that the Angels are interested in…

The Brewers and Randy Wolf don’t have a deal just yet. The Mets have swept in and, while they may not be willing to do the three years Milwaukee is, they are meeting with Wolf’s people this morning and may try to go bigger dollars on two years. Wolf is the best pitcher available, non-Lackey…

J.C. Bradbury is either on to something here or else he’s engaging in a particularly elaborate form of Braves-fan rationalization. Upshot: maybe Rafael Soriano’s acceptance of arbitration was designed to get him out of Atlanta and into a multi-year deal without his new team having to pay up in compensatory draft picks. If that’s what’s…

Peter Schmuck has a good article up this morning about the Orioles quest to put some decent arms around their decent bats.  They’re talking to the Rangers about Kevin Millwood.  They’re looking at Erik Bedard’s medical records. Oh, and this is a killer for Braves fans: they were really hoping that Soriano would reject arbitration…

Heyman on why it’s extremely unlikely that Curtis Granderson is going to the Yankees in that much-discussed multi-team deal: [Yankees] would have had to give up 4 prospects for granderson in 3-way deal: austin jackson, coke, kennedy and dunn. theyre saying no. Good for the Yankees.  I think some people are wearing Winter Meetings goggles.…

Rotoworld’s Drew Silva provides the six lessons he learned from Day One of the Winter Meetings. I’m going to find Frank Rizzo and tell him that Drew called his move with Pudge “stupid,” and then point to some MLB.com writer and say that he’s Silva.  That should be fun.

The Red Sox’ number one prospect — Casey Kelly — has thus far been a dual threat, splitting his time between the mound and shortstop.  To date Kelly has said over and over that he wants to play short.  The Sox want him to pitch.  According to Amalie Benjamin, the Sox have won this battle,…

Last year the relationship between the Red Sox and Daisuke Matsuzaka got icy. Over his conditioning, mostly, but the problem may have been exacerbated by cultural stuff and the fact that Dice-K was away for the WBC in the spring. That’s all better now, reports Pete Abraham. Terry Francona: “We kind of put the gloves…

The Indians — who are not likely to be the sort of team who needs a big money closer in 2010 — would love to try and deal Kerry Wood this week, says Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer. Wood is floating in a sea of relief pitchers — which includes Fernando Rodney, Brandon Lyon,…

One of the reasons a guy like Rafael Soriano accepted arbitration is that there are just loads of relievers floating around this winter.  Maybe not many as good as he is, but certainly some far cheaper and worth a flier. For example, there’s J.J. Putz, who could be a great bargain/reclamation pickup for someone.  Those…

Is Alex Anthopoulos.  Seeing the Blue Jays’ GM is like trying to get in to see the Beatles at the Waldorf Astoria before they went on the Ed Sullivan Show in ’64. I’m pretty sure there are beat writers hiding in room service carts and everything. One thing Anthopoulos has asked of other GMs is…

Two or three years from now this will all be old hat for me. I’ll be of the Winter Meetings, not merely at them. For now, however, I wish to preserve some observations taken as an outsider to this mad process: The central dynamic of the first day of the meetings was the extreme activity…