Tuesday's Frosty Mug: Keeping Counsell

Some things to read while unleashing your nerd rage.

We're still not sure which players will fill out the roster for the 2013 Brewers, but at least now we know the front office will return in tact: Craig Counsell has reportedly withdrawn his name from consideration for the Red Sox's vacant hitting coach position and will remain in the Brewer organization. Counsell spent his first post-retirement season as a special assistant to Doug Melvin in 2012.

As such, Counsell will likely be part of the Brewer delegation at next week's Winter Meetings in Nashville. Adam McCalvy has a preview of the Brewers' potential activity at the event.

In free agency:

• Eric Stephen of True Blue LA has a look at how $100 million pitchers (a group Zack Greinke is likely about to join) have performed in their first season.
• Michael Baumann of Crashburn Alley has an extended and sometimes wandering look at the way we handle Zack Greinke's anxiety issues and how it could impact young people dealing with similar problems.
• Marc Normandin of Over The Monster has a look at Shaun Marcum as a potential offseason target for the Red Sox.

It's important not to get too far ahead of ourselves here until we actually know which pitchers the Brewers will bring to camp, but Benjamin Orr of Reviewing the Brew has an early attempt to predict the Brewers' 2013 rotation that does not include Chris Narveson.

In the minors:

• Josh Prince's sudden career turnaround in the Arizona Fall League earned him another accolade yesterday, as he was named to the league's All-Prospect Team. Prince finished among the league leaders in hits, batting average, total bases, runs, stolen bases and OBP.
• Fake Teams has a look at Brewer minor leaguers who should be on fantasy players' radar.
• Former Brewer draftee and released pitcher Caleb Thielbar has been added to the Twins' 40-man roster.
• Elsewhere in former Brewer farmhands, hard throwing reliever Phillippe Valiquette has signed with the Pirates.

If you'd like more Brewer coverage today but you're sick of reading, I'll be making my weekly appearance on The Sports Den with Downtown Ollie Burrows on SportsFan 100.5 in Wausau at 5:30 today.

Around baseball:

Astros: Signed pitchers Edgar Gonzalez and Jose Valdez to minor league deals.
Cubs: Hired Rob Deer as their new assistant hitting coach.
Diamondbacks: Signed infielder/outfielder Mark Teahen to a minor league deal.
Mets: Acquired infielder Brandon Hicks from the Athletics for cash and re-signed pitcher Tim Byrdak to a minor league deal.
Reds: Signed first baseman/third baseman Mike Hessman to a minor league deal.
Tigers: Signed pitchers Carlos Monasterios and Trevor Bell (among others) to minor league deals.
Yankees: Avoided arbitration with catcher Eli Whiteside (one year, $625,000).

Deer is a former Brewer teammate of Cubs manager Dale Sveum and pitching coach Chris Bosio. Bosio, by the way, is the subject of this morning's installment of Brewers A-Z.

Elsewhere in former Brewers: The Padres have reportedly offered their bullpen coach job to Bob McClure.

Today in baseball economics:

• Rob Neyer of Baseball Nation has a look at the argument that the Dodgers' new TV deal is a bad sign for small market teams, and notes that we've heard similar discussions before.
• Brien Jackson of It's About The Money has some of the details regarding the Yankees selling YES Network to News Corp.

This makes a lot of sense on paper, but the backlash against it isn't going to be pretty: The Angels have turned the area behind home plate that used to be the press box into suites and are moving the media into a lower-rent area behind the right field foul pole.

Now, if you'll excuse me, they've noticed I'm gone.

Drink up.