:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/4578365/gyi0060139405.0.jpg)
Some things to read while waiting for the ink to dry.
The Winter Meetings have wrapped up with a whimper, and David G Temple of NotGraphs has the best collection of reactions I've seen after this week's somewhat underwhelming happenings.
With that said, Adam McCalvy's recap of the week would suggest that the Brewers at least laid the groundwork for some moves over the last few days. He's got this quote from assistant GM Gord Ash:
"We were busy," Ash said before club officials checked out of the Opryland Hotel. "It just didn't result in anything - yet."
Mike Vassallo points out that Aramis Ramirez and Zack Greinke are among players the Brewers have acquired after the meetings wrapped up in recent years.
If you missed the 2012 Winter Meetings, it sounds like you did yourself a favor by not visiting the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville. The meetings will be back there in 2015, though, so you'll get another chance.
The final order of business from Nashville yesterday morning was the Rule 5 Draft, which saw one longtime Brewer farmhand move on. Second baseman Eric Farris, the Brewers' fourth round pick in the 2007 draft, is now a member of the Mariners organization after being selected in the minor league phase. Farris has played 625 minor league games in his career and is a .289/.311/.381 hitter. He also appeared in 14 games as a Brewer over the last two years.
Elsewhere in free agency:
- Tom Haudricourt says the Brewers met with the agent representing former Padres and Pirates pitcher Kevin Correia, who reportedly has multiple multi-year offers on the table.
- Jerry Crasnick reports that one MLB executive still insists the Brewers are in on Josh Hamilton, although I think Miller Park Drunk has the correct response.
- Doug Melvin told Adam McCalvy the Brewers are not in on former Giants closer Brian Wilson.
This probably won't be the case by February, of course, but at the moment the Brewers' top winter acquisition is still reliever Burke Badenhop. The new Brewer and top prospect Hunter Morris were guests on last night's edition of Brewers Weekly on WTMJ, and @Mass_Haas has a link to the archived audio.
Speaking of archived audio, you can hear my appearance from yesterday on The Watercooler with Jimmie Kaska on Sports Radio 1400 in Eau Claire at this link.
Here's a cool piece of trivia I picked up via Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness: Three major league hitters had at least ten home runs, a .350 OBP and 30 stolen bases in 2012. Ryan Braun and Mike Trout probably come as no surprise, but Norichika Aoki was the other one.
A quiet winter for the Brewers would be good news for Jeff Bianchi, whose chances of making the 2013 roster will grow significantly if the organization doesn't find another bench infield candidate to compete with him next spring. We talked about Bianchi's debut season in yesterday's edition of Lesser Brewers.
In the minors:
- The Brewers' only other Winter Meetings move was re-signing shortstop Hainley Statia to a minor league deal. The former Angels draft pick has spent the last two years in the Brewer organization and hit .257/.326/.301 over 108 games between Huntsville and Nashville last season.
- Jean Segura was in action again last night in the Dominican Republic, and @Mass_Haas notes that he's now accumulated 677 professional at bats between the majors, minors and winter ball in 2012.
Around baseball:
Astros: Claimed pitcher Mickey Storey off waivers from the Yankees.
Braves: Re-signed outfielder Reed Johnson to a one year deal and signed infielder Blake DeWitt to a minor league deal.
Cubs: Re-signed third baseman Ian Stewart to a one year, $2 million deal.
Phillies: Acquired outfielder Ben Revere from the Twins for pitcher Vance Worley and a minor leaguer.
Rangers: Signed pitchers Jake Brigham, Evan Meek and Randy Wells and first baseman Brandon Allen to minor league deals.
Red Sox: Signed pitcher Koji Uehara to a one year deal.
Twins: Re-signed pitcher Jared Burton to a one year deal.
Meanwhile, at least one reliever appears to have been sitting on the edge of his seat for days. Jason Grilli, who was reportedly close to a deal two days ago, was rumored to have re-signed with the Pirates yesterday but has since refuted that claim. Grilli, you may recall, is represented by Gary Sheffield.
You can see the full results from yesterday's Rule 5 Draft here, although as I mentioned above the only Brewer coming or going was Eric Farris.
Most Rule 5 picks spend a few spring training weeks with their acquiring team before going back from whence they came, but every now and then getting drafted is a turning point in a young player's career. Lucas Luetge of the Mariners, for example, spent the full 2012 season in the big leagues after being drafted away from the Brewers and says he doesn't know where he'd be without the draft.
Today in baseball economics: It's time for the annual reminder that the actual value of a player contract can change based on where they're playing. Zack Greinke, for example, may actually take home more money on a $150 million contract with the Rangers than he would on a $180 million offer from the Dodgers.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to update my wish list.
Drink up.