DRaysBay Winter Meetings Recap for 2018

This year at the Winter Meetings was....uneventful to say the least. That is something we expected, and even though it was uneventful, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t exciting. Here is a short recap of what happened this week in Orlando:

• Kevin Cash spoke of the exciting youth core that he hopes to have a major impact on the MLB roster in 2018
• The Rays made THREE trades! One for Joey Wendle from the A’s and another for Ryan Schimpf from the Padres for INF Deion Tansel.
• They also traded LHP Anthony Misiewicz to Seattle for $1 Million in international money to help sign star international prospect SS Jelfrey Marte.
• Burch Smith was lost to the Royals in the Rule 5 Draft.
• The Rays announced 7 minor league deals with spring training invites, including staff favorite Jonny Venters

Winter Meetings Theme

SO.

MANY.

RUMORS.

A lot of conversation but little action happening. Most of the trade talk was focused on Colome and the St Louis Cardinals, with small inklings of Archer and plenty of non-rumors of Longoria.

Outside The Rays

Plenty of exciting things happened outside the Rays’ organization. Giancarlo Stanton was introduced as a Yankee (ugh)

Loads of relievers came off the market including Tommy Hunter, Brandon Morrow, Joe Smith, Brandon Kintzler. Steve Cishek and more. The Cardinals even signed a reliever in Luke Gregerson, although that shouldn’t stop their pursuit of Alex Colome and maybe Chris Archer.

Marcell Ozuna was traded to the Cardinals for a prospect package, and soon after the Cardinals and A’s worked together to get Stephen Piscotty home.

And plenty of more rumors including 3B Manny Machado and LHP Danny Duffy, who was not thrilled about the potential of being traded.

Overall a lot of smoke, but where there's smoke, there’s fire... right?

Rookie Year

If I had to describe my first Winter Meetings in one word: surreal. Some of those moments were:

• Literally almost running into Andrew Friedman.
• Seeing plenty of baseball celebrities including Daryl Strawberry, David Ross, Jim Hickey, Taylor Motter, Bill James, and more.
• Hearing Christopher ‘Mad Dog’ Russo yell halfway across the hotel.
• The amount of people who want to talk to Scott Boras

• Getting to hear so many great stories from Steve Kinsella and Steve Carney. Thank you guys for showing me the ropes of the Winter Meetings.
• Meeting people who I look up to as writers and that I’ve followed for years like Ken Rosenthal, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman of Cespedes Family BBQ, Susan Slusser, and, of course, the great Neil Solondz.
• The positively addicting atmosphere. The environment is best described like your first time to New York City. The big, bright lights of the different TV networks and live broadcasts. The seemingly millions people filling the lobby and walking through the halls looking for jobs, new scoops, or just a glimpse of their favorite former player. The overpriced food and coffee (Although if you are willing to travel a bit, you can find cheaper options). I can’t wait to do it again.

Article dispatches from the Winter Meetings:

• DRaysBay Goes to the Winter Meetings
• Kevin Cash is excited about the youth movement
• MLB trade rumors: Finding a return for Alex Colome
• Rays should target speed this offseason with Hamilton, Ozuna
• How the Marcell Ozuna trade impacts the Rays talks with Cardinals