Wisdom and Links: A Modest Proposal for Colder Winter Meetings, Links and a Topical Joke That Doesn’t Work

This year’s Winter Meetings was great, because once Jon Lester finally signed, we got like the entire meetings’ worth of action in one day. But, I have a (sarcastic) idea of how we can ensure lots of deals every winter meetings:

Colder weather.

Yes, colder weather. You see, the problem is that they always put the winter meetings in beautiful places like San Diego or cities in Texas or Florida. Nice weather, good temperatures, and plenty of things to do. And that’s the problem: they are too busy enjoying the sites to actually get work done. So, I propose that the Winter Meetings be moved to places that actually have winter. Yes, I know it does get cold in Dallas and Nashville at times, but I’m talking places that really experience winter. Places like Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Cleveland, or Minor League Baseball cities like Columbus and Rochester, both of which held winter meetings during the mid-20^th century.

Oh, sure, the bigwigs and certain media members may complain, but with everybody snowed in, the deals will flow like wine.

Get it done, MLB.

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LINKS!

Tom Verducci’s profile of SI Sportsman of the Year Madison Bumgarner, which must be read to be believed.

Craig Calcaterra updated his list of baseball’s most handsome managers.

Brian Costa on the decline of actual meetings during the Winter Meetings.

Joe Posnanski on how the Cubs now are headed to the hard part after Theo has had his fun.

Posnanski, again, on the 25 best players not in the Hall of Fame, including players who aren’t eligible, aren’t on the ballot yet, or even retired.

SELF-PROMOTION OF THE WEEK: I finally got around to updating my retrospective on music that plays during postseasons to reflect 2014. Better late than never..

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I’d make a topical joke about how MLB should be worried that somebody might hack them like Sony Pictures was hacked, but I know that Bud Selig infamously doesn’t use e-mail, so I’m unable to make that joke. Crud.

So, instead, here’s rare footage of a baseball game in North Korea. I’m not 100% sure who I found it from on Twitter a while ago, but here it is (sorry about the lack of audio):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URJLdh2w-9Q

Come back next week for the Wisdom and Links Christmas Special

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As always, you can see more of my work over at Baseball Continuum.