Content provided in partnership with

Inside the swap shop

Sporting News, The, Dec 9, 2005 by Stan McNeal

When the baseball world congregates in Dallas next week for the winter meetings, the scene will be quite different from what you might envision.

Popular perception. Crusty baseball geezers gather in a smoky room 'til the wee hours, trading players like baseball cards.

Reality: A general manager pulls out his BlackBerry and reads an e-mail from another G.M. who's trying to arrange a meeting to talk about possible deals.

Perception: Sportswriters lounge by the hotel pool all day, reading the Baseball Register and waiting for Bud Selig to deliver them a story.

Most Popular Articles in Sports: The first family: Archie, Peyton and Eli are incredibly famous, immensely ...; The growing gap: driving distances are skyrocketing on the PGA Tour. So why ...; Which pistol caliber for self defense? Four different people come to four ...; Drag racing - National Hot Rod Association; The world's most popular .22: the Marlin Model 60 just keeps on ticking; More »

Reality: Sportswriters stake out the lobby from the time Starbucks opens until the hotel bars close, seeking a source who might be seduced into sharing some news. When someone important--such as agent Scott Boras--makes an entrance, he's like a pied piper with a parade of writers following his every word.

Perception: The winter meetings are the best time for teams to make deals.

Reality: This was the case before free-agent deals took precedence. These days, there's way more talk than dealmaking. And as the actual news of trades decreases, the rumors and speculation increase.

There actually are plenty of meetings at the winter meetings, which aren't to be confused with the general managers' meetings in early November or the owners' meetings held throughout the year. The meetings in Dallas are mostly for team trainers, scouting directors, traveling secretaries and minor league clubs. There also are awards galas, speeches and plenty of other activities for the 3,000 seamheads who will converge on the humongous Wyndham Anatole.

A virtual tour of what will happen and where, no press pass required:

KHMER PAVILION

(Atrium, third level)

If you're looking for a way into baseball, the Job Fair could be your ticket. Minor league clubs conduct interviews, and, according to the Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities website, more than 300 positions are available. The Business of Baseball Workshop is held the day before the Job Fair to prepare applicants.

GRAND BALLROOM

The Rule 5 draft--designed to keep clubs from stockpiling talent in the minors--doesn't garner the attention of the NFL draft, but it's a winter meetings staple and is open to the public on the last day. The basics: Any eligible player--someone signed four years ago out of high school or three years ago out of college--not protected on his team's 40-man roster can be drafted by another team for $50,000. The drafting team must keep the player in the majors for the entire season or offer him back to his previous team. Occasionally a club drafts a keeper: The Cardinals got Hector Luna from the Indians in 2003. Not impressed? How about This: The Pirates acquired Roberto Clemente from the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1954 Rule 5 draft.

CHANTILLY FOYER AND ATRIUM II LOBBY

Rumor central. The lobby becomes the reporters' home away from home, and the Anatole offers them a bonus: From the lobby in the Atrium II, they can look up and see who's visiting whom in the rooms above. If they see Omar Minaya knocking on Larry Lucchino's door, you can be sure a Manny-to-the-Mets rumor will start spreading across the hotel and onto websites and talk shows and the next day's newspapers.

THE TOWER

More than 450 front office personnel will be holed up in the Anatole for four days, but at least it's not over a weekend. Because executives travel so much during the season, this year's winter meetings will run Monday through Thursday rather than the usual Friday through Monday, so folks can spend an extra weekend at home. Though most teams send about 15 executives and staffers, the Red Sox's contingent was closer to 25 last year. The Yankees, on the other hand, sent one person. There also are 160 minor league clubs represented at the meetings.

Trinity Exhibition Center

TRINITY EXHIBITION CENTER The Baseball Trade Show will feature more selling all things baseball, from beverage containers to logo-bearing apparel to pitching machines. Many ideas for promotional giveaways have been born at trade shows, which are geared toward the minor leagues. A must-see: the WubbaDubba booth, home of the squishy-faced bobblehead.

CORONADO ROOM

Many of the 400 media types expected to have credentials will set up their computers here. When a club has a "major" announcement, which often isn't all that major, a news conference will be held here. Each of the 30 big-league managers (assuming the Dodgers have one by then) is given a time slot to meet with reporters. Early odds favor Ozzie Guillen for attracting the largest crowd this year.

TOP 5

Big names who could be on the move at the winter meetings

1 Kevin Millwood. He may not get the five-year, $50 million deal that Scott Boras is seeking for him, but after leading the A.L. in ERA, Millwood won't have to settle for another one-year contract.

2 Jacque Jones. The F Twins can't afford him, and he's a better value than Johnny Damon or Brian Giles.

3 Juan Pierre. The Marlins are dumping salary as fast as they can and will have plenty of suitors for this hard-working, speedy center fielder.

Inside the swap shop

Sporting News, The, Dec 9, 2005 by Stan McNeal

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Health

Most Popular Articles in Sports

Most Popular Publications in Sports