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Recapping The Winter Meetings

Because these discussions never take place without a little liquid help.

Warning: coarse language to follow. I don't know how much yet, so just plan on the worst and go from there.

Star-divide

Setting: Orlando, FL, at a bar and lounge packed with MLB executives near the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.

Bill Bavasi and Mike Flanagan chat over sandwiches.

Bavasi: We're looking for a starter or two.
Flanagan: :chewing:
Bavasi: We've got first basemen to move.
Flanagan: :chewing:
Bavasi: Broussard, Sexson, they can both be had.
Flanagan: :chewing:
Bavasi: I was thinking, I dunno, Sexson for Bedard? How's that sound?
Flanagan: :chewing:
Bavasi: Just tell me when you're done.
Flanagan: :hurries chewing:
Flanagan: :swallows:
Flanagan: :smiles, rubs stomach:
Bavasi: So anyway, what about-
Flanagan: No.

Hours later, Bill Bavasi and Theo Epstein chat over tequila.

Bavasi: I dunno man, I just...I just dunno.
Epstein: What's not to like! Bats! Pitching! to like-...bats!
Bavasi: Haha!
Epstein: I'm so blitzed right now!
Bavasi: Haha yeah!
Epstein: Okay anyway anyway anyway
Bavasi: Yeah anyway
Epstein: :stifles laughter:
Bavasi: Shut up! Shut up let's do this!
Bowden: SPRING BREAK!
Epstein: Manny go
Bowden: WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Bavasi: You want arms, I have arms.
Epstein: You have two arms!
Bavasi: I have two arms! Haha!
Epstein: Dude Manny just wants to go and I just want to like
Epstein: to like
Epstein: to do that
Epstein: for him.
Bavasi: Yeah yeah totally
Bavasi: I'd be to glad have him
Epstein: And I'd be glad for you to be glad
Epstein: to have him
Bavasi: Okay okay, Manny for Raul Soriano
Bavasi: Soriano Ibanez
Bavasi: Kenji Ibanez
Bavasi: Kenji Putz
Bavasi: Fuck me what's his name
Epstein: Dude there's a J
Epstein: A J...Jackson
Epstein: Jigglesworth
Epstein: Jones! Jones!
Bavasi: Jones
Bavasi: Jones and J for Manny
Bavasi: I mean Jones and JJ
Bavasi: I mean John and AJ
Bavasi: fuck
Epstein: Holy shit dude holy shit!
Epstein: This is my song!
Bavasi: Haha!
Epstein: YOU NEVER CLOSE YOUR EYES ANYMORE
Epstein: IN YOUR FINGERTIPS
Epstein: THERE'S NOOOOOOOO TENDERNESS LIKE BEFORE
Bavasi: shit where's the can

That night, Bill Bavasi, Brian Sabean, and John Schuerholz chat over gin.

Schuerholz: It's totally gonna work
Schuerholz: Totally
Schuerholz: Just listen to me
Schuerholz: Hudson goes and Sexson goes and Benitez goes
Bavasi: Okay
Schuerholz: And Soriano goes and LaRoche goes and this other guy goes
Sabean: Yeah
Schuerholz: And this other guy goes
Bavasi: Right.
Schuerholz: That's all I've got.
Bavasi: Man that's out there
Bavasi: Freaky
Sabean: I bet you I can break this table with my forehead
Bavasi: I bet you can't!
Sabean: I bet I can!
Bowden: SPRING BREAK!
Schuerholz: I bet neither of you can!
Bowden: WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Sabean: Fuck you check this out
Sabean: :smashes forehead against table:
Sabean: :breaks table in half:
Schuerholz: Holy shit
Bavasi: No way
Sabean: I fuckin told you!
Bavasi: That's nothing I'm gonna break two tables
Bavasi: watch
Bavasi: :stacks two tables:
Bavasi: Okay this is gonna be so awesome
Bavasi: :smashes forehead against tables:
Bavasi: :tables don't break:
Bavasi: :hunched over, motionless:
Sabean: What a pussy
Schuerholz: Get me a marker!
Schuerholz: Get me a marker!
Sabean: I have one right here man
Schuerholz: Oh kickass gimme that
Schuerholz: Check this out

Bill Bavasi wakes up the next morning.

Bavasi: oh shit
Bavasi: oh shit my head
Shapiro: For how much?
Bavasi: God. What?
Shapiro: How much are you looking for? Sizemore? Hafner? Sabathia? What is it?
Bavasi: the hell are you talking about
Shapiro: For Felix.
Bavasi: For Felix?
Shapiro: Yeah, what's his price?
Bavasi: Felix doesn't have a price, he's not available.
Bowden: SPRING BREAK!!
Shapiro: Then why is that written all over your face?
Bavasi: What written
Bavasi: oh fuck
Bavasi: :checks reflective window:
Bavasi: oh fuck
Bavasi: oh fuck you guys
Schuerholz: :high-five:
Sabean: :high-five:

After cleaning himself up and grabbing a quick snack, Bill Bavasi meets Ned Colletti at the bar to chat over whiskey. Colletti has had a head start.

Bavasi: Hey man, how's it going?
Colletti: FUCK YOU MAN
Colletti: FUCK YOU
Bavasi: Dude what's the deal?
Colletti: I'M JUST TRYING TO TALK TO YOU
Colletti: AND YOU KEEP GIVING ME ATTITUDE
Colletti: FUCK YOU
Bavasi: I just-
Colletti: FUCK
Bavasi: Brad Penny-
Colletti: YOU
Bavasi: I think you've had enough of that stuff for one day.
Colletti: LEAVE ME ALONE MOTHERFUCKER
Colletti: SHIT YOU'RE ALL LIKE 'I'M GOING TO GO JUDGE THAT FUCKER'
Colletti: WELL FUCK YOU
Colletti's Assistant: Ned, I think the Royals want to part ways with Angel Berroa.
Colletti: GET ME A PHONE
Colletti: FUCK

Much later that night, Bill Bavasi, Brian Cashman, Pat Gillick, and Wayne Krivsky are treated to Ciclon and Brain Erasers by Jim Bowden.

Krivsky:
Gillick:
Cashman:
Bavasi:
Bowden:
Gillick: :hand twitches:
Bavasi:
Krivsky:
Bartender: Come on guys, time to go. We're closing.
Cashman:
Gillick:
Bowden:
Bartender: I'm not dicking around. Get out of here.
Bavasi:
Krivsky:
Bartender: God.
Bowden:
Bouncer: :drags GM's out the door by their feet:

Bill Bavasi wakes up the next morning.

Bavasi: oh shit
Bavasi: oh shit my head
Daniels: Morning, Bill.
Bavasi: huh
Bavasi: oh hey jon
Daniels: How was your night?
Bavasi: shit
Bavasi: you should come out with us next time
Bavasi: you'd love it
Daniels: You know I'm not allowed into those places.
Bavasi: oh yeah
Bavasi: how much longer until the big 2-1
Daniels: Only 157 and a half days to go!
Bavasi: thats the spirit
Bowden: SPRING BREAK!
Bowden: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

After a long day of laying out by the pool, Bill Bavasi meets John Schuerholz at the bar to chat over beer.

Schuerholz: Long time no see!
Bavasi: Haha
Schuerholz: How's your forehead man?
Bavasi: Haha fuck you guy fuck you
Schuerholz: Okay so what's up my man
Bavasi: You hear about Schmidttie
Bavasi: Schmidtarino
Bavasi: Schmidtarooski
Schuerholz: Yeah man.
Schuerholz: Tough break.
Schuerholz: I thought he was yours!
Bavasi: Me too! Haha
Bavasi: It sucks, it's like
Bavasi: It's like all these pitchers are disappearing before I can even make a move!
Schuerholz: I know!
Schuerholz: It's a crazy market.
Bavasi: Crazy.
Schuerholz: You know I've got an arm or two.
Schuerholz: I can always help out a friend.
Bowden: SPRING BREAK!!
Bavasi: Oh yeah?
Bavasi: Man I'd really appreciate it
Schuerholz: I mean it's nothing much or anything
Bavasi: Who's that? I'm desperate
Bavasi: I need a slumpbuster haha
Schuerholz: Just Horacio. You know Horacio.
Bavasi: Oh yeah haha that dumbshit
Bavasi: What do you want, like Foppert or Fruto or something
Schuerholz: Yeah nothing much. Actually a guy like Fruto might work real well.
Bowden: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Waitress: Here are those spicy chicken fingers you ordered.
Schuerholz: Hey, thanks doll.
Waitress: Can I get you guys anything else?
Schuerholz: No, we're good for now. Thanks!
Bavasi: Haha
Schuerholz: What?
Bavasi: Haha
Schuerholz: Why are you laughing?
Bavasi: Nothing
Schuerholz: No seriously man what's up?
Bavasi: I was just thinking
Bavasi: Haha
Bavasi: That's a lot of chicken fingers
Schuerholz: Yeah I know it's a great deal
Bavasi: I wonder if you could eat them all at once
Schuerholz: I dunno man this is like five pounds of meat
Bavasi: Dude you gotta find out
Bavasi: Dude you gotta find out!
Schuerholz: I've barely even eaten anything today, I just wanted to enjoy these with my beer.
Bavasi: C'mon dude you gotta try!
Schuerholz: Haha no way man
Bavasi: I'll totally pay you if you do
Schuerholz: Oh I'm not falling for THAT one again you little welcher!
Bavasi: Haha fuck you man
Bavasi: Stuff all those chicken fingers in your mouth
Bavasi: And I'll trade you for Horacio
Schuerholz: I don't even care
Bavasi: I'll trade you Soriano
Schuerholz: You serious?
Bavasi: Haha only if you put them all in your mouth!
Bavasi: At once
Bavasi: And you have to chew and swallow it all without puking
Schuerholz: So if I take all this chicken and eat it all at once
Schuerholz: You'll give me Soriano for Horacio
Bavasi: But only if you finish it all!
Bavasi: Without puking
Schuerholz: Okay I'm gonna try I'm gonna try
Bavasi: Dude hold up hold up
Bavasi: We need a judge
Bavasi: An ump haha
Schuerholz: Good call
Bavasi: Hey Kevin get over here
Towers: what up
Bavasi: Hey we need you to judge something
Bavasi: John's gonna try to eat all this chicken at once
Bavasi: But he has to finish it all
Bavasi: Or else the deal's off
Bavasi: Without puking
Towers: hey john
Schuerholz: Hey
Towers: ok
Bavasi: Okay ready?
Schuerholz: Fuck you for doing this to me man
Bavasi: Haha
Bavasi: Okay
Schuerholz: Okay
Bavasi: Okay go! Go go go go!
Schuerholz: :stuffs chicken in his mouth:
Schuerholz: :strategically places strips in cheek, under tongue:
Schuerholz: :forces more chicken into mouth:
Bavasi: Haha no way no way
Schuerholz: :puts every chicken finger in mouth:
Schuerholz: :chews, struggles:
Schuerholz: :chews:
Schuerholz: :finishes:
Schuerholz: :opens mouth:
Towers: empty
Bavasi: AHAHAHAH NO WAY HE DID IT! NO WAY NO FUCKIN WAY
Bavasi: CLASSIC THAT'S CLASSIC
Schuerholz: Holy shit I'm gonna be sick
Bavasi: CLASSIC
Schuerholz: A deal's a deal man, Horacio's all yours!
Bavasi: OH MY GOD I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU JUST DID THAT
Schuerholz: Verbal contract man, that trade's a done deal. No going back on it now!
Bavasi: WHATEVER DUDE YOU FUCKIN EARNED IT
Bavasi: CLASSIC!
Beane: Hey Bill, can I buy you a drink?

1 recs  |  Comment 42 comments

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Pat Gillick checks his voicemail...
"Hey, Pat, it's Bill. I hear you're looking for a place in Magnolia. Mine might be available after October first, so keep me in mind. Late. Glad to see Ryan's working out for you."

by eponymous coward on Dec 7, 2006 2:42 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Scary
Probably closer to the truth than we would like to admit.

Oh, and Disney World got this one area where it's an island of different night clubs - 12+ or so.  The riverboats take you there directly from the Swan and Dolphin.

Go Fo Broke!

by eknpdx on Dec 7, 2006 2:48 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Greatest . Post . Ever .
Bavasi: :stacks two tables:
Bavasi: Okay this is gonna be so awesome
Bavasi: :smashes forehead against tables:
Bavasi: :tables don't break:
Bavasi: :hunched over, motionless:

by Robert on Dec 7, 2006 2:56 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Here is how it went down....
Allegedly....and Bavasi deserves to come back and find a box on his desk if this is true: http://buccoblog.mlblogs.com/my_weblog/2006/12/winter_meetings.html
I killed a 12 pack just to watch it die...

by Dollar97 on Dec 7, 2006 2:58 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I don't think...
There is much information there to say anything about Bavasi except that he was eager to move Soriano (motive?).  Or perhaps that he like HoRam.  Even though I don't like the trade from a M's standpoint from a stats/talent point of view, I can only hope that I'm missing some information (hopefully Schurholtz too).

by rdave on Dec 8, 2006 1:40 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Hmmm.
Okay, I'm now over the edge.  Jeff, you are hereby declared clinically insane.

Love. It.

Iceberg, right ahead!

by PositivePaul on Dec 7, 2006 2:59 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Awesome.
Aici zace un om despre care nu se ştie prea mult.

by Goose on Dec 7, 2006 3:24 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I LOVE JEFF SULLIVAN
HE IS AWESOME
Marinerds - a different daily dose of baseblog.

by Deanna on Dec 7, 2006 3:36 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

tally
Ever since Bill Bavasi got the job in Seattle, I swear there's an average of at least two Bavasi hate blogs that start every offseason.  
Sports and Bremertonians. Because we can.

by wackomann on Dec 7, 2006 9:25 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

OK.
I suddenly like the Mariners again. I hate them, but I can now live with the situation. Thanks, Jeff.

by I'm NOT Corco on Dec 7, 2006 5:51 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

evt
Sometimes when I want Canuck-related info before work, I'll pull up Team 1040 (Vancouver) up on my computer.  I pulled it up Wednesday morning and they had Seth Everett on, so obviously they were talking baseball.  I left it on, and they discussed the kind of money certain pitchers were getting.  The conversation turned to Ted Lilly, then eventually Gil Meche.  I remembered full well that Everett, along with Bill Krueger, spearheaded the first year of KJR's Baseball's Best Postgame Show back in 2000, so I thought he might have something to say about Meche.

I can't quote Everett verbatim (I don't have a recording), but his best quote basically revolved around the fact that it's been six years since he left Seattle and he can't believe the word "potential" is still being used in regards to Meche.  

Sports and Bremertonians. Because we can.

by wackomann on Dec 7, 2006 9:35 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Completely OT
but I had to share this with somebody because it completely blew my mind.

I just finished the 2009 season in MVP 2005 for PC and I was looking over the end of the season awards when I noticed Jake Peavy won the NL Cy Young. Check out his stats.

273.2 IP(!!!)
21-5
1.58 ERA
246 K's
54 walks

Insane. I completely expect his arm to explode sometime during the 2010 season, but holy christ, that's one of the greatest seasons of all time.

BTW, Felix placed 2nd in the AL CY.

Aici zace un om despre care nu se ştie prea mult.

by Goose on Dec 7, 2006 10:50 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Yeah
I'm in like 2020 with my Nats and he is still the anchor of my rotation, along with Felix and a bunch of guys who don't exist. He kicks ass.

by I'm NOT Corco on Dec 7, 2006 11:16 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It's 2019
He's 255-156, with a 3.43 ERA. He has 3140 K's, 1008 BBs. He's been a Washington National since 2005, and he was the first guy I acquired.

Felix is only 32. He is 219-112. 2617 Ks, 832 BBs and a 3.13 ERA. That's half with the M's, half with th eNats as I picked him up as a free agent.

Or Ryan Zimmerman. He's 34, and is a career .315 hitter with 524 HRs so far.

by I'm NOT Corco on Dec 7, 2006 11:20 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I try to keep things as realistic as possible
Which means, Felix stays with the M's, unless delt by the computer.

I did make two exceptions though. One was for Brian McCann, who I traded Toby Hall, Johnny Gomes, Edwin Jackson for. He's just as awesome in the game as he is in real life.

Oh and Matt Cain, who sucked for the Giants so they just dumped him. I sign him on the cheap. After a half season, he suffered a knee injury and was out for the rest on the year. In 2009, he made two starts, then blew out his shoulder and once again missed the rest of the season. I think I know now why the Giants dumped him.

I'm the D-Rays btw.

Aici zace un om despre care nu se ştie prea mult.

by Goose on Dec 8, 2006 1:42 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

My favourite rotation
I'm in the fourth year of Owner mode.

Santana, Felix, Rick Ankiel (!), Bonderman.

I don't really like to play deep into franchises, though, because progression is terrible.  All the fake rookies either can't field, or are Rob Deer offensively, and the game, for some reason, likes to have players like Miggy Cabrera collapse.  

by abelard on Dec 8, 2006 8:04 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

There's a fix for that
Check MVPMods.com I think...

by bluemax on Dec 8, 2006 11:28 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I thought the progression bug was in 04
And the first (and only MVP game) to have Owner mode was 05.

by Robert on Dec 8, 2006 11:56 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It is 05
I wouldn't call it a bug, just a combination of:

i) Players decline rapidly and early.

ii) The CPU can't manage rosters well.  Because potential has a major effect on a player's overall rating, the comp consistently plays low rated top prospects over high rated players who don't have good potential.  So there's 19 year old LHP starting, but they'll have ratings like : 77 stamina, 82 fastball, 56 sinker, 57 change-up.  Then there's bizarre, yet hilarious things like the corpse of Jeff Bagwell making 11 million to play A ball.  

But it doesn't have the LHB glitch, so I'm still happy.  

by abelard on Dec 8, 2006 12:35 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Oh
It was the LHB glitch that I think I was thinking about. My bad

by Robert on Dec 8, 2006 1:16 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I do too
But Felix was a free agent.

by I'm NOT Corco on Dec 8, 2006 9:51 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

My favorite is Edwin Encarnacion.
He's .302 with 447 HRs career, and he's 36.

BTW, I sim all my games in this dynasty. I have another that's Seattle that I play EVERY game (even the minors). I'm still in 2005

by I'm NOT Corco on Dec 7, 2006 11:21 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

And the ace of the Mariners staff
for like the last 10 years? None other than Travis Chick.

by I'm NOT Corco on Dec 7, 2006 11:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

You know things are going bad for us
When we start talking about how awesome our players are in MVP '05...

Speaking of which, their stats for Doyle are messed up. :(

by Graham on Dec 7, 2006 11:27 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Just edit him up...
Give him like, low 80's contact, high 70's power, and 99 plate discipline...maybe 78 speed?

That makes him about the .290/.400/.470 hitter he is...

by BrettJMiller on Dec 7, 2006 11:58 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

for edits
go to www.fanfarecaps.com
Great site with a lot of edits.  Through the main screen and the posting, you can fill out most of Seattle's minor leagues.

I am in year 1 with the D-Rays and I have drafted a team.  I am lazy about finishing seasons and I seem to keep restarting them.  Plus I got a 360 and unfortunately the only game on that is 2k6, which I am excited for 2k7 to come out because they hired away some big name from MVP and have totally redone the engine.  From what it looks like, I'm already impressed.

I ran a 07 season with the M's and they finished 22 games out.  They only lost 85 games though.  HoRaM went 7-1 in his first 9 starts and then finished 13-8.  ChawSung Beak lost 20 games as the #5 starter!

by tkballer22 on Dec 8, 2006 9:27 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'll live
and still root for the mariners....Those bottom feeding bastards...

by Scruffy Lefty on Dec 7, 2006 11:04 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Hilarious
Nothing quite like making fun of GMs...

by NHZ on Dec 8, 2006 7:47 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Thought I would share
Thank you for your email.  We really appreciate hearing from our fans - even if they are angry or disappointed - and we do read every email. Your comments regarding the team's moves at the winter meetings as well as the specific trade of Rafael Soriano for Horacio Ramirez have been forwarded to the appropriate department for consideration.  Thank you again for taking the time to contact us with your opinion; we hope to see you out at Safeco Field in 2007 - Go Mariners!

by InSpokane on Dec 8, 2006 10:58 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Yawn.
I love the M's spam bot.  It hasn't changed in years.
Iceberg, right ahead!

by PositivePaul on Dec 8, 2006 11:09 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Bavasi's Comments re: "The Trade"
"We didn't come to the meetings expecting to trade Rafael," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. "And it wasn't easy for us to do so. But we got an offer we considered OK..."

OK?  OK?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  

OK?

by tait644 on Dec 8, 2006 1:09 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Does ANY GM
go into the Winter Meetings with his staff hoping to make an "OK" trade?

Give me a break.

by tait644 on Dec 8, 2006 1:10 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Letter to Bill
This letter is to Bill Bavasi and those who's job it is to evaluate his work.

Most, if not all, of the teams in both Major Leagues would happily find room in their 25 man roster for a Rafael Soriano.  His is a plus for any team.  Only a last place team with a desperate, myopic GM would remove such a caliber athlete to make room for the nobody you traded him for.

Raffy is a true talent, a dedicated athlete with an outstanding work-ethic, not to mention courage and discipline.  He was someone of whom Mariner fans could be proud.

Bill, you traded your magic beans for a nearly worthless cow.

South Pacific

by South Pacific on Dec 8, 2006 1:13 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

SPRING BREAK!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Willie Bloomquist and Mike Hargrove suck. Horacio Ramirez doesn't suck but is way worse than Soriano.

by Mariner John on Dec 8, 2006 3:10 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

A haiku for Bill
Mo Vaughn Mo Vaughn Mo
Vaughn Mo Vaughn Mo Vaughn Mo Vaughn
Ramontiago

by Paytheline on Dec 8, 2006 9:28 PM PST reply actions   3 recs

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