Horsehide Chronicles

The Baseball Hall of Fame is where the greatest baseballers of all time are honored. Any player enshrined in Cooperstown could step out onto a baseball diamond today and be right at home.

Well, maybe not all of them...

The Los Angeles Dodgers began the offseason with one of the most baffling signings in MLB. Two months later, the transaction is still one of the most curious—and potentially terrible. 

Soon after the World Series ended, the Dodgers re-signed reliever Brandon League. That in itself wasn't an objectionable move.

There's no arms race going on in the AL East, as there's really only one team stockpiling weapons.

One of the prevailing questions of this offseason has been "Where are the New York Yankees?"

In past years, the Yankees presumably would have pushed stacks of money across the table at free agents like Josh Hamilton, Zack Greinke and Anibal Sanchez. They would have chased down R.A. Dickey, instead of watching him go to a division rival in Toronto. 

Two years ago, Brian Wilson established himself as one of the best closers in baseball by saving 48 games in the regular season and then helping the San Francisco Giants win the World Series.

Now he's out of a job after being non-tendered, and he's looking for a team to take a chance on him less than a year removed from the second Tommy John operation of his career.

Teams looking for help this winter picked the wrong year to try to find some. Prices on both the free-agent market and the trade market are through the roof.

Never mind New York. The grand MLB party is in Los Angeles now, and the Angels and Dodgers are throwing it.

The Angels and Dodgers have more giant rooms full of cash than Scrooge McDuck, and they don't mind sharing it with anyone who has talent. The stars are out in force in Los Angeles, and seemingly all of them are well-paid.

During MLB's winter meetings last week (Dec. 3-6), rumors of a three- or four-team trade buzzed throughout the Opryland complex. But no deal was consummated. 

Never mind Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling, who are all on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. Let's talk about Jeff Bagwell instead.

By all accounts, New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is one of the nicest guys around. That combined with his sick knuckleball and incredible life story account for why he's such a fan favorite.

But now is not the time for Dickey to be Mr. Nice Guy. Now is the time for him to bare his teeth and stomp his feet, and he needs to do these things where his employers can see him.