Opinion

With the winter meetings over and the Phillies' bench restocked, fans have turned their attention to Ruben Amaro Jr.'s non-attempts to trade for Toronto's Roy Halladay. What was once an exercise in prospect roulette may have taken a turn towards blockbuster.

Major League Baseball's reigning home run king has hung up his bat, glove, and creams. Although the MLB recognizes him as the record holder, I don't. Roger Maris still holds that record. Until someone off the juice breaks it, that's the "real" king. Sorry A-Rod, I wish it was different. It would have been you...

Jim Thome is one of my favorite players ever, certainly current players withstanding.

It is painful to see his apparent value diminish to a pinch hitter's role with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Thome loves Chicago, considers it home, and would love to come back to the White Sox. They would like to have the slugger back. White Sox GM Ken Williams has not discounted the idea of re-signing Thome, after having traded him to the Dodgers for their playoff run in 2009.

This week, the Red Sox have been in talks that will send Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers for minor league catcher Max Ramirez.

This trade has raised many questions. One being, will Max Ramirez now be the third catcher in the Red Sox organization in front of Dusty Brown and Mark Wagner?

If Ramirez is the third catcher, it would upset me, as a Red Sox fan, due to the fact that Dusty Brown will most likely not get playing time.

Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings have officially come to a close.

What we saw this week was a lot of talking and very little action from most teams, but a few intrepid general managers forged headlong into the free agent market, essentially setting the bar for all free agent signings that will follow.

Additionally, we saw a handful of teams able to strike deals with the intent of improving their fortunes heading into next season.

As is often the case, much of the winter’s action will happen in the weeks between the Winter Meetings’ conclusion and the opening days of Spring Training.

Last year, the Phillies had a battle for the fifth starter spot. It was mainly between Chan Ho Park, JA Happ, Kyle Kendrick, and Carlos Carrasco.

Well things have changed.

There is still a battle for the fifth spot in the rotation, but it has different contenders. Chan Ho Park is a free agent, Carrasco is with the Indians, and Happ is in the rotation.

So far the Phils rotation is Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, JA Happ, and Joe Blanton.

Note: This is, in its entirety, a rant. I may consider it to be true, but that does not change its status as a rant. I know, the sky isn't falling, but if you don't want to read a full out angry rant, then turn back now. Don't say I didn't warn you.

The way things have been shaping up, I didn't have high expectations for the upcoming 2010 season, but I thought the Yankees winning the World Series might motivate the Red Sox into making some big moves this winter. That doesn't appear to be the case.

By tomorrow at 11:00 PM central time, players who are non-tender candidates must be offered a contract by there team or they become free agents. For those who don't understand how this works, a player is a non-tender candidate when they become arbitration eligible and his club determines he is not worth the salary he might command in arbitration.