Opinion

To see Part One, click here .

Jamie Moyer, 47, has been in baseball for almost 25 years. Before he was in drafted, he pitched for Souderton High School, which is very close to my house. He then went on to pitch for St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.  

The 2009 Winter Meetings have concluded, and the San Francisco Giants came away looking like they did little, but probably did plant the seeds for a deal or two to take place.

Rumors continue to persist that the Giants are still talking with the Florida Marlins regarding Dan Uggla in exchange for TBD Giants' players. Also, reports that Giants have offers before Mark DeRosa and maybe Nick Johnson and LaRoche, as possible Giants' first baseman.

Last year J.J. Putz was traded, and Francisco Rodriguez was signed immediately. So because of last year's big moves during the winter meetings, expectations coming heading into Monday were high, and luckily the GMs delivered some early Christmas gifts.

Some players were given more than we anticipated, while the big names remained on the board as expected. There were a few dozen signings, but mostly minor names who will be seen in the minor leagues this year.

Mike Lowell for Max Ramirez is a deal that leaves everyone but the Red Sox puzzled. Why would the Red Sox pay up to three-quarters of Lowell's 2010 salary, amounting to $8 or $9 million, to play for Texas?

Yes, Lowell has been hobbled by his surgically repaired hip, but he has told both reporters and the Red Sox that he feels better than at any time since the injury that led to the surgery.

Jason Bay or Matt Holliday? This was the debate on WFAN radio in New York yesterday, and nearly everyone was leaning in favor of Bay. The discussion occurred on Miked Up, a show hosted by Mike Francesa that can also be seen on the YES Network in the afternoon.

I mention Francesa because he's one of the better-respected sports radio men in the business, and yet I found myself completely disagreeing with him—a phenomenon which is not at all uncommon for me. 

There’s a reason why Derek Jeter is still in pinstripes.

Sure, he’s good, but the Yankees could do better. Alex Rodriguez could be moved back to shortstop. The Yankees could have signed Chone Figgins to man third base, for example, or pushed Mark Teixeira back to the hot corner.

It’s the same reason why the Mariners used a roster spot on an aged Ken Griffey, Jr. last year, and why the Rangers parted with a solid prospect in exchange for 28 games of wrinkled Ivan Rodriguez.

It’s called nostalgia.

Originally published at GetOutofMyBallpark.com

If all goes as planned in the medical exams this week, Mike Lowell has played his last game as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

Last night, Lowell, affectionately known as Treebeard by SMC, was sent to the Rangers for 25-year-old catcher Max Ramirez. The trade is the first significant move by the Sox at this year's winter meetings, and is hopefully a prelude to another big move.

This year's winter meetings seemed to be a lot more active than last year's, didn't they?

This may have had a lot to do with its location.

In 2008, the event was held in Vegas. This surely presently all sorts of obstacles in terms of getting actual work done.

I'm not sure Scott Boras ever ducked out of Spearmint Rhino long enough to hold his annual messianic press conference. And then there were the rumors about the Hendricks Brothers, a young redhead, and a snapper fish.

When discussing the team's budget and off-season plans Rays Principal Owner Stu Sternberg told us, "There's not a $7 million dollar closer coming."

Oh those tricky Rays. Just when you think you have them (and their budget) figured out, they pull off the mega deal of the winter meetings. The team that said it would never devote a large portion of it's payroll to a closer just acquired one of the best from last season in Atlanta's Rafael Soriano.