The MLB Winter Meetings are finally upon us. Starting today in Orlando, Florida, executives from every MLB team and agents for countless numbers of players will converge on the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, where trades, contracts and many other issues are guaranteed to be discussed, worked out, agreed to, and reneged on.
So, what to do if you’re a baseball fan and you want to stay up to date on the latest MLB Winter Meetings news? Don’t sweat it; we’ve got you covered. Here are the best ways you can keep track of all the wheelin’ and dealin’ that’s sure to occur between now and December 12, which is when the festivities are set to conclude. Whether you’re a casual fan or a diehard devotee of the sport, if you count on our team-by-team tips, no news will get past you.
Arizona Diamondbacks
It’s unclear what the Diamondbacks will do this winter, but they’ll likely need to make a lot of moves if they hope to top the Dodgers. The best way to keep track of everything concerning the Snakes, tune into AZCentral.com’s Diamondbacks page, along with Nick Piecoro’s and Jack Magruder’s Twitter accounts. The former is the D-backs’ beat writer for AZCentral.com, while the latter covers the team for FOXSportsArizona.com.
Atlanta Braves
Though the Braves are perennial contenders, they usually stay away from the big splash move. Considering that they operate in a small market, Braves fans shouldn’t expect any earth-shaking moves, but if you’re an Atlanta fan, we advise that you keep your peepers glued to Tomahawktake.com, a blog devoted to all things Braves. You should also keep track of Mark Bowman’s Twitter account. Bowman is the Braves beat writer for MLB.com.
Baltimore Orioles
There are plenty of rumors swirling around the Orioles, who failed to make a deep post-season run despite the fact that they sport a talented roster. To keep track of any changes comin’ to Orioles country, get ready to hit F5 (that’s the browser hotkey for Refresh, btw) often when parked at Eduardo Encina’s Twitter account. Encina is the Orioles beat writer for the Baltimore Sun, though Brittany Ghiroli, who covers the team for MLB.com, is also a good Twitter feed to keep track of.
Boston Red Sox
Will the Red Sox follow up their World Series victory by making any huge acquisitions? It’s anyone’s guess, though if there’s one thing for certain, regardless of whether the Red Sox do anything big during the Winter Meetings, they certainly have the money and resources to either make a big sign or pull off a huge trade. To keep track of breaking Red Sox Winter Meetings news, keep your eyes on the Boston Herald’s Red Sox page, along with the Boston Globe’s main Red Sox site. You can also keep track of any Sawx news, rumors and more by bookmarking Dan Shaughnessy’s Twitter account. Shaughnessy is the sports columnist for the Boston Globe.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have been in a sad state for years, yet their fanbase remains strong. If you’re a diehard fan of the Cubs and you want the latest Winter Meetings and Hot Stove updates, keep your browser pointed to the Cubs pages for both the Chicago Tribune as well as the Chicago Sun-Times. Spamming refresh on Carrie Muskat’s Twitter page, who covers the Cubs for MLB.com, is a pretty good bet as well. Then there’s viewfromthebleachers.com, which is ESPN Chicago’s Cubs blog.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are in a state of flux as well. Though they contended as recently as 2012, Paul Konerko’s dropoff led the way to a significant decline for the team in 2013. To keep track of the White Sox’s Winter Meetings and Hot Stove machinations, you should stay tuned to the White Sox pages for the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. On top of that, you should constantly monitor the Twitter pages for Doug Padilla, who covers the team for ESPN Chicago and Scott Merkin, who does the same for MLB.com.
Cincinnati Reds
Will they or won’t they move Brandon Phillips? What will the Reds to do give them a chance to (finally) shoot themselves past the rival Cardinals? It’s anyone’s guess, but to stay up to date on all Winter Meetings News related to Cincy, keep it tuned to Cincinnati.com’s Reds page, along with John Fay’s Twitter feed, who covers the team for Cincinnati.com.
Cleveland Indians
The Tribe were one of the surprise teams during the 2013 season, but will they beef up the team to make another playoff run next year? To stay abreast of anything and everything Indians-related, make sure you’re a regular visitor of Cleveland.com’s Indians page, as well as the Twitter feeds of both Jordan Bastian and Paul Hoynes. Bastian writes about the Indians for MLB.com, while Hoynes covers the team for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are in a tough spot. Clearly you need pitching to win, but you try keeping your ERA under three in that ballpark while battling the thin air. Regardless, if you’re a Rockies acolyte, you’ll want to park your browser on The Denver Post’s Rockies page. Following the Twitter accounts of Rockies beat writers Troy Renck and Patrick Saunders wouldn’t hurt either.
Detroit Tigers
Though the Tigers already have a big payroll, don’t be surprised if they end up spending even more money in an effort to capture that elusive World Series title. To stay up to date on Tigers Winter Meetings news and rumors, MLive.com’s Tigers page is a good place to start, as is The Detroit News’ site. Complete the trifecta by gluing yourself to Jason Beck’s Twitter page, who covers the team for MLB.com.
Houston Astros
Good news for Astros fans! … things can only improve from here, right? After sinking to rock bottom in 2013, it’ll be interesting to see whether the Astros will make any significant moves during the Winter Meetings. For all your Astros updates, monitor the pages for both the Houston Chronicle’s Astros site, as well as Brian McTaggart’s Twitter feed. McTaggart writes about the Astros for MLB.com. Poor guy. (Just kiddin’)
Kansas City Royals
During last year’s Winter Meetings, the Royals acquired James Shields from the Rays by trading away Wil Myers. Will they make another big move this time around? There’s only one way to find out. Keep informed on all Royals related news by sticking to The Kansas City Star’s Royals page.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Do the Dodgers have a payroll limit? At this point, who knows. The team’s new ownership group seem hellbent on getting a World Series championship as soon as possible, so it’s entirely possible that they could make huge moves this week toward that end. To stay on top of the latest Dodgers news and rumors, follow the Los Angeles Times’ Dodgers page, as well as Dylan Hernandez’s Twitter page, who covers the team for the Times.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Big name, big payroll, big expectations. That’s the Angels in a nutshell, though despite making big acquisitions in recent years, they’ve failed to deliver. Will they pull off another big splash? Keep track of all things Angels this winter by staying devoted the The Los Angeles Times’ Angels page, as well as the Twitter accounts of Mike DiGiovanna and Alden Gonzalez. The former covers the team for the Times, while the latter does so for MLB.com.
Miami Marlins
Simply put, the Marlins are a weird team. After spending big in 2012, they offloaded much of their big contracts last winter. So what will they do this year? Though it’s anyone’s guess, you should follow the Miami Herald’s Marlins page, Fox Sports Florida’s Marlins site, and the Twitter accounts of Juan C. Rodriguez, Clark Spencer, and Joe Capozzi. Rodriguez covers the Marlins for the Miami Sun Sentinel, Spencer for the Miami Herald and Capozzi for The Palm Beach Post.
Milwaukee Brewers
Now that Ryan Braun was uncovered as both a cheat and a liar, it’s unclear what kind of production the slugger will provide for the Brewers in 2014 and beyond. On top of that, it’s unclear whether the club will retain slugger Corey Hart. To stay on top of all Brewers news during the Winter Meetings and beyond, stick to the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel’s (say that fast five times..) Brewers page, along with the Twitter accounts for Tom Haudricourt and Adam McCalvy. Haudricourt covers the Brewers for the Journal Sentinel, while McCalvy does so for MLB.com.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins almost never make big, splashy moves in the offseason, instead generally relying on their farm system to produce big league talent. Nevertheless, the Hot Stove season is unpredictable, and you never know when a historically conservative team will buck trends and make a huge move. To follow all the latest Twins update, stick to the Twins page on the Minnesota Star Tribute site. Bookmarking the Twitter feed of Mike Berardino, who covers the team for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, would also be a solid move.
New York Mets
Though the Mets already signed Curtis Granderson, the team is set to make additional moves after shedding Johan Santana’s massive contract. Follow Metsblog.com to stay up to date on the latest Mets Winter Meetings updates. Ken Davidoff, who covers the team for the New York Post, is also a good source for Mets news. The same goes for Adam Rubin of ESPN.
New York Yankees
While the Yankees have already doled out close to $300 million in contracts already, it’s entirely possible that they’re not done. To stay on top of Yankees Winter Meetings rumors and news, stay with the New York Daily News’ baseball site, as well as Mark Feinsand’s Twitter account, who writes about the team for the same publication. David Lennon of Newsday is also a good source of updates.
Oakland Athletics
Considering that the team resides in a small market and GM Billy Beane stays away from offering large free agent contracts, its unclear what, if anything, the Athletics will do this winter. To keep yourself informed on the team’s movements, pay attention to the San Jose Mercury News’ Athletics page. On top of that, you should also keep track of Susan Slusser’s and Jane Lee’s Twitter accounts. Slusser is the San Francisco Chronicle Athletics beat writer, while Lee covers the team for MLB.com.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies could be entering a rebuilding phase, especially after reports surfaced indicating that they were shopping Papelbon and Roy Halladay’s retirement today. On the other hand, they could also decide to make big money plunges like they have in recent years. In either case, to stay informed on everything related to the Phillies, stay with Philly.com’s Phillies page. Round out your Phillies coverage strategy by keeping yourself glued to Jim Salisbury’s and Todd Zolecki’s Twitter feeds, who cover the team for CSNPhilly.com and MLB.com, respectively.
Pittsburgh Pirates
After finally breaking through and making the playoffs, it’ll be interesting to see what, if anything, the Pirates will do to ensure that they weren’t just a one year wonder. The best way to do so is by tracking the updates on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Pirates page, along with the Twitter pages for Dejan Kovacevic, a columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Rob Biertempfel, Pirates beat writer for the same publication.
San Diego Padres
Padres fans have it rough these days. If its not the Giants winning championships, its the Dodgers spending enough money to put Fort Knox to shame. That’s no reason to lose faith though. Follow all the Padres Winter Meetings developments by bookmarking Utsandiego.com’s Padres page, as well as Corey Brock’s Twitter feed.
San Francisco Giants
Forget last year, Giants fans. Two rings in the past few years should still give you plenty to smile about. Though the team has already reupped with Tim Lincecum and Hunter Pence, it’ll be interesting to see what, if any, moves the team will make to make another playoff run. Stick with the San Jose Mercury News’ Giants page and Andrew Baggarly’s Twitter page to keep up to date on the team’s Winter Meetings and Hot Stove plans. Baggarly covers the team for CSN Bay Area.
Seattle Mariners
Though the Mariners already signed Robinson Cano to a massive deal, rumors are that they have their sights set on Rays ace David Price. Whether or not that’s true, the Cano deal is proof positive that the Mariners aren’t playing around anymore. To keep up with all the Mariners, stay with the Seattle Times’ Mariners page, as well as Ryan Divish’s Twitter feed, who covers the team for the same outlet.
St. Louis Cardinals
Forget the Kardashians, keeping up with the Cardinals is a much more entertaining watch. It would behoove every baseball fan to do so too, considering that they’ve wreaked havoc on the league for years. Do so by keeping track of Derrick Goold’s Twitter page, who covers the Cardinals for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Gluing your eyes to the same publication’s Cardinals page is also a good bet.
Tampa Bay Rays
Considering that the Red Sox just won a championship and the Yankees just spent hundreds of millions on players, the Rays have both needs and a tall task ahead of them if they hope to compete in the AL East in 2014 and beyond. Stay up to date on everything Rays related by devoting time to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rays page, as well as the Twitter feed for Marc Topkin, who covers the team for the Times.
Texas Rangers
Like the Tigers, the Rangers have gotten oh-so-close to a World Series title in recent years, only to have it slip through their fingers. Like the Tigers, they’re also not strangers to doling out big contracts and making big trades, having already acquired Prince Fielder from the Tigers. Chances are, they’re not done yet. Follow all Rangers news by getting cozy with the Dallas Morning News’ Rangers site, along with Evan Grant’s Twitter feed, who covers the Rangers for the same publication.
Toronto Blue Jays
Like the Rays and Orioles, the Blue Jays have a tough hill to climb if they hope to compete with the Yankees and the Red Sox. After spending big and making big trades last year, the Blue Jays faltered, so their task could be the toughest of all. Want Blue Jays news? Your best bets are to follow the Toronto Star’s baseball page, and Brendan Kennedy’s Twitter feeds, who covers the Jays for the Star.
Washington Nationals
The time is now for the Nationals. Between Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, the team has been in position to make deep postseason runs, but have yet to sniff a World Series ring. This could pave the way for big changes in Nationals town. To keep up with the team’s Winter Meetings activities, park your browser on the Washington Post’s Nationals site, as well as the Twitter account for Adam Kilgore, who covers the team for the Post.
Other Sources
If you have multiple rooting interests or you want to expand the way you track MLB Winter Meetings news, we recommend that you also lock onto Jon Heyman’s Twitter feed. Heyman covers baseball for CBSSports.com. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com is their Senior Baseball Writer, and his Twitter account is another great source of information. MLBTraderumors.com is also a tremendous source of news and updates on all the latest MLB Winter Meetings and Hot Stove news, rumors and moves, both on the major and minor league level.
