For the Chicago Tribune, Phil Rogers writes an intriguing article discussing how the winter meetings have changed since “back in the day.”

He comically begins the piece writing:

Back in the day, before the Internet, digital music and VORP ratings, baseball’s winter meetings used to be almost as much about debauchery as business. They were not considered to be in session until some well-known executive had fallen flat on his back off a bar stool or a trade had been made in a washroom, just before somebody vomited.

He also gives a run down of trades that were discussed at the winter meetings and could still potentially happen. 

He then discusses the Nationals offseason, and provides some whispers from around the league including non-tender candidates where he mentions Johnny Estrada as a possibility.

Great read. If you’d like to catch up with rumors from across the league they’re in there so check them out.

Matt Cerrone is reporting on MetsBlog that the Minnesota Twins reached out to a few teams last night seeking another deal for Johan Santana.

From Cerrone…

During a recent spot for ESPN News, ESPN.com’s Keith Law said that the Twins have once again reached out to the Mets, Dodgers and Angels regarding Santana.

I really want this Santana sweepstakes to be over already.

If we can’t get Santana for Mike Pelfrey, Ryan Church, Carlos Gomez, and Aaron Heilman, but the Red Sox can lead the way with Jon Lester, Coco Crisp, Justin Masterson and Jed Lowrie. I’m very confused.

Matt Cerrone over at MetsBlog brings us this note from ESPN 1050…

Orioles COO Andy MacPhail says he expects to meet with Mets GM Omar Minaya about LHP Erik Bedard while in Nashville, reports Andrew Marchand of ESPN 1050 in New York.

I really want Bedard, but with Lastings Milledge now gone, i don’t think we should be trading away guys like Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez. I think at least one of them, if not both would be in this trade, since Gomez/Pelfrey/Heilman wasn’t enough to net him the first time around.

Is it too soon to think about trading away Ryan Church and possibly pursuing Xavier Nady?

The two top targets the Mets will likely be zeroing in on at the Winter Meetings starting today are Erik Bedard and Dan Haren.

According to industry sources of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles rejected a trade offer recently by the Mets for Erik Bedard which included 21-year-old outfield prospect Carlos Gomez, reliever Aaron Heilman, 29, and a third player, believed to be right-handed starter Philip Humber, 24.

However, Roger Rubin at the New York Daily News reports that the Mets offered Lastings Milledge at that time, not Carlos Gomez. Including Gomez or Ryan Church, along with Mike Pelfrey instead of Philip Humber might be seen as a more competitive offer.

The one thing the Mets do have going for them is that its unlikely the Orioles will want to trade Bedard within their division to the Yankees or Red Sox, if one or both of them were to lose out on Johan Santana.

The A’s would likely look for even more in return for Dan Haren because of his very attractive contract. Haren is signed through 2009 with a club option for 2010. He receives $4 million in 2008, $5.5 million in 2009, and his club option is $6.75

A more realistic option might be Joe Blanton along with signing either Carlos Silva or Livan Hernandez. Blanton had a 3.95 ERA last year with a 1.22 WHIP. He was 6th in Rookie Of The Year voting in 2005 when he had a 3.53 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.

Jon Heyman on CNNSI and Dayn Perry on Fox Sports run down their list of offseason winners and losers so far, with the conclusion of the Winter Meetings.

Among them, Heyman declares the Mets negotiators winners for locking up three key players in Alou, Glavine and Hernandez to the tune of just $30 million.

Perry declares the best signing of the Winter Meetings to be Jason Schmidt to the Dodgers and the worst being Vincente Padilla to Texas.

Jon Heyman declares mediocre pitchers such as Gil Meche and Ted Lilly as the big winners of the off season so far, and the Giants, Astros, and Royals the biggest losers. The Giants for looking old and the tooth and not adding any young players, the Astros for pushing Andy Pettitte out the door, and the Royals for finally spending some money and wasting it on Gil Meche and Octavio Dotel.

I'm not sure I agree with Perry on Schmidt, I supposed they did well in only giving him three years, but they're paying him close to 16 per. I think the White Sox did really well by getting back two solid young pitchers and moving Freddy Garcia to promote Brandon McCarthy to the starting rotation. Its a smart move to try and stock up on some young arms while the price for pitching on the open market continues to rise.

The Houston Chronicle reports that the Houston Astros are set to aquire White Sox pitcher, Jon Garland. In return, Chicago will receive OF Willy Taveras and P Taylor Buchholz.

UPDATE 1:39PM -
The reported Jon Garland trade between the White Sox and Astros has hit a snag and may not be completed. White Sox GM Kenny Williams said that he can't trade a second starter unless he gets two major pieces in return reports Jayson Stark on ESPN.

UPDATE 3:24PM - Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting that the deal has fallen through. RHP Taylor Buchholz failed his physical nulling the trade..

If this NY Post article holds true, I can't wait to see what his price tag is gonna be with BOTH NY teams in a bidding war.

MLB.com reports that Luis Gonzalez has signed with the LA Dodgers to a one year deal worth $7 million.

Gonzalez, 39, is a career .284 hitter with 331 homers and 1,324 RBIs in 16-plus seasons in the Majors. He had a career-high 52 doubles in 2006.

Since Gonzo didnt sign with the Orioles, this should mean the Rodrigo Lopez for Kevin Mench deal that was in place with the Brewers hould happen pretty soon. 

The Washington Post reports the Mets love Chad Cordero, but balked when Bowden asked for Lastings Milledge in addition to other undisclosed players.

The Dallas Morning News reports that the Texas Rangers have made an offer to Mark Mulder.

Mulder, who also has received significant interest from St. Louis,
probably won't be ready for opening day. He is recovering from shoulder
surgery, and mid-May may be the most realistic window for return.

Thanks to Matt @ Metsblog for the report.

Appearing on ESPN Radio in New York, ESPN’s Steve Phillips believes the Mets offered Lastings Milledge straight up for Rich Harden, and were countered with an offer for Joe Blanton for Milledge instead, which the Mets declined.

Interesting. The only ptchers on the A's staff i'd trade Milledge for are Harden and Haren. Blanton though, Im not to crazy about giving Milledge up in return. If this is true, Im glad the Mets declined Blanton for Milledge but hopefully they could work something out for Harden because he would be a great additon to the Mets rotaion.

The Seattle Post reports that Gil Meche appears headed to Chicago. The Cubs were in talks with Ted Lilly as well, but signing Meche may make it more likely thay Lilly returns to his former team in the Bronx.

The Braves are just waiting for some information on Mike Gonzalez's
elbow before going through with a trade for Adam LaRoche with the Pirates, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

According to Scout.com. the Atlanta Braves have traded LHP Horacio Ramirez to the Seattle Mariners for Right handed Reliever Rafael Soriano.

Soriano was 1-2 last season for the Mariners with a 2.25 ERA in 53 games. He allowed 44 hits in 60 innings pitched, 15 earned runs, 21 walks, and 65 strikeouts.

The hard-throwing reliever turns 27 in a few weeks. He's been in the big leagues for parts of five seasons. Soriano will help set up Bob Wickman in the Braves' bullpen next year.

Ramirez had an injury-plagued 2006 season with the Braves. He was 5-5 in 14 games with a 4.48 ERA.

Thats too bad. It seemed whenever Ramirez pitched against the Mets he got lit up every time, especially by David Wright. Soriano should do good with the Braves after making the switch from the AL to the NL and he has some very nasty stuff. I hate to say it, but I think the Braves made a steal with this one.