It's Vegas, but not quite a vacation
I'm devoting most of today to preparing for tomorrow's trip to Las Vegas for baseball's annual winter meetings, which I've attended in past years in Anaheim, Dallas and New Orleans. That means laundry, packing, shopping and cleaning, while still keeping the blog operating.
Most team executives will head out tomorrow, with the meetings officially beginning on Monday. I abstained from pitching the idea to MASN that I should fly out today to give them the best coverage, just so I could hit the tables and party on their dime. That's not how we roll here at School of Roch. But it sure was tempting.
I signed onto Southwest.com at 7:25 a.m. so I could "check in" and print out my boarding pass. I timed it perfectly - exactly 24 hours prior to my departure - and ended up 35th in line in the A group. That'll get you an aisle seat (my preference, because I enjoy having the entire population bump into me every 12 seconds). And it beats the heck out of arriving at the airport five hours early to camp out and avoid being in the C group. Remember those Southwest days?
Tomorrow, I can look forward to a 5 1/2-hour flight on an airline that provides nothing except a small bag of peanuts, a drink and bad magazines. But it's cheap and usually on time - or as close as you're going to get these days. And I wanted to save MASN a few dollars so the Orioles would have more to spend on free agents, because that's also how we roll here at School of Roch.
Each day begins with reporters rushing into the media room by 8 a.m. to set up their laptops and claim their territory like a dog peeing in circles. Then you stake out the lobby. Scott Boras always draws a crowd, and since he represents Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez, Vegas won't be any different. The gamble is ducking back into the workroom and missing him, so you need to be in two places at once - sometimes three, if you're also waiting on a general manager or another agent.
Reporters swap information, which is why you become real chummy with people you otherwise wouldn't spend two seconds acknowledging. Orioles president Andy MacPhail is expected to meet with the local media each day around 5 p.m. Vegas time.
Once the last stories are filed, reporters often hang around the hotel bar - shocking, I know - under the guise of possibly getting a scoop in a more casual, alcohol-filled setting. Tape recorders are turned off and notebooks are closed, but the mind remembers everything. And hey, there's alcohol.
I'm not sure how this routine will be altered because we're staying at the Bellagio, but I doubt that it'll feel exactly like Anaheim.
Once the Rule 5 draft is held on Thursday morning, executives begin clearing out of the hotel. Reporters such as myself stay back, just in case there's more news to be found. We might even find something fun to do in the evening, because these meetings tend to run late.
I won't be shocked if the Orioles return home without adding another player (though their best chance might be locking up shortstop Cesar Izturis for two years), but I will make a bold prediction: There will be news on Monday. Mark my word. And when it's reported, I'll refer back to this entry.
How's that for a tease?
The buzzer just sounded on my dryer, so it's time to toss in another load of laundry. Enjoy your day.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
Roch,
I am devoted reader of yours and Vegas resident. It's cold so pack warm and leave the bathing suit home.
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Thanks for letting me know. I was wondering how to pack for this trip. Can you define "cold?" - Roch
Another year of nothing? Wooo hooo! Its a good thing the rest of the AL East aren't trying to get better. Because that would just push the O's farther back.
Whhhaaaaattt? They are trying to get better? Oh well. Guess the O's are screwed.
Other teams get CC and Tex while we get a SS that can't hit a change up?
If you have time, be sure to hit up the Burger Bar in Mandalay Bay (Mandalay Place to be exact). They have a Surf and Turf burger that is probably the best thing ever put on an onion roll.
Or you can just hit up In and Out...
Roch - I hope that your promise of news to come on Monday holds more truth than Adam Loewen staying an Oriole. Sorry to bust your chops, but I couldn't pass it up. Honestly, thanks for the best source of Orioles information. Have a great trip.
Hey Roch,
Keep being the best source for O's info my man. In and Out burger... Yes.
Always split 8's, and if everyone but the dealer has a winning hand and the lady in the last seat splits queens...leave.
Roch... knowing how bad of a gambler you are (refring to the Adam Loewen incident) please do us all a favor and don't go near the slots. We really don't want to wake up to read your "I should've listened to Terry and not played the slots" blog. Have a great time, and give us some good news on Monday!
It gets to the 40s at night. In the 60s during day now.
And is it worth going to see the winter meetings for us regular folks?
Hello Roch, I enjoy your blog and all your other works,such as television. If you were a person that could see the future or your best guess with what you know. What will the orioles obtain during the winter meetings and the rest of the off season? I know we're a couple of years away, but I would like to see a competitive team with a chance for 500. Have fun, Wade Giarla Phoenix Az
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I see them eventually signing shortstop Cesar Izturis (two years, $6 mil?) and a couple veteran starters (Paul Byrd? Bradon Looper?). I also see them signing a veteran catcher to mentor the young pitchers until Matt Wieters joins the big league club over the summer. And they might get a right-handed hitting outfielder, which will disappoint all the Lou Montanez fans out there. We'll see. - Roch
Since your blog is filled with 2 paragraphs on flying Southwest (if it really takes you 5 1/2 hrs, then let me know why you circled for an hour) , I'll try to top that with a useless factoid about the Bellagio.When you head to the business center, if you have to print out something, (the only one on strip that opens at 6am) you'll see the golf course restaurant. The original chef bolted when Steve Wynn insisted that they have a hotdog on the menu. Chef Jimmy refused to be part of a restaurant that served hotdogs.
Please let it be Furcal, and not Izturis. Izturis for two years would set Orioles back some more as they won't be able to bid for JJ Hardy, as he becomes a free agent after next year. Furcal's deal with the A's has fallen through, so the Orioles have the opportunity to get him relatively cheaply - provided he is medically cleared. He is also Class B free agent.
Roch, no mention of the fact that you'll miss Ravens-Skins tomorrow night? Obviously you'll catch it on TV - at 5:30 Vegas time. But, maybe not so obviously. Maybe a big story will bubble up, or you'll see someone you can't afford to miss, and have to miss the football game. But hopefully you've thought ahead and won't miss it.
Roch,
Did you hear anything else about the Burnett contract offer rumor? I've heard ATL offering 5 years, which I doubt we match, but could we make it competitive enough so AJ could actually choose BAL.
I appreciate your info on the O's this offseason, and your blog in general. I hope we do enough this offseason to surprise you and the rest of MLB. By that I mean sign Tex. Do you have any new opinions/info on his situation and what we may offer him?
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I still haven't gotten confirmation on Burnett. Hope to do so by Monday. Same with Teixeira. Will be much easier in Vegas. - Roch
Oh no. What's 5pm, Vegas time, for Eastern time? And, Roch, always remember to blow on the dice for good luck!
Also, always dress in a tux if you want to impress people.... like, I don't know... maybe Mark Teixiera or even Cesar Izturis?
In addition, always take a bottle of water after drinking 4 shots of vodka. Water will always get you back to earth.
I will be very interested to see what teams will do on Monday. Who will have the first blow? Who will have the last word? So exciting, I may have to stay glued to SportsCenter or other news media.
Roch do you have any time on masn that is available on the internet?
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I don't believe so. We'll post some audio on MASNsports.com. That much is a certainty. - Roch
hey Roch, do you know where on the internet i could find the list of players in the rule V draft? Ive seen it once but cant remember where i found it. Ha, i do know Wade Townsend is on there.
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Wow, that would be an awfully long list. Baseball America is a pretty good place to start. I'll look around. - Roch
I expect the good news to be the cutting all ties with D Cab.
Hey Roch,
I hope you remember how much money you saved MASN (and the Orioles) by flying Southworst next summer when you are sitting in the pressbox during the O's annual 5-32 performance down the stretch.
Anything longer than a 2 hour flight you should spend the extra $30 on AirTran knowing that you'll at the very least have satelitte radio. Who knows, maybe you could've even viewed a horrible children's movie from six to eight years ago.
Have a safe trip.
If the Front Office decides to pull its usual ineptitude at the Winter Meetings could you take matters into your own hands and open negotiations with Teixiera for us? You might be wondering where you'll get the money from to pay Teixiera. Just watch the movie Ocean's Eleven during your flight and I'm sure you'll think of something.
In Roch We Trust.
Roch, you're gonna be up 5-honey by midnight!
Dont forget lots of 1's for Spearment Rhino and Cheetah.
Roch,
Let me venture a guess on your prediction. The Orioles will sign Adam Loewen on Monday because there's absolutely no way whatsoever he'll sign with the Blue Jays?