Yep, the Diamondbacks were named Organization of the Year in an award handed out by the Topps' baseball-card company. I was initially not quite sure how we managed to do that, or how we qualified above, say, the White Sox - who merely managed to break an 80-year old curse. However, it turns out the gong is given to the team that racks up the most player awards: players of the month + year, All-Stars in the farm system, and entrants in the Topps' Rookie All-Star Team. Well done to those involved.
So, we come back from the winter meetings with a new catcher, but a lot of other issues unresolved. Whither Vazquez? What will be patrolling center-field? And, to borrow a line from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original, not the OC-ish remake), "Who will survive of our pitchers, and what will be left of them?"
At least we've narrowed down the suitors for Javy to "four or five". The Astros may be nibbling now they've opted not to go with Clements, Willie Taveras would fill the hole in center field, and they're not short on pitching prospects. The Mets are almost certainly in there. The Orioles and Nationals probably too. Not sure who else is still in contention - the Cardinals appear to have balked at paying all of Vazquez's salary. Of teams in the East of the country, I think we can rule out both Florida clubs, the Phillies, Yankees and Blue Jays too. Tigers seem unlikely.
Corey Patterson has also been suggested for CF - the Cubs acquired Juan Pierre from Florida, so Patterson would now seem to be available. Shawn Green might be attractive to Chicago - but for some bizarre reason, he was given a contract which allows him only to be traded to a California team not named "Dodgers". Not for the first time, I shake my head at the idiocy of our management. Maybe we can convince Gonzo that the Windy City is the ideal place to escape the Arizonan heat: chuck in tickets to Jerry Springer too, perhaps. After all, we are the Organization of the Year...