MLB Bullets Jumps To A Rival League

Sometime later today, the results of the voting for the Hall of Fame will be announced. For the most part, I've stopped caring about who gets inducted. I've included a few links on Cooperstown, but if you're a Hall-head, I'm sure you can find the news you crave on your own.

• I try not to care about the NFL either, but sometimes an NFL story is too good to be ignored, and it has a baseball connection too. The Cleveland Browns have hired Mets front office executive (and former Dodgers general manager) Paul DePodesta as their new "chief strategy officer." While the Browns plan to hire a new general manager with a football background later, it seems that this is an example of a new title being made up to rank above the GM job but will essentially handle all the details that a general manager would normally do. So here's one way that the NFL is copying MLB for once.
• Terry Pluto thinks the Browns made a fascinating choice--and the right one. A quick survey of the SB Nation "Dawgs By Nature" site gives me the impression that most Browns fans welcome the choice on the basis that he couldn't do any worse that the guys who had been running the team. My favorite exchange was "He's not a football guy" (sarcasm font) followed by "Neither were any of the GMs who preceded him" without the sarcasm font.
• Cy Brown looks at some other front office executives who have worked in more than one sport.
• Craig Calcaterra remembers when legendary Michigan Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler took over the Detroit Tigers. (It was bad, although be sure to read the link to Schembechler's side of the story to the Ernie Harwell fiasco.)
• Adam Rubin thinks that DePodesta's departure is a big blow to the Mets front office.
• Ryan Zimmerman and Ryan Howard have filed lawsuits against Al-Jazeera America, claiming that their story alleging PED use by the two players was false.
• Michael Powell has some interesting thoughts on the story and how the names listed in the story were not random accusations.
• OK, Cooperstown. I've ignored you long enough. David Schoenfield wonders if Ken Griffey Jr. will be the first ever unanimous player elected to the Hall of Fame.
• Phil Rogers thinks Alan Trammell should be inducted.
• Jon Paul Morosi thinks Mike Piazza should be inducted, but he explains why he didn't vote for him. (Hint: he can only vote for 10 people.)
• Ian O'Connor remembers Piazza's game on September 21, 2001 and thinks that was the night Piazza became a Hall of Famer.
• We still don't have any free agent signings, but the Athletics traded Arnold Leon to the Blue Jays. That's got to excite you, right?
• I take that back. There was one free agent signing. Edwin Jackson signed with the Marlins. That's a little over half a million dollars off the Cubs payroll.
• Dexter Fowler was seen at a Golden State Warriors game. Craig Calcaterra wonders if that's not a sign that Fowler might be talking with the Giants.
• Cliff Lee has said he would only sign with a team if it was a "perfect fit." Mike Axisa has some ideas about what that might be.
• Cliff Corcoran projects how much Yoenis Cespedes figures to be worth.
• Free agent outfielder Denard Span posted a video to try to show that he's healthy.
• Rob Neyer thinks the Dodgers starting rotation will be just fine without Zack Greinke.
• August Fagerstrom notes that the Dodgers have traditionally been near the top of the league in injuries. He wonders if that's not a bug, but a feature.
• The Braves are trying to unload Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. I'm not sure what is forcing more people to leave Georgia: trades by the Braves front office or zombie hordes.
• Tracy Ringolsby has some suggestions for teams to shore up some holes in their roster.
• Baseball will make a major effort to expand its appeal overseas in 2016.
• After doing the same for pitchers earlier, Christina Kahrl has her choices for the breakout hitters of 2016. Jorge Soler is on the list.
• Mike Axisa has a tale of two leagues for 2016: Parity in the American League, brutal inequality in the National League.
• Anthony Castrovince has some baseball New Year's Resolutions for 2016.
• Jeff Sullivan looks at how baseball shifts have changed the game and how a market correction, so to speak, may be coming.
• One more piece of front office news. The Dodgers have hired ex-Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos for their front office.
• One more piece of NFL news affecting MLB: The owner of the A's wants to know if the Raiders are staying or going. Like soon.
• The Cardinals are upgrading Busch Stadium. Some of you noted this last time, but it does seem to be related to the renovations at Wrigley Field.
• Now you too can enjoy the benefits of the Bartolo Colon Workout Video. All he needs are some leg-warmers.
• And finally, for all you purists who insist that player who flip their bat are disrespecting the game and the legends of yesteryear: Here's Mickey Mantle flipping his bat. To be fair, Mantle is doing it in disgust, not celebration. But boy, does he get some altitude on those flips.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.