Outside The Confines: Winter Meetings pandemic style

The annual MLB Winter Meetings have begun, but the event that was originally meant to take place from the 6th-10th in Dallas, TX has now moved to a completely remote scenario. This, of course, means that sportswriters cannot lurk in a hotel lobby hoping to overhear a major deal; and most importantly, Scott Boras will not have a captive audience for his annual impromptu press conference that typically sounds like a game of baseball Mad Libs.

What should not change, even if the venue is now online, is a big week of moving parts, and a lot of free agents finding themselves a new home. Winter Meetings are typically the busiest time of the offseason, and when the so-called “hot stove” really starts to heat up.

All of this culminates in the December 10th Rule 5 Draft, so you can expect all 30 MLB teams to look a fair bit different by the end of this week.

Now onto the links!

• Speaking of Winter Meetings, Dayn Perry has the 12 biggest questions awaiting answers during the now-digital managerial get together.
• Jim Bowden, likewise, has one move for each of the American League teams during Winter Meetings. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Trevor May has a DJ alter ego named DJ Hey Beef because sure, why not. Story by Michael Clair and Anthony DiComo.
• Spencer Kieboom built a life in baseball, and then he retired unexpectedly. Jesse Dougherty brings us the story.
• The second part of David Laurila’s conversation with Jim Gentile continues at FanGraphs.
• The Sport Illustrated staff weigh in on which new 2020 rules should (and shouldn’t) stick around for 2021.
• Buster Olney has some suggestions for new Angels GM Perry Minasian.
• I feel you, Cut4.

• Will Leitch has one bounce-back candidate for every team in 2021.
• Mike Petriello has narrowed down the list of teams where J.T. Realmuto could fit... to 30.
• The Phillies rebuild has... not gone very well. Sam Miller explores the first major fumble of a tanking team.
• Some teams are so close to contending that Dan Szymborski has the moves seven of them need to make to get there.
• R.J. Anderson has 17 players you should probably be aware of for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
• Elvis Andrus has been the Texas Rangers shortstop for a long time, which makes the move to Isiah Kiner-Falefa as the new everyday shortstop quite a shakeup.
• Jay Jaffe takes his JAWS approach to Hall of Fame candidate Barry Zito.
• A massive number of players were non-tendered this year, and Emma Baccellieri tries to makes sense of a truly unusual free agent season.
• Jen McCaffrey sings the praises of FanGraphs, which is just genuinely a pretty cool thing to see another baseball site do. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Congrats to Tigers reliever Buck Farmer on his new baby, Forrest James, who was born November 4.

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