Detroit signing Adam Everett to a one-year deal worth $1 million certainly doesn't qualify as big news, but it does signal that the Tigers are no longer in the running for Jack Wilson. One report had Wilson going to Detroit as a done deal last week, but obviously that was off base. Listening to a Pittsburgh writer talk about the situation this morning, it sounds like the Pirates may simply opt to keep Wilson for now and possibly look to deal him at midseason.

Detroit was quick to ditch Edgar Renteria after his disappointing 2008, but Everett is anything but an upgrade. He's long been one of the worst hitters in baseball and no longer offers the elite defense that he did with the Astros. Everett's shoulder problems made simply getting the ball to first base a problem last season and at 32 years old his range is declining as well.

Posted by Aaron Gleeman at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Tigers barely drew an audience for the Gerald Laird trade announcement, but the half-empty media room filled up in a hurry for Greg Maddux's retirement press conference. Big names like Bobby Cox, John Schuerholz, Ned Colletti, Bud Black, and Kevin Towers were among those in attendance, which is what happens when the winningest living pitcher calls it quits.

As usual, Maddux was extremely thoughtful during the question-and-answer session, taking the microphone by saying: "I'm just here to say thank you to everybody. Everyone in baseball." He went on to say that "it's time" to retire because "I have a family now that I need to spend time with." Maddux no doubt could have landed a rotation spot for 2009 after posting a 4.22 ERA in 194 innings last season, but explained: "I still think I can play the game, but just not as well as I used to."

With 355 career wins and four Cy Young awards Maddux is without question one of the truly elite pitchers in the history of baseball. And he's somehow managed to be underrated while putting together an inner-circle Hall of Fame career, including a 3.27 ERA in 198 postseason innings, 18 Gold Glove awards, and four ERA titles. Never the most physically imposing hurler, Maddux amazingly tossed at least 190 innings in 21 straight seasons.

If the Hall of Fame voters feel like making sense, he'll be unanimously elected in 2013.

Posted by Aaron Gleeman at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Gerald Laird is officially a member of the Tigers, as the Detroit contingent just held a press conference announcing the previously reported deal with Texas. Manager Jim Leyland called Laird a "solid major-league catcher" and added that he was "thrilled" to get a catcher "because it was obviously one of our biggest needs." Leyland noted that Laird has good speed for a catcher and suggested that, despite not having a ton of home-run power, he'll be a "perfect fit for our ballclub" because Comerica Park is a good place for gap hitters.

General manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed that the Tigers pursued Jason Varitek, but explained that the team's interest in him vanished once the Red Sox offered him arbitration. In other words, the Tigers liked Varitek, but not enough to lose a first-round pick for signing him.

Posted by Aaron Gleeman at 02:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hall of Famers Joe Morgan and Bobby Doerr were on hand for the announcement that the veterans committee has elected Joe Gordon to the Hall of Fame. This year the balloting was broken down into two groups of players, with the post-World War II balloting electing no one (Ron Santo and Jim Kaat came closest) and the pre-World War II balloting making Gordon the first member of the Class of 2009.

Gordon played 11 seasons in the majors for the Yankees and Indians, hitting .268/.357/.466 with 253 homers while winning the 1942 AL MVP. His career was shorter than most Hall of Famers, but Gordon was an elite player with a fairly long peak, making the All-Star team in all but his rookie season and final season.

Posted by Aaron Gleeman at 01:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One interesting sub plot of holding the winter meetings in Las Vegas for the first time is that the incredible number of tourists may change the lobby landscape. Two years ago in Orlando team employees and media members took over the entire hotel, filling the lobby at all times and basically just out-numbering any "normal" hotel-goers. At first glance this year looks much different, because last night the lobby was filled with plenty of media members, but they were also joined by tons of gamblers who had no idea they were standing just a few feet from Joe Posnanski, Bobby Valentine, and Peter Abraham.

My guess is that it'll be more difficult for rumors to circulate if the lobby is no longer filled solely with reporters, agents, and front-office personnel chatting it up, but we'll see if that's true. Right now the Hall of Fame is setting up the backdrop for their veterans committee press conference, and former ESPN colleagues Harold Reynolds and Steve Phillips are catching up in the back of the media room. It's safe to say that Reynolds has already won the "best dressed winter meetings attendee" award, although admittedly there isn't much competition in this crowd (me included).

Posted by Aaron Gleeman at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)