Mick In Orlando: Winter Meetings Kick-Off, Three Inductees, The Sunshine State

It’s Time to Play Let’s Make a Deal

Monday kicked-off the Baseball Winter Meetings. I was excited about getting to go this year and the atmosphere was jolting with electricity as everyone began to arrive. One great part about the winter meetings is that it gives me a chance to catch-up with many of my contemporaries from around the league and see what all of them have been up to.

The four day event isn’t only a good opportunity to see what other professionals around the league are up to, but a chance to observe and evaluate where each organization currently sits, what moves they will make to change their position, and what direction each affiliate is headed in.

The winter meetings are more than just free-agent contract negotiations, general managers haggling over potential trades; in fact, these meetings are what separate baseball from the other big-four sports. The winter meetings are a four day long celebration of baseball. They give professionals from all realms of the landscape of baseball the good fortune to get a better glimpse at the inner workings of the management side of the game.

Three Great Managers Become Immortal

The first day of the meetings will be a day I remember for the rest of my life. I was fortunate enough to see three of the greatest managers of my lifetime get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Amongst the three was long time St. Louis Cardinals and former Knoxville Sox Manager Tony La Russa. The Knox Sox gave La Russa his first managing gig in baseball back in 1978, and in only 78 games he topped the teams’ win total from their 137 game 1977 campaign. For La Russa this would be the start of a Major League managing career that would span 33 years. I remember when my friend Nick Gates of the Knoxville New Sentinel would tell me stories about La Russa and I would always be enthralled from start to finish. Throughout his managerial campaign LaRussa won 2,728 regular season games and three World Series championships; two of them with the Cardinals.

Before La Russa started his 16 year tour with the Cards, the seat behind the managers desk in St. Louis was occupied by Joe Torre, the second of the three inductees. Torre left St. Louis for the Big Apple in 1996 to manage the Yankees. The Brooklyn native would lead the Bronx Bombers to the promise land his first season there, and they would go on to win the World Series three more times over the next four years, falling just one out short of a fifth title in 2001. It is easy for me to respect any manager that wins four World Series titles with one team. Over his 29 years managing in the bigs Torre boasted 2,326 regular season wins, recording 114 wins in 1998, just shy of the single season record.

Last but not certainly not least of the managers to receive the highest honor in baseball was Bobby Cox. The California native will always be synonymous with the Atlanta Braves spending 25 of his 29 years managing with the team, and for the unprecedented success in the NL East. Starting in 1991 Cox led the Bravos to 14 consecutive NL East Division titles. The Smokies play right in the middle of Braves country, so its pretty hard not to like Cox. Over his 29 year managerial career Cox achieved 2,504 regular season victories, collecting his lone World Series title in 1995 with the Braves. He also managed one of the best pitching trios and third baseman to ever play the game: Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, and Larry “Chipper” Jones, all four of whom should be joining their skipper in the hall soon enough. Maddux and Glavine could join Cox as soon as this year, as they will both be on the ballot for the first time. The Smokies play right in the middle of Braves country, so its pretty hard not to like Cox. Over his 29 year managerial career Cox achieved 2,504 regular season victories, collecting his lone World Series title in 1995 with the Braves.

It was a privilege to get to see these three great men receive the highest honor the game of baseball can bestow upon anyone. It was a testament to how the baseball community acknowledges the accomplishments of men who give their lives to the game.

Don’t You Ever Take My Sunshine Away

This year the Winter Meetings are being held in sunny Orlando, Florida. Sorry to all of those reading this back in Knoxville, but this part might make you a little jealous. As I left my home in Tuscaloosa to go to the airport Monday morning I dawned a sweater to help myself survive the brisk 40 degree weather that awaited me on the other side of the door. However, when I got off my plane in Orlando I quickly removed the garment as it was nearly 80 degrees in the sunshine state. It almost reminds me of when I got off the plane in Phoenix for Spring Training last year. (I’ll save you the trouble of checking your calendar, Spring Training is only 78 days away.) Anyway the meetings are at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel, and it is quite a beautiful site for anyone in the heart of December. That about covers everything from day one of the meetings. I’m sure day two will be just as exciting as I am looking forward to the affiliate dinner.