MLB Winter Meetings: Dispatches From In And Around The Madness

So I'm back again at the Winter Meetings this year, still credential-less, with approximately 40 percent more trolling power now that I've been through this once before. It's a good thing I have, because this year's venue is pretty intense.

I'm at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort, which is basically a warped country version of Disneyland. It's also big enough to have its own zip code (Maybe it does? Not sure). I arrived Saturday afternoon, but today is the day most media events take place. A lot of people showed up last night to get ready and familiarize themselves with the compound. It's decorated beautifully for Christmas, but I'm already tired of the Christmas music being piped through all the speakers everywhere.

It's a lot harder to figure out where the central hang out area will be at this hotel. Most times, everyone congregates in the lobby bar, but this place doesn't really have one. A lot of media vultured the lobby anyway yesterday, keeping their eyes out for arrivals of execs and players. Much like most things that happen here, there's not really much to report about that sort of thing other than being able to be one of the first to say "So-and-so has arrived at the Winter Meetings".

Wandering around near the lobby today, it's less tourists blocking all the walkways and more business and media types rushing around. Bruce Bochy had lunch in the same overpriced restaurant I did, and I saw Tommy Lasorda as I walked back towards the media area. Always fun to spot guys like that.

Stay tuned to find out who falls into the river and what kind of drunken shenanigans various managers get into. I'm tweeting photos and musings over at @norunsupport on twitter.