WINTER MEETINGS BULLETIN--Latos/McLouth

GM Adam Anson has released the following memo to fellow eMLB Owners and GM's.

The Squirrels are in full rebuilding mode for 2012, and are exploring what Mat Latos (3/13) might bring in a trade. Any trade that involves Latos would likely have to include Nate McLouth (3/12.) GM Anson only had this to say to his fellow GM's: "Latos has a nice contract, and just got traded to a team that should score him some runs. While bringing on McLouth would certainly negate some of Latos' value, McLouth is a strong rebound candidate headed back to Pittsburgh, and a sure fire starting gig."

It is likely that Anson would entertain offers on only Latos or only McLouth, but they seem to make a lot more sense as a package deal for a current contender, as Latos alone commands a decent price, while the overall price can be dropped significantly when taking two three year contracts from a rebuilding team.

Squirrels Speculation--2012 eMLB Draft

With almost no contracts in the cupboard, the Springfield Flying Squirrels of Republic look to have a quiet Winter Meetings. That said, we take a look at the potential picks the Squirrels might take with the 1.6 pick. It seems safe to assume that Jose Bautista, Robinson Cano, Troy Tulowitzki, and Adrian Gonzalez will all be off the board when the Squirrels pick, and if one of those players was still around the Squirrels would jump on them, but this article will assume that these players will all be off the board come pick 1.6. These are all options, depending on who goes in the five previous picks, in no particular order.

Andrew McCutchen- OF: A young OFer with all the tools to be a five category contributor and possibly a six category contributor and a solid five year contract. Saw a drop in AVG in 2011, and the lineup he hits in is always a question, but the sheer talent is undeniable and if the Squirrels pass on "The Dread Pirate", expect him to go quickly following.

Mike Stanton- OF: Another of three young OFers that the Squirrels are targeting. The potential for Stanton is unreal. He could easily put up 40+ HR and 120RBI in the revamped Marlins lineup, while contributing solidly to above averagely in the average, runs, and walks categories. While Stanton will not contribute a lot to the SB category, the difference in HR and RBI may more than make up for this deficiency. Either way, a five year player and a power cornerstone.

Justin Upton- OF: The final of the three OFers that the Squirrels are targeting. J-Up finally put it all together last year, and a jump to 2011 Kemp numbers is not out of the question. Contributions to all six categories are a given and if Upton does indeed take the next step, he could well end up being the best player in the entire draft.

Hanley Ramirez- 3B: A year ago, HanRam was a no brainer as a first round pick, but after a disappointing 2011 and a forced move to 3B, his stock has never been lower. However, at age 28 and in a lineup that will likley score a lot of runs, Ramirez is a fantastic rebound candidate. If he returns to his pre 2011 numbers, especially at a shallow 3B position, he is a steal, and while risky, he is deserving of consideration and a three year contract.

Others in the discussion:

Mark Teixeira- 1B: It seems too early to take Tex, but he will still be the cornerstone of a potent Yankees lineup, and a proven power commodity that is not to be taken lightly.

Jose Reyes- SS: It seems unlikely that the Squirrels would take a SS after having extended Rollins, but that being said, Rollins will be gone after 2012, and Reyes has big things in store for Miami...plus, anyone fits into the Util spot. :)

While one of the OFers looks like a likely choice for the Squirrels, a 3B or 1B would make a lot of sense as well, especially given the number of outstanding OFers in this particular draft. It will be interesting to see how the first five picks go, and the choice GM Adam Anson will have to make come pick 1.6.

Winter Meetings Preview

In the movies, when the star "goes all in" at the poker table, the card he needs falls and defying all odds, he wins the money and in direct correlation, the glory. Unfortunately in real life, (yes, fantasy baseball is real life,) when you need that ace of spades to fall, you usually wretch in horror as the three of clubs is turned and you leave the table with nothing but dejection. However, it is in that moment of dejection and loss, that character and attitude serve a strong man the best, and it was in that moment, or briefly thereafter, that Springfield Flying Squirrels of Republic GM Adam Anson finally let the 2011 season go and began looking toward 2012. "Yeah, I lost it a little at the extension presser, but I expect a lot of myself and my team, and we failed to meet expectations last year...but we're ready to move forward now." Hopefully this season the Squirrels can exude some of the passion their GM has in the offseason.

As the Squirrels move into the 2012 draft, the cupboard is very nearly bare. Along with returning extensions Jimmy Rollins and Dan Uggla, are Mat Latos and throwaway Nate McLouth...thats it. There are of course disadvantages and advantages to this situation. On the plus side, this is a historically deep draft and therefore a lot of good contracts to be given. Another positive is that Anson will finally, in his third season as GM, be able to field a team that is entirely his own. On the down side of course is that the team has almost no foundation and to contend in 2012, every pick will have to be a winner. "It's going to be a real challenge to compete this year, our division is very strong and we have very few returning players, but we expect to be competitive and challenge for a title every year," said Anson.

It appears at this point that the Flying Squirrels will likely utilize the draft to rebuild the team from the ground up, but as Anson has shown in his two years as GM, he is never afraid to pull the trigger on a deal if he feels it will help the team compete. When asked if any trades were in the works, Anson had the following to say, "We've had a few small discussions here and there, but nothing of substance has come up so far. We value our 6th slot in each round, because in this deep draft, there will be strong value there round after round...that said, if anyone wants to move a solid contract, we'll always look into it...especially if Nate McLouth was to find his way to that other team."

Here's to a new season!