The MLB Winter Meetings are much anticipated every year, and this year figures to be no different. Whether or not the next 4 days meet that anticipation, we will need to wait and find out.
At some point tomorrow, we will learn if there Contemporary Baseball Era Committee has put anyone else through to Cooperstown for a July 2026 induction. This year there are 8 former All Star players under consideration (in alphabetical order).
- Barry Bonds – 66% votes in last BBWAA
- Roger Clemens – 65.2% votes in last BBWAA
- Carlos Delgado – 3.8% votes in last BBWA
- Jeff Kent – 46.5% votes in last BBWAA
- Don Mattingly – 28.2% votes in last BBWAA
- Dale Murphy – 23.2% votes in last BBWAA
- Gary Sheffield – 63.9% votes in last BBWAA
- Fernando Valenzuela – 3.8% votes in last BBWAA
To be considered for the Contemporary Baseball Era Hall of Fame ballot, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1980 to the present.
- Retired from professional baseball for at least 15 seasons.
- Achieved significant individual accomplishments and contributions to the game.
- Demonstrated good character, sportsmanship, and integrity.
- Nominated by the Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee.
- Considered for their impact on the game during their playing career.
The 16 member Committee deciding these 8 players HOF fate for this round:
Players – Ferguson Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Perez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Tremmel, Robin Yount.
Owners – Mark Attanasio (Brewers) and Arte Moreno (LAA)
Former MLB GM – Kim Ng, Doug Melvin, Tony Reagins, Terry Ryan
Media Members – Tyler Kepner (The Athletic) and Jayson Stark (The Athletic)
Historian – Steve Hirdt
Other Awards to be announced at the Winter Meetings:
Ford C. Frick Award
“The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award honors excellence in baseball broadcasting. This year’s finalists are Brian Anderson, Joe Buck, Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Duane Kuiper, John Rooney, Dan Shulman and John Sterling.
The winner will be announced on December 10 and formally honored during next summer’s Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown.”
BBWAA Career Excellence Award
“Every year, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America celebrates a writer for “for meritorious contributions” to the field.
The BBWAA votes on the award and announces the winner during the Winter Meetings, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame honors the winner as part of the following summer’s Hall of Fame Weekend.”
Scout of the Year
“For the past four decades, the Scout of the Year program has honored the game’s preeminent talent evaluators and administrators.
The Scout of the Year awards include multiple prizes for domestic scouts, as well as the International Scout of the Year Award and the Roberta Mazur Distinguished Woman in Baseball Award.
The Director’s Award, akin to a lifetime achievement prize, is not given out every year. The most recent winners have been Pat Gillick (2024) and Joe McDonald (2015).
2026 MLB Draft Lottery
On Tuesday December 9, MLB will be conducting their draft lottery. The 18 teams that did not reach the playoffs are eligible for the lottery to determine the top 6 picks. The odds of the 18 teams getting that #1 pick :
The 2026 @MLBDraft 1st overall pick percentage chances for each potential lottery team
This is the beauty of a down year for a teams like Baltimore & Arizona. Coupling this with a Comp A pick could be big for extended their current window pic.twitter.com/hC4ZBLHT06
— Baseball Unstitched Podcast (@BaseUnstitched) December 2, 2025
When the league introduced the draft lottery, it included a key rule that teams cannot have a top-six pick for three straight years. This year those teams are Colorado, Washington, and LAA. The Rockies go from 1st to 7th.
Baseball America came out with their top 50 Rule 5 Draft targets, and the Dodgers had 5.
- José Rodríguez, RHP
- Noah Miller, SS
- Chris Campos, RHP
- Peter Heubeck, RHP
- Reynaldo Yean, RHP
It is possible, and maybe probable, that Rodríguez and Miller will be selected and stick on a MLB team. I do not think that Campos or Heubeck will be picked. But Yean could be because of his 104 MPH fastball. He just does not have the control to stick at the MLB level. It is possible that a team will select him and then hide him for a year. That does not happen that much anymore, but it is possible. The Pirates did it with LHRP Jose Hernandez from the Dodgers in 2022. Rodriguez was traded back to LAD in 2024 for cash, and was released last June.
Now for the fun stuff. I do not see the Dodgers active at all during this Winter Meeting. But I have been wrong before (many times). 2 years ago I did not believe the Dodgers would sign Shohei Ohtani, and they proved me wrong. I did think the Dodgers would sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but not nearly at the contract he signed for. They did not sign during the Winter Meetings, but their was plenty of discussions that stoked the rumor mill. Last year, Blake Snell signed before the Winter Meetings.
There is no smoke this year. The Dodgers could enter the Kyle Tucker bidding, but not at 10 years and $400MM. They do not seem to have any real interest in Bo Bichette. Plus, Bichette wants to remain in Toronto. He is not represented by Scott Boras, so maybe he accepts a hometown discount. Perhaps AF/BG surprises everyone and signs one of them.
I do not see a reunion with Cody Bellinger. I think Boras floats that idea because he wants the Dodgers bidding. I still believe he ends up back with NYY, with NYM and Philadelphia as other possibilities.
The Dodgers are not going to give Edwin Diaz a 5-year deal.
There does seem to be a potential match for Robert Suarez. The Dodgers do not want to sign a reliever to a long term contract, and Suarez wants a short term high AAV deal, which the Dodgers can accommodate.
They will be involved in all trade talks for an OF, but there will be too much competition with other teams, and at least one team is going to drive the cost up out of AF/BG comfort zone. I think that scenario includes LF/2B/3B Brendan Donovan. How high would AF/BG go to procure Donovan? Duran? Abreu? Skubal?
Can the Dodgers find the next Kyle Stowers? While not an OF, could that be Royce Lewis?
Going into the Winter Meetings, Minnesota says they are not going to trade any of Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan, or Pablo López. Posturing? Possibly, bordering on probably?
MacKenzie Gore could be top pitcher traded at the Winter Meetings.
While I do not expect the Dodgers to do too much, it is not what I hope for. I hope they sign Bichette, Suarez, and trade for a difference making OF. Or signing Tucker, Suarez, and trading for Brendan Donovan. It took 25 years for MLB to get back to back WS Champions. How often do you get a chance to 3-peat? AF/BG are far more conservative than we fans. I do not believe the pending labor strife and probable lockout will be a factor. The Dodgers are going to do what they want without thinking about the upcoming CBA. Will that mean “going for it”?
The next four days will be eventful, but how much for the Dodgers?
Reasonable, well-researched (as always) and very thorough. I think they’ll do something at the winter meetings, even if it’s small in nature and they’ll continue the trade discussion(s) that might be finalized in the upcoming weeks.
Keeping my eye on Kwan as a real possibility. If you’re partial to holding onto prospects and young 40 man roster players like Sheehan, Wrobleski, Kim etc. you might be disappointed because the trade market is where they will acquire needed talent. They will not play in the FA pool other than relief pitchers under their terms. They reached a bit last year on Scott and Yates (even though that was a one-year deal).
Go Dodgers….ruin MLB with a 3-peat WS championship.
Someone asked if I knew of RHP Marlon Nieves. Yes I do. I followed him in both the Arizona Complex League and Rancho. He should start the year in Ontario in the California League, as a 21 year old.
He is a 2-pitch pitcher, although he does throw a 4-saeamer and 2-seamer. While he is being developed as a starter, he probably ends up in relief. He is another in a long line of pitching prospects with a wild streak.
Fangraphs usually sprinkles the top prospects with this type of lottery pick pitcher.
I am more bullish on their #7 LAD prospect, RHSP Christian Zazueta. Not a bad return for Caleb Ferguson.
thx, Jeff
Thank you very much. That’s exactly what I was looking for.
You’re awesome, Jeff. Thanks for all you do and for all you give us.
Having said that, go Ohio State tonight!!
The most meaningless #1/#2 game ever!!!
Fresno St now in the Pac 10
Yes, I’m sure we’ll be considered the USC of this new Pac 10
I think Campos gets claimed. His command makes him a potential reliever if nothing else.
You could very well be right. For selfish reasons I hope he goes undrafted and stays in the LAD organization.
Is Campos the guy who went to St Mary’s, same as Gonsolin and was also a 2-way player who then converted to just pitching……………same as Gonsolin?
Speaking of Catman, I wonder if there is any chance the Dodgers offer him a contract when he’s able to pitch again? I guess he’d be much better off signing with a team who would actually be able to give him a spot in the rotation.
Yes, Campos was a SS and sometimes pitcher for St. Mary’s.
Those Rule 5 possibilities are a reminder that the Dodgers’ depth of trade capital is greater than commonly perceived.
We tend to focus on the “top prospects” and not the next tier, even though the inclusion of guys like Noah Miller or Huebeck might turn a “no” into a “yes.”
In addition to the players mentioned in this article, the Dodgers have several second-tier outfielders who could sweeten a package, like Ryan Ward, Kendall George, Tibbs and Davalan.
Let’s say the A’s are balking at an offer for Soderstrom. Toss in Huebeck, Knack or Bobby Miller and there might be a deal. If they want two, maybe the A’s will offer a catching prospect in return….
Reports suggest that the Dodgers tried to woo both Iglesias and Williams, but were beaten out.
Maybe Suarez will demand Tanner Scott money…
Who would you rather have closing out a game for the Dodgers next season?
–The guy who just led the majors in blown saves with ten while spinning an ERA of 4.74 with WHIP of 1.26 and a BAA of .258?
(Yes, that’s Tanner Scott.)
–Or the guy who just compiled a 2.59 ERA over 59 innings while converting 29 out of 30 save opportunities for a last-place team? He had a WHIP of 0.95 and a BBA of .175.
That’s our old friend Kenley.
Scott just needs to be a bullpen arm next year
Scott had a bad year and will not return to his former elite level.
Janssn had a surprisingly good year and will stay elite.
I doubt both hold.
KJ come on down. 24 more saves for #500 in a Dodger uniform would be sweet, but he may not get that many chances sharing the closer role with Scott. With Casparius, Wrobleski, Hurt, Graterol, Henriquez, Klein etc. all a year older and/or fully healthy perhaps AF stands pat and focuses on OF only.
I want to see Kwan in the OF next year and I want to see Rushing still in a Dodger uniform. Kid can hit and will adjust to ML pitching.
I checked Jansen’s IRS stat expecting to see it inflated but it wasn’t. (I think I could get a jump on him but I haven’t stolen a base in 25 years so I’d probably be given a delay of game penalty on my way to second) Jansen said he plans on pitching 4 more years so yeah, bring him and his 2.4 WAR back on board for a couple of years.
I don’t think we need Donovan. We have him already in Kim. I would use him, but, if the Dodgers aren’t then trade him for Donovan. I’m betting the Cards would be interested.
The text still reads the same to me. The Dodgers don’t need much in ‘26, just a plan that gives the aging superstars days off during the dog days. Stack experience behind the obvious starters and light the fuse.
Donovan would not be coming to LAD to play 2B, which is Kim’s best position. Donovan is not near GG caliber defensive OF or any other position. But offensively, that is where the difference was.
Donovan hit .287/.353/.422/.775, 13.0% K rate, 8.2%BB rate, 40.9% hard hit rate. These have been his norm since his rookie year, 2022.
Kim hit, .280/.314/.385/.699, 30.6% K rate, 4.1% BB rate, 28.2% hard hit rate.
You may not want Donovan, and that is supportable with a healthy Edman. Edman can play more positions with better defense and more HR pop, which the Dodgers like. Edman’s K rate was 16.2 (right at his career rate), with a 5.0% BB rate. Edman’s BABIP average was .257 or .054 below league average of .291, so he could be hitting into some bad luck. Donovan’s BABIP was .315.
You would have a better argument for not wanting Donovan because of Edman rather than Kim.
We have no idea if Kim can play 3B or LF. He does not defend CF at the same level as Edman. He is a better defensive 2B than Edman, but does he make those plays in the WS that Tommy did? Edman is a proven MLB GG 2B.
Miggy Ro can play a plus defensive 3B (or SS and 2B), so sure, Donovan would be a luxury rather than a need. Donovan would be better in LF than Call/Ward, so that makes him a legit target. But I am hopeful that AF/BG can swing it so they can bring Jarren Duran home to play LF or CF with Pages to RF and Teoscar to LF.
Donovan is, as they say, “a finished product.” He’s a fine veteran player, but he has fairly wide splits and might be best used in a platoon.
Kim should still be growing on offense and defense–in terms of versatility. He just finished his rookie season in an unfamiliar culture. He needs more opportunity to work out his strikeout problem and get back to the quality of ABs he had in Korea. (Roberts basically platooned him even though, in a small sample, he showed reverse splits.)
If Kim succeeds, Edman and Rojas would be freed to perform more UT duties.
I hope you are right about Kim. He would be fun. Donovan would be more clutch though.
My goal is to see a young outfield in 2026 playing great defense.
I think maybe the point being made was missed.
Let me put it another way: Donovan, a veteran, put up 2.7 WAR in 515 plate appearances. Kim, a rookie, put up 1.7 WAR in 170 plate appearances. Now I wasn’t a math major, but, I don’t think you a degree to figure this one out. And as for not knowing if Kim can play 3b or left field. Seriously? If Kim can play short and center, he sure as hell can play 3b and LF.
This kid could be the second most dynamic player on this team if given the chance. Why did they sign him if not to use him?
Depends on the WAR you use. I use fWAR more than bWAR. Donovan had a 2.9 fWAR and Kim had a 0.8 fWAR. I guess it puts the Math question in a different light? 😎
You did not mention the huge difference in K rate, BB rate, or hard hit rate.
You and I just disagree on him being used as a regular. IMO he was signed and paid as a utility infielder. Nothing wrong with that. Not every infielder can play 3B. Maybe he can, he just didn’t. Lux was horrible at 3B. I am okay with Edman at 2B. Still too many unknowns to draw any conclusions.
So fangraphs expects him to get worse with more experience. And you agree with that?
I think we do disagree on this.
And yeah, I was using bWAR. I wonder why the huge discrepancy.
And what I meant to suggest is using Kim as a utility player. He can play anywhere and do it with more speed than anyone on the team.
I think if the Dodgers don’t plan to use him he should be moved somewhere that could use a player with his skill set.
I don’t think I said that I agree with Fangraphs on the projected 2026 numbers for Kim. I am not big on future projections. They are computer algorithms, and do not take into account what happens in the offseason. What injuries heal. I doubt that Steamer or FGDC called the Dodgers to find out offseason workout plan or check his medicals.
I like fWAR over bWAR because that is the WAR that uses the $8MM per WAR caluclation for value. bWAR does not have any comparable calculation..
Actually Fangraphs projects Kim with a 1.0 fWAR for 2026, compared to a 0.8 fWAR in 2025.
I would value speed more if the Dodgers did. They don’t run.
I don’t think I said that I agree with Fangraphs on the projected 2026 numbers for Kim. I am not big on future projections. They are computer algorithms, and do not take into account what happens in the offseason. What injuries heal. I doubt that Steamer or FGDC called the Dodgers to find out offseason workout plan or check his medicals.
I like fWAR over bWAR because that is the WAR that uses the $8MM per WAR caluclation for value. bWAR does not have any comparable calculation..
Actually Fangraphs projects Kim with a 1.0 fWAR for 2026, compared to a 0.8 fWAR in 2025.
I think the thing I”ll look most forward to in spring training games is how Hope, DePaula, Sirota, Quintero, etc look? Can one of them step up see the big leagues in 2026? I sure hope so
We have no idea how De Paula and Hope will look at AA. I am hopeful that Sirota will start in AA, but after his leg injury last year, he could start back at Great Lakes. Quintero has zero chance at making MLB this year.
James Tibbs III has a better chance at reaching MLB this year.
I’d be very surprised to see any of those 4 spend any time with the big club during the season until 2027 at the very earliest.
That’s why I’d like to see us get Donovan or Kwan in the meanwhile. Or if we get someone like Duran with more control, we could use our excess young outfielders to trade for help somewhere else.
Speaking of trades, Mike Petriello had a post yesterday in which he showed how very few decent right handed hitting corner outfielders are available right now. If AF decides to move Teo, he might have a few takers.
I think Murphy and Mattingly have the best chance to make it. Fernando just does not have the numbers.
Harold Baines is the poster child for a player undeserving of a HOF plaque in Cooperstown. So if he got in, I guess Mattingly and Murphy should get consideration. For me, they are excellent players with a very good career, but not HOF worthy. You should include Carlos Delgado with that duo.
• Murphy, 46.5 bWAR, 121 OPS+, career OPS .830
• Mattingly, 42.4 bWAR, 127 OPS+, career OPS .815
• Delgado, 44.4 bWAR, 138 OPS+, career OPS .929
Delgado had about 250 HRs more than Mattingly and about 80 more than Murphy. Actually Delgado’s numbers compare favorably to fellow 1B Tony Perez.
A better case can be made with Gary Sheffield (60.3 bWAR) and Jeff Kent (55.4 bWAR).
I’d put Kent in but that’s it from that group,
The argument going around is if bad behavior can keep someone out then Fernandomania should help get someone in.
If I”m correct (which is rare), Fernando only had like 3% of the vote last time? I can’t see how he gets up to 70% now, unfortunately.
You are correct. I think his best chance of making it as a contributor to the game or as announcer. His player numbers are too weak.
Fernando was a HOFer for about six years which is not quite enough longevity in his dominate years, I love Fernando what he did for baseball can’t be discounted, but as a baseball player he just doesn’t get there.
Putting Harold Baines in the hall of fame was a mistake now every Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Carlos DelGado can make a case by comparing themselves to Baines.
I like the MLB Baseball HOF to be held at a high level, heck everyone is in the NFL HOF, it doesn’t really carry that much status. If you are a MLB HOFer you are treated with the utmost respect.
Koufax basically had a six-year career also. But the heights he reached far exceeded those reached by Valenzuela. All four of Koufax’s 4 wins in the World Series came in 63 and 65, years he dominated pitching stats. Valenzuela never came close to matching his success in 81. Oh he threw a no-hitter, but he never came close to another Cy Young. .
I can think of another who statistically does not belong, Bill Mazeroski. If Maz is in, Maury Wills should be.
I second that emotion.
Both Maury and Fernando were GREAT for a few seasons. Even kind of magical.
The HOF rewards longevity. If you’re very good for 12-15 years, you might make it. You don’t need to be great.
But revotutionizing the running game and creating Fernandomania just isn’t good enough.
I know who Maz is but he was before my time so I’ll defer to you Bear, but I don’t think there are very many guys in the HOF that don’t belong, at least you don’t hear very often about someone saying this guy or that guy doesn’t belong in the Hall. Hopefully the veterans committee doesn’t keep watering the Hall down, if I remember right, the veterans committee were the ones that put Baines in
They put Maz in too.
Bill Mazeroski played from 1956-72. He was a career .260 hitter. Played 2nd base exclusively. No power at all 36.5 WAR. He went in simply on his defense. Won 8 gold gloves. His OBP for his career was a pitiful .299. He stole 27 bases in his entire career. OPS+ was 84. His biggest claim to fame is hitting the walk off homer that beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series. Other than that, he was as unspectacular as they come. He got MVP votes twice finished 23rd and 8th. He was voted in by the Veterans committee in 2001. Never led the league in anything except IBB once and games played twice.
So then how was his career different than Ozzie Smith? Isn’t Ozzie a hall of famer who had below avg offensive stats but was a 8 time or more gold glover?
Smith became a much better hitter once he joined the Cardinals. His lifetime BA was just barely over Mazeroski’s. But he was a much better stolen base threat, he had 400 more hits than Maz, his WAR is 40 points higher than Maz. Plus he won 13 gold gloves in a row and is considered the best defensive SS in MLB history. He is the Wizard of Oz.
Jeff Kent headed to the HOF
I have no problem with that. I assume he will go in as a Giant.
More deserving than Mazeroski. He will lead all HOF 2B in HR and will be #3 in RBI. The two ahead of him played well before I was born: Nap Lajoie and Rogers Hornsby. His defense was not equal to Ryne Sandberg, but his overall offense was better.
Good news for Ketel Marte!
I thought Kent had the best shot, it was always hard for me to believe that the second baseman with the most HRs at that position was not in the HOF.
i just went back to look at Kent’s stats, I had forgot that he retired from baseball as a Dodger, and he played 4 years in LA, also that he only played 6 years in SF, it seemed like he was there longer than that.
I got faked out by a fake “Dodgers Sign Diaz” article.
I’ll bet you were pretty exited before you figured out it was fake
Winter Meetings have begun kids. MLB network is live from the hotel lobby, and have diff gm’s sitting down for interviews.
It’s fun to hear baseball, even if it is about some of the more irrelevant teams .
Jeff
thanks for this site and all you and bear do its a pleasure to read your perspectives. God bless you. Ps Wills should be in Maz is a joke.