Every year as spring training approaches, we take a look at some of the statistical milestones that are likely (or in some cases, unlikely) to be broached in the coming season.

After what I admit is just a cursory scan of the active leaderboards on the greatness that is BaseballReference.com, focusing solely on round numbers (that is, numbers like "500" rather than the famous-but-uneven like "755" and "5714"), I found about 40 such numbers. I undoubtedly missed some, so speak up ... take a look at the table after the link and chime in ...

Intrepid correspondent Brent Steinacker takes on the thorny task of ranking general managers. Help him out!

Gosh, it's been another four days since we had a new thread? Again, apologies for our suckitude. And a lot has happened!

• John Smoltz to the Red Sox? Really? That seems wrong.
• Trevor Hoffman is a Brewer? That seems even wronger!
• Jason Giambi is back in Oakland. There's something right about that, anyway.
• Carl Pavano to the Indians? Why?
  
• The Red Sox also signed Rocco Baldelli -- good for him (and them)!
• What else is in the news? (Provide links, please!)
  

Question of the Day: With the latest HOF class being announced on Monday, ESPN.com has hosted recent chats debating the Hall of Fame worthiness of both Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven. I say yes to both, but I'm a "big Hall" guy. What say you?

Okay, as I write this, we are mere minutes away from it being Jan. 5 in Toronto, and your faithful Batter's Box roster has yet to post a new thread this entire (four-day-old!) new year. We suck. Yeah, we get that. So, um, here's one. And a few discussion starters ...

1. The "big news" on the hot stove lately has been Mark DeRosa being traded from the Cubs to the Indians and the Angels "replacing" Francisco Rodriguez with Brian Fuentes. What else are we missing? Provide links!
2. You'll note that the headline above is cleverly and mysteriously void of actual content. Travel back in time, oh, two minutes and tell us ... what headline would you most hope to see here upon coming to Da Box for the first time today? What headline would, alternatively, horrify you the most?
3. Manager Pool '09 ... who will be the first manager fired in 2009? How long will it take?
4. That poll there to the left, the Teixeira poll -- it's getting kinda old and hasn't generated much interest. And we haven't changed it in a week (as noted, we suck). So, suggest a poll topic including a question and at least four options to choose from as answers. Be prepared -- we might actually use your idea! (And we might not. See the Complaints department if you must. Oh, we don't have one? Another thing to complain about!)
5. Yes, the grand old default -- it's open mike time (and not just for those named Michael, like I am) ... what's on your mind? What should be on everyone else's mind?
6. And finally, what is the answer to life, the universe and everything? (Warning: there is a correct answer to this question, as fans of British comedy will assure you.)

That's enough for now. Over to you, Bauxites!

The Jays have signed three more players to add depth at AAA or to battle for backup roles in the major leagues.  These three players will join Matt Clement and Michael Barrett on the "taxi squad".  The three players are catcher Raul Chavez, pitcher Mike Maroth and and infielder Randy Ruiz.

Every ... okay, most ... well, all right, some ... New Year's Eves here on Da Box, we talk resolutions. (Near as I can tell, we've done it twice -- in 2004-05 and last year, 2007-08). But let's make this not-exactly-annual trek into New Year's fortitude and see if we can show some "resolve" ...
 
Now's your chance to share either your own baseball-related resolution, posted in public where you'll have no choice but to own up to it a year from now, or -- if you want to go for the cheap laugh, to post a resolution "on behalf of" someone in MLB.

That said, a few pointers ...

Every year here on Batter's Box, we gather on Christmas Day to recount our blessings of the past year and to share ....

Oh hell, no we don't. We come to brag about what baseball-related gifts we found under the tree left by that irascible never-aging prospect, Kris Kringle (DH, North Pole U.) ... so, Bauxites, what did YOU get (or give) that relates the Winter Holidays to the Summer Pastime? Don't hold back! Best gift story gets, you guessed it, a Yuletide No-Prize!

 

This sharing is usually led by our own Mick Doherty, I am pinch hitting this year.  Oh .. . and before I completely forget ... Merry Christmas and all that sort of thing, to you and yours from us and ours!

 

At the end of the 2008 season, agrand total of 171 players entered the free agent market. As of this writing, just a hair less than 90 percent of those are still available, as just 18 have signed with a new team (Renteria, Rhodes, etc.), re-signed with their old team (Blake, Moyer, etc.), accepted arbitration (Weathers) or retired (Maddux, Mussina).

That means there are still more than 150 free agents out there on the market. So here's a thought experiment ...

The winter meetings start tomorrow in Las Vegas.  Most attendees are already in Vegas or are arriving today.  The meetings end with the rule 5 draft on Thursday.  Often the meetings are anti-climactic as teams discuss trades but don't pull the trigger until weeks later.  the Jays are expected to be quiet.

News updates - the Toronto chapter of the baseball writers handed out their awards yesterday.  At the ceremony Paul Beeston addressed the media with bad news about the 2009 payroll.  The baseball winter meetings start in just over a week.

There has been some recent suggestions that the Blue Jays will not increase payroll for next year.  The newspapers are full of bad economic news every day and Bud Selig recently had Paul Volcker talk to the baseball owners about the economy.  In 2009 the Jays will likely see headwinds from the economy, from the value of the Canadian dollar and from loss of sponsors such as GM.  What does it all mean?

Jordan Bastian reports the Jays have set their 40 man roster.  Ricky Romero, Robert Ray and Luis Perez were added.  Les Walrond and Angel Sanchez have been removed.

This thread now contains news of the announcement of the 2008 American League Most Valuable Player. Dustin Pedroia? A-Rod? Morneau or Mauer? Carlos Quentin? Josh Hamilton? Francisco Rodriguez? Cliff Lee?

Update: Pedroia wins

Who should have won? And why?

The first couple of standard projection methods have come out so lets start seeing what our 2009 Blue Jays might look like.

Baseball America publish their top ten prospects today, followed by a subscriber chat this afternoon.  Thanks are due to mylegacy who has reported the top ten from the actual paper which has already been mailed to subscribers.