:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/24907681/73496721.0.jpg)
Monday was the Twins' part-time employee holiday party, which meant that I was at Target Field. The party is one of the highlights of the offseason as it's a chance to see my friends and co-workers, we get treated like pretty darn well, and there are always prizes at the end of the night. For example, here's what I got to enjoy:
- The dessert cart (this was only one of three)
- Glen Perkins' presence.
Going to the @Twins part-time employee holiday party tonight I think because I didn't pitch enough last year.
— Glen Perkins (@glen_perkins) December 10, 2013
- Ugly sweaters and photobombs.
Oh, and in case you were curious, Perkins says he now checks his fly compulsively to avoid a repeat of this.
On to the news from around the league.
- Robinson Cano has most likely signed the largest contract we'll see this offseason at 10 years and $240 million with the Seattle Mariners, but he was willing to re-sign with the Yankees for a $5 million discount. However, the Yanks actually showed some restraint in refusing to meet his demands, and now they walk away from free agency with Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury for the same price as Cano.
- MLB is going to limit spending in international free agency even more now. They recently said that teams could only spend a couple million dollars per year, but teams were allowed to meet their cap and then make six more $50,000 signings that would be exempt from their cap. However, MLB is eliminating these exemptions, meaning that it's becoming even less lucrative to be an international free agent. I wouldn't be surprised if a worldwide draft is enacted within the next decade at this pace.
- Twin Cities reporter Mike Berardino caught up with Mark Prior, who is planning on retiring. Still wish the Twins had drafted him over Joe Mauer?
- Finally, the Seattle Mariners apparently have one hell of a (redacted)-show going on right now, where current GM Jack Zduriencik apparently lied about his knowledge of advanced statistics in order to get his job. Former manager Eric Wedge and special assistant Tony Blengino talked about how dysfunctional the Mariners front office has been ever since Zduriencik was hired. Just as an idea of how bad it's been, the Twins have had 2 managers since 1986. The Mariners have had seven... since 2007. The linked article is long, but extremely entertaining and is definitely a must-read out of any link in this post.