Report #1: MLB Winter Meetings Yield Little on FA Market

Monday, 12:45pm (Las Vegas) As vendors set up their wares at the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the Trade Show and PEBO Job Fair, over at the Bellagio where MLB execs and the media are sequestered, it has been slow on the trade and FA signing front. Greg Maddux, here in his hometown, picked the opportune momement to announce his retirement and the Tigers swung a deal for catcher Gerald Laird from the Texas Rangers in exchange for righthanded pitchers Carlos Melo and Guillermo Moscoso. Beyond that, it has been a quiet morning as the baseball world watches to see if the big catches on the free agent market get signed over the next three days.Maybe the biggest news of the day has nothing to do with players. As reported early last night, the Tribune Co. was preparing to file Chapter 11 bankrupcy. "Preparing" has given way to action.The publishing giant made their filing in bankruptcy court in Delaware. A statement from the Cubs, who are owned by Tribune, outlined how t...