With today being the 23rd day of December, it's Festivus time!  So, as we gather around the Festivus Pole and before you perform "The Feats of Strength" or listing your Festivus Miracles, let us partake in the "The Airing of Grievances".  I'll start:

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What to expect the next time Hideki Matsui faces John Lackey....

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More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

"Madonna called. She wants the rubber sheets and handcuffs back that she gave you last Christmas"

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I work at a grocery distribution center for a multi-billion dollar retailer.  In what started as a "couple month gig until something better showed up", has turned into a 2-year adventure in daily cheers, head-scratching memos, and irrational expectations.  Although I feel lucky to be employed, I still long for the days of a more fulfilling career path.

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Bud Selig making a point.

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It was recently reported that baseball commissioner Bud Selig will resign after his contract expires at the end of 2012.  I formally announce my application for his job.  Selig made around $18,000,000 in salary as commissioner, I will do the job for the cut-rate salary of just $1,000,000 (see, I'm already saving baseball some cash!). 

The primary focus of my commissionership would be to increase the popularity of baseball in general.  Over the last few years, football and basketball have either moved ahead or significantly challenged baseball as the favorite sport of American sports fans.  Besides hiring "bat-shit crazy" Stirrups to be the Vice President of Marketing, I'd propose the following:

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More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

"Grandpa, tell us another story about the good old days"

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I'll be sitting here in front of my computer all day updating this thread with any relevant news from the winter meetings.  We had over a foot of snow over-night here in western Wisconsin, so I ain't goin' anywhere.  Please feel free to continue to create Fanshots of any specific deals or rumors, but this thread will be a "clearinghouse" for Twitter feeds, MLB Trade Rumor posts, ESPN Rumor Central notes, and various other winter meeting stuff.

(All times are pacific)

8:45pm
ESPN's Jason Stark has this posted as part of a Roy Halladay trade article:

The Toronto Sun reported Wednesday that the Angels offered Saunders, Aybar and outfield prospect Peter Bourjos for Halladay during these meetings. All three were believed to be on the Blue Jays' wish list last July, by the way. So the makings for a deal are there. But the Angels also have said that if Halladay won't sign an extension, they're probably not making this trade. So even if all the other pieces fit together, the extension piece might not.

8:38pm
AOL's Ed Price tweeted, "#BlueJays prefer minor-league prospects for Roy Halladay, rather than big-league players".  Not really sure where he gets that information, but if that's the case, the Angels might not be able to pull off a deal for Halladay.

7:52pm
"Ton of teams on Kelvim Escobar. Shoulder in good shape, may pitch game or two in winter ball", says Ken Rosenthal (via Twitter)

7:16pm
MLB.com's Jordon Bastian tweets, "Since Halladay is eligible for FA next winter, a Major League source said he might waive his no-trade to OK a deal to the Angels for 2010."  Sounds like Halladay is looking forward to free agency (or it's a ploy to negotiate for a larger extension from the Angels).

6:54pm
"Rangers, as has been reported, are indeed looking at Lowell as right-handed DH, backup 1B.....But Boston would have to eat a ton of dough.", tweets Gordon Edes.

5:08pm
According to the Toronto Sun, the Angels have made an offer for Roy Halladay:

The Angels took the lead amongst interested teams in the hunt for Halladay by offering:

- Lefty Joe Saunders, 28, who was 16-7 with a 4.60 earned run average in 31 starts. Saunders, available for trade since the Angels acquired lefty Scott Kazmir, walked 64 and struck out 101 in 186 innings. Saunders earned $475,000 this season and is eligible for salary arbitration.

- Shortstop Erick Aybar, 26 next month. He hit .312 with five homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games with the Angels. He stole 14 bases with a .353 on-base percentage. Aybar earned $473,000 and is eligible for salary arbitration.

- Speedy centre fielder Peter Bourjos, 23 in March, had six homers and 51 RBIs in 110 games at Double-A Arkansas. Bourjos, the son of former Jays scout Chris Bourjos, who helped sign Halladay, hit 16 doubles, 14 triples and was 32-for-44 stealing bases.

Both Saunders and Aybar would be under the Jays’ control for three years before they hit free agency.

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More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

"Curtis Granderson is available?" asks Los Angeles Angels general manager Tony Reagins.

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Halos have options if Lackey leaves - angelsbaseball.com
They'll no doubt explore various options, in free agency and the trade market, but they're not exactly desperate with candidates such as Matt Palmer, Dustin Moseley, Sean O'Sullivan and Trevor Bell in house to fill the need.

Palmer, Moseley, SOS, and Bell?  Not too excited about those replacement names.

Angels' owner not quite ready to see Lackey go -  FOX Sports on MSN
Club officials had all but decided to part with Lackey during the team's organizational meetings at the end of the regular season, according to multiple major-league sources. But Moreno, after watching Lackey pitch well in his three postseason starts against the Red Sox and Yankees, decided that the Angels should renew their efforts to sign him, the sources said.

Hey!  Who's running this team?  Oh yeah, nevermind.

Winter meetings: AL West primer -  Yahoo! Sports
Despite their desire to keep payroll at about $113 million, the Angels likely will acquire one marquee player because they know standing pat would result only in another playoff loss to the Red Sox or Yankees.

One marquee player?  But who?  Jamie Carroll?

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