Man, yesterday was weird. Let's look back and see what happened...
*It at first looked like the Dodgers had acquired oft-rumored Astros target Aroldis Chapman. Then the Reds cancelled the press conference, leading many (meaning: me) to believe maybe the Astros were back in the running, seeing as how the reports weren't indicating that the Dodgers had to give up their best prospects. Well, it's something far more serious than that as Yahoo's Tim Brown and Jeff Passan have this report that Aroldis Chapman has allegedly been involved in a serious domestic altercation with his girlfriend in which shots were fired and she was choked.
*The Red Sox backed away from a Chapman trade after learning of the news.
*USA Today's Bob Nightengale still thinks the Astros would pounce on Chapman. Even if he does have an injured hand from the dispute.
*Joel Sherman says the Astros have continued interest in Yankees reliever Andrew Miller.
*The Astros and Scott Kazmir's camp met to discuss a possible reunion yesterday. I hope the conversation started out, "So you kind of sucked there for a while, didjanow?"
*But after all that, Jeff Luhnow still isn't sure they'll actually make a move during the Winter Meetings, which end on Thursday.
*The Kazmir and Gomez deals have made the Astros a little more cautious this winter.
*Pat Neshek, who had a fractured foot as early as Spring Training, underwent surgery and Luis Valbuena had a small bunion removed from his left foot yesterday.
Neshek:
Surgery was considered in spring but the thought was it would heal by not running on it. It got a little worse through the year and I'm glad that this should be the end of my pain.
*Scott Feldman and Brad Peacock will also be ready for Spring Training.
*Alonzo Powell, who spent the last four years with San Diego, is your new assistant hitting coach.
*The Marlins would be open to moving Jose Fernandez, but only if they empty your cupboard of prospects.
*Mike Leake would cost you 5yrs/$75-80m.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
