It *was* just like Ken said it was at the Winter Meetings, though I look much less like Burl Ives than he lets on. While nothing much happened AT the Meetings, it appears the groundwork was set for a bunch of deals.

The Tim Hudson to the Braves deal certainly helps the Braves now and ... well, prospect mavens seem to like their return. Hudson working with Mazzone should be interesting, tho a long-term deal with Hudson doesn't appear on the Braves radar right now. They're too busy signing John Smoltz to another extension. Loyalty is nice, but tell me which guy you'd want in 2006.

More deals after the jump ...
The Randy Johnson deal appears to be vapor. Jayson Stark is reporting this is an old deal about which Jon Heyman didn't get the "contingent on resigning Adrian Beltre" memo. The Yankees, D-Backs, and Dodgers certainly were working on a deal, giving the rest of us some idea of parameters. Some think the Cubs could get involved, placing Sammy Sosa, Kyle Farnsworth, and Angel Guzman in the Shawn Green, Yhency Brazoban, and Brad Penny slots. (Guzman's no Penny, but he is healthy ...) We'll see where this goes, but the D-Backs are clearly motivated to move Johnson soon.

Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson to the Mariners? Well, I'll let Peter White cover that one. Doing Vancouver radio yesterday - they're big M's fans - at least showed that there's some excitement around these moves. The M's are still in on Carlos Delgado, though the Mets and Orioles are more likely to ink the slugger.

Eric Milton was expected to be a Yankee, even taking a physical in Tampa. The Yanks went with Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano instead, leaving Milton perhaps a Red Sock. Oddly, the market may make Milton richer; he was going to sign a 3x6 with the Yankees. The Pedro Martinez free Sox are offering 3x8. The Indians once again got priced out.

The Tigers should get the checkbook out early next week, inking Derek Lowe and J.D. Drew. These are two risky signings, yet the Tigers seem happy with what they've ended up with. They'll get 80% of the elite player at about 50% of the cost. That's smart, assuming they're right that Lowe figured something out and Drew can stay healthy.

There's plenty more working in the market, so I'll have plenty more things to write about before being forced to make Hillary Duff references ... though she did some work for the YES Network last season, so that would be baseball, right?