Winter Meetings Confidential

Last update: December 8, 2008 - 11:47 PM

A tip of the hat to Oscar Goodman

LAS VEGAS - The Winter Meetings Confidential staff must recognize the efforts of Las Vegas Mayor (and former mob lawyer) Oscar Goodman, who went to the 2004 winter meetings in Anaheim with two showgirls and an Elvis impersonator to persuade Major League Baseball to hold the event in his city. Four years later, we are here.

Sorry, we don't get many opportunities to mention showgirls. Here are notes and rumors:

• The Twins plan to have discussions with the agents for Nick Punto and Dennys Reyes. Yes, the Twins want them back. Punto, however, met with the Phillies today and has drawn the interest of the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Mets, too. He really wants to return to the Twins, but the club isn't sure if he will start or back up another shortstop and won't pay him $4 million to come off the bench.

As for Reyes, the word in October was that he was seeking $12 million over three years. I don't know if the Twins are willing to go there after the emergence of Jose Mijares and Craig Breslow last season. Reyes has drawn interest from the Reds, one of his many former teams.

A National League official said Monday that the Twins' acquisition of Breslow was one of the best moves he saw in baseball last year. "He did a heck of a job for them,'' the official said. That was an unsolicited comment.

• Casey Blake reportedly is closing in on a three-year, $17 million deal with the Dodgers. An Indians official was bummed out to learn that the Dodge -- as we like to call the Dodgers in the biz -- added a third year. The Indians had hoped to sneak back into talks to bring Blake back to Cleveland.

• Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson is in town. His reason: "I love Vegas," he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "This is just an excuse to come to Vegas."

• As of Monday night, Seattle hadn't talked to anyone about Adrian Beltre.

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