The 2014 MLB Winter Meetings are being hosted in San Diego, so I made a trip to see how they were on this past Saturday.
11:10 Left home for San Diego.
12:40 pm Arrived in San Diego’s Gas Lamp area where the meetings will be held.
12:45 pm Found parking at a local lot for an unreasonable cost of $10 to put my car in an empty lot that isn’t covered by a structure.
12:50 pm Made way to the Marriot Marquis and cruised the conference area, overlook of the pool bar and lobby for anyone of interest. Saw nothing beyond a pool fight between a family on vacation or some very comfortable strangers.
1:00 pm Left Marriot Marquis and walked a half mile along the bay front which will host the largest number of meetings.
1:05 pm Investigated the meeting and conference rooms on various floors of the hotel to find a possible points of interest.
1:23 pm Found possible meeting of MLB executives at 5:00 pm.
1:25 pm Setup camp inside lobby to await any possible arrivals of baseball figures.
1:28 pm - 3:26 pm See various minor and major league office members including Padres partial owner Alfredo Helu arrive and begin to interact with one another.
1:28 pm - 3:26 pm Be bored and make progress on work utilizing my laptop while keeping watch for MLB personalities to arrive.
3:27 pm Other graphers arrive and also set up camp inside the lobby
3:33 pm Other graphers leave for site unknown.
3:33 pm Lose interest in wondering where other graphers have disappeared to and go back various work projects and people watching while realizing a complete strikeout for my own day is highly likely.
3:51 pm Watch a wave of obviously baseball related people arrive at the hotel and exchange greetings with one another while wearing team gear. Subtly is obviously not a trait concerned about when the entire hotel is about to become dominated by baseball lifers and future hopefuls.
3:56 pm Alternating current of expensive sports cars and SUV’s starts to gain airport super shuttles and more minor league or low level MLB employees arrive.
4:00 Hotel employee in a suit who had previously been helping with baggage starts to take a more authoritative role directing hotel patrons. Assumption: hotel management will start to take a more active role with the heavier arrival of MLB and MiLB employees and executives.
4:04 With the only meeting I’m aware of approaching my head is on a constant swivel despite the suit obviously paying me more attention. I also see a man walk by with a ridiculous mustache.
4:06 Warning of official looking suit sent to my fellow graphers on their way to the meetings. Incorrect directions sort of sent since apparently my mastery of left and right abandoned me temporarily.
4:09 Lobby fills up more and becomes hard to track with the let out of a Minor League meeting. Participants seem to range from brand new first job out of college to those who are supplementing their retirement funds. Gift bags must cover significant age range appeal. Everyone likes lanyards.
4:12 pm Baseball player looking person arrives at hotel. Bag has Rawlings on it. I have no idea who he is.
4:14 pm Rollie Fingers look alike arrives and serious internal debate is being had over if it’s him. Hair and mustache correct but doubtful didn’t have a good look at front profile for a few minutes. Determine it isn't him.
4:16 pm Fellow graphers arrive and give my surveil of the hotel report. Take quick tour of the hotel and see meeting previously posted is now removed from the posted schedule of hotel events.
4:26 pm Reestablish set up in different spot in lobby to wait for 5:00 meeting. Random minor league players arrive, no one of note.
4:37 pm Other graphers return to hotel lobby.
4:45 pm Made way up to the potential meeting, MLB related officials go into conference room, but no one of note arrives.
5:15 pm Go back to hotel lobby.
5:31 pm Call it a day and head back home.
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