I’m calling it winter. The wind is howling through my windows this morning and I needed two blankets last night.

Next month MLB’s Winter Meetings take place. After observing the just-concluded GM meetings, here are Jerry Crasnick of ESPN’s thoughts about what to watch for at the upcoming gathering:

1. How active will the trade market be?
2. How serious are the Cincinnati Reds about making trades?
3. What do the Detroit Tigers need to do to become relevant in the AL Central again?
4. How can new team president Mark Shapiro and interim GM Tony LaCava plug the pitching holes in Toronto?
5. How do the St. Louis Cardinals move on from the loss of Lance Lynn to Tommy John surgery?

Here is a post from ESPN with upcoming important dates in the offseason and a bunch of links from their writers to stories of free agency, offseason storylines and trades already made.