If you thought that the previous post would be the extent of my Winter Meetings coverage, then I commend you for thinking about my writing.

But the fact of the matter is this: While solidly on the former end of the Empty/Full continuum, my Winter Meetings content tank is not yet barren. This post, therefore, marks my best effort to attain depletion (a spiritual imperative, in some cultures).

It was mentioned in my MiLB.com article, but one of Tuesday’s most intriguing events was the annual “Women in Baseball” speed networking event. Open only to female employees of affiliated MiLB teams (as well as the odd blogger), the event was emceed by Ripken Baseball executive director Amy Venuto and featured three topics over which to “speed network”: putting your ideas into action, how to manage emotions, and transitioning from co-worker to supervisor.

And, let it be known, this is that rare seminar in which alcoholic beverages are served.

Anyhow, I think I’d like to do a longer story on women working in baseball. Not some sort of “Minor Leagues, Major Groundbreakers” puff piece; I’d just talk to people around the sport in order to get some perspective on what it’s like. Let me know if you’ve got something to say.

[Minor Leagues, Major Complaint: can there please be a moratorium on the “Minor This, Major That” story headline? It’s been done to death.]

The “Women in Baseball Seminar” also included a brief speech by Minor League Baseball president Pat O’Conner, part of a whirlwind Winter Meetings for the always-on-the-go industry leader. Perhaps the most significant thing on O’Conner’s agenda occurred on Wednesday afternoon, when he was unanimously re-elected (by league presidents) to a second four-year term.

I missed the election (held in a ballroom of the Hilton Anatole hotel),  but was told that it was short and sweet. Here are a couple of photos taken by jack-of-all-trades MiLB.com colleague Danny Wild:

I also wrote about the annual anxiety attack that is the PBEO Job Fair, in which hundreds of ambitious young job-seekers seek to break into the wonderful world of Minor League Baseball. Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs!

But anxiety inducing or not, and whether or not one obtains a position, the Job Fair represents a great networking opportunity. The Winter Meetings are absolutely unparalleled when it comes to the number of baseball people in one place at one time (save for Baseball Heaven, of course).

And, finally, there was Dipquest 2011, in which I and two other intrepid travelers went on a pilgrimage to find what was allegedly the best dip in Dallas.

It all started the week before the Meetings, when loyal reader (and world-renowned DJ) Rex Doane wrote in that I should visit “Matt’s Rancho Martinez for the legendary Bob Armstrong dip. It’s a proud, artery-clogging  D-Town tradition.”

When I mentioned Rex’s recommendation on Twitter, Trade Show vendor Chad Walters (founder of Lean Blitz) wrote back that he’d be up for the Dipquest (and he had a car!). Another Twitter recruit was job-seeker Steven Gold (@StevenPGold), who signed on within a half hour of our Tuesday evening departure.

Matt’s Rancho Martinez, from the outside:

Within hung a well-rendered (and somewhat inscrutable, to these Northeastern eyes) mural:

The Dip! (cheese, guacamole, sour cream, ground beef, and seasoning):

A Dip takes a Dip in the Dip!

That was followed by a “Monster” chicken-fried steak, done “Cowboy Style” (smothered with chili, served with side of rice and beans).

Was this Tex-Mex heaven?

Or was it Tex-Mex hell?

If you have said image available, then please get in touch.

benjamin.hill@mlb.com

twitter.com/bensbiz