November 9, 2021

1. The finalists for the major MLB awards are here

All the votes are already cast, and the final announcements will be made next week (via CBS Sports):

Here are the top three MVP finalists for the N.L. and A.L.:

Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr.

Shohei Ohtani, Marcus Semien, Vladdy Guerrero Jr.

For Manager of the Year, we have:

Craig Counsell, Gabe Kapler, Mike Shildt

Dusty Baker, Kevin Cash, Scott Servais

For Rookie of the Year:

And the Cy Young candidates:

2. Farhan Zaidi (Giants) was named Executive of the Year

Votes were cast (by his peers) prior to the start of the postseason, so the NLDS loss to the Dodgers wasn’t taken into account — though it wouldn’t have likely made a difference anyway, considering the all-time great turnaround of a team from a sub-.500 team to a 107-win team in a single year.

3. The GM Meetings are underway in Carlsbad, CA

After being cancelled last year, things are back in action.

Among the early highlights and conversations, there’s the fact that the Mets, at the GM Meetings, don’t have a GM (via Newsday):

But they’re charging forward anyway, in desperate need of several big signings, to compete in a probably-still-watered-down NL East next year.

Some notes from the Red Sox:

And some more notes, if interested — not too much has happened yet, but things may heat up a bit more as the week goes on.

4. More on the Mets: No one wants to come to New York

Here was team president Sandy Alderson speaking today with media at the meetings, and things still don’t sound too good:

5. Happy 90th birthday to former Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog

And a great beer ad from 1987, with Jack Buck:

Also today in the world of Cardinals legends, the late Bob Gibson would’ve turned 86 years old:

6. The Mariners might be big spenders this offseason

We’ll believe it when we see it, their most diehard fans might be saying, but they do have a lot of free payroll to work with, so we’ll wait and see — if 2022 might just be the year the never-ending postseason drought finally does come to an end.

7. Alex Bregman underwent wrist surgery yesterday

An injury that hadn’t been mentioned much (if at all) during the season, and might explain his struggles — hitting .226 overall in the postseason, and .095 in the World Series.

8. Masahiro Tanaka’s season ends in Japan

After his first year back in his home country, after deciding to leave the major-leagues when his Yankees contract ended (he would’ve had many offers), the Rakuten Eagles are eliminated in the playoffs, with no run support in sight:

Here was the very excited announcement at the beginning of this year, when he returned to Japan and signed:

9. Randy Arozarena opts for the top-of-the-line baseball agent

He pushed the upgrade button.

10. And lastly, a notable hire for the Giants

It’s a very slow baseball news day, so the newsletter is tapping out at ten posts — let’s hope that tomorrow brings a least a little morsel of rumor news from the GM meetings.

In the meantime, the Giants promoted the first-ever MLB coach who was born and raised in Japan, a bit of a cool piece of history: