The Rookie and Manager of the Year Award winners were announced. Some ballpark and broadcasting news. The Hot Stove is moving slowing, And other MLB news.
Good morning. It’s award-season. I know I’m tingling with excitement.
- The Pirates’ Paul Skenes and the Yankees’ Luis Gil were named National and American League Rookies of the Year, respectively. It’s the first time since 2011 that pitchers won in both leagues (Craig Kimbrel, Jeremy Hellickson) and the first time since 1981 (Fernando Valenzuela, Dave Righetti) that starting pitchers won in both leagues.
- Dan Szymborski had a vote for NL Rookie of the Year and he explains his vote for second-place finisher Jackson Merrill of the Padres.
- Leo Morgenstern offers hit thoughts at what was a historically-great season for rookies in 2024.
- Matt Kelly ranks every Rookie of the Year winner.
- The Guardians’ Stephen Vogt and the Brewers’ Pat Murphy were named Managers of the Year. Both were first-year skippers.
- They are going to award the Cy Young Award today. The case for each of the six finalists.
- Twelve of the thirteen players who were given qualifying offers declined them. The Reds’ Nick Martinez was the only one to accept.
- Michael Rosen looks at Nick Martinez’s season and notes that he didn’t need to strike people out to be really good. He also compares Martinez to “peak Kyle Hendricks.”
- The Hall of Fame ballot for 2025 was announced on Monday.
- Brian Murphy looks at the 14 first-time candidates.
- David Adler has seven storylines from the Hall of Fame ballot.
- Jayson Stark has five things to look for in Cooperstown voting. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- We have a trade! The Rays traded outfielder Jose Siri to the Mets for right-handed reliever Eric Orze.
- The Rays announced that because of delays, the new ballpark in St. Petersburg is unlikely to be ready for the 2028 season.
- The Astros ballpark, formerly known as Minute Maid Park, will now be called Daikin Park. It’s been a bad week for ballparks named after orange juice.
- Michael Bauman looks at the Orioles adjusting their outfield wall dimensions at Camden Yards.
- Jake Mintz has the top five questions about the Orioles this winter.
- Jesse Rogers polls 18 “team executives and insiders” about the biggest questions of the offseason. (ESPN+ sub. req.)
- Ken Rosenthal brings up a good topic. For whatever team signs Roki Sasaki. several Latin American teenagers are going to get screwed out of a promised signing bonus (The Athletic sub. req.) as their bonuses get reallocated to Sasaki. Of course, Rosenthal’s solution of instituting an international draft brings forth a whole bunch of other problems that he doesn’t acknowledge. In any case, Rosenthal thinks MLB should be able to make an exception to their bonus pool rules now for Sasaki.
- Jack Harris reports on the Dodgers pursuit of free agent Juan Soto.
- Mike Axisa argues that the Dodgers really do need Soto and that they can afford him despite all their other commitments.
- David Adler gives three reasons why the Dodgers should re-sign pitcher Walker Buehler.
- Anne Rogers suspects that the Royals are looking to trade a pitcher for a hitter.
- Dayn Perry gives a to-do list for the Cardinals this winter.
- And finally, Evan Drellich looks at the current state of MLB television contracts and explains why 2028 will be the big year for MLB to get control of national and local media rights. (The Athletic sub. req.)