*Jose Altuve won the Sporting News Player of the Year award (voted on by the players themselves), joining Jeff Bagwell on a short list of Astros to have ever won it. Altuve:
I really appreciate that from my teammates and players on other teams. These are the kind of things that make you keep getting better. You wake up every morning and realize you won this award by the players, and you want to keep getting better. Not only for the team, but for the fans and for everybody that's been [helping] you.
In each year since 2006, whomever has won the Sporting News Player of the Year award has won either the MVP or Cy Young Award.
*A.J. Hinch is looking for a bench coach after Trey Hillman accepted the manager gig for SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization. Hillman will be the first to manage three pro teams in three different countries (USA, Japan, Korea). Hinch:
Even on my staff, looking at how responsibilities can be divided up, I'm not really sure how we really want to go about it other than being on a Major League staff is very interesting to a lot of different people. We'll have to navigate through a lot of different candidates, but also a lot of different skillsets.
*Dallas Keuchel, George Springer, and Colby Rasmus are all up for Gold Glove awards. Those will be announced on November 8. The only election announcement that will really impact the country on that day, imo.
*Hinch thinks that, because of the 2016 playoffs, managers may utilize their bullpens differently in 2017 though he doubts the game will undergo a significant bullpen revolution.
*Following up on yesterday's Cionel Perez news, Luhnow would only confirm that he is not currently with the organization.
*Astros pro scouts were in Houston this week to prepare for free agency and trade targets.
*You'll have to scroll all the way down, but Jon Heyman's latest column has a note about how free agent catcher Wilson Ramos' knee injury likely cost him a nine-figure payday.
*Palm Beacher Magazine has a deep look into the Ballpark of the
*Where are baseball's minority managers?
*Steve Bartman: Still a touchy subject in Chicago!
*They're peaking too early in Chicago...
It's 5 AM the morning of Game 3 of the World Series. The Cubby Bear has a line already. #FlyTheW #cubsonthescore https://t.co/8bpluZ8Ooe pic.twitter.com/FzMFtIAAGn— WXRT Chicago (@93XRT) October 28, 2016
