*The Rookie of the Year Award is announced today. Let's take a look at the finalists:
Tampa's Brandon Lowe (pronounced LAO):
Lowe played in 82 games (327 PAs) in 2019 thanks largely to a second-half injury. He hit .270/.336/.514 playing primarily 2B, but also mixing in 1B, LF, RF. 36 of his 80 hits (17HR) were for extra-bases. He posted 2.6 fWAR, 2.9 bWAR.
Baltimore's John Means:
Baltimore lefty John Means appeared in 31 games (27 starts) for the Fightin Eliases & Sigs. In 155IP he allowed 138H/62ER with 121K:38BB for a 3.60 ERA / 1.14 WHIP. And this is for BALTIMORE. The Orioles were 12-15 in his starts (.444 win%) on a team that won 54 of 162 games (.333 win%). He was worth 3.0 fWAR, 4.5 bWAR.
Houston's Yordan Alvarez:
Our Dude Yordan appeared in 87 games (369 PAs) for the Silver Medalist Astros. He hit .313/.412/.655. 53 of his 98 hits (27HR) were for extra-bases. He was worth 3.8fWAR, 3.7 bWAR, Yordan should win. Easily.
MLB.com has the case for every Rookie of the Year nominee:
Perhaps the only question when it comes to Alvarez and the Rookie of the Year Award is whether it will be unanimous.
*The GM Meetings - different from the Winter Meetings - begin this week in Arizona.
*NY Post's Ken Davidoff, on the Yankees needing another Cashman November Surprise:
Another similar transaction would help the Yankees close the gap with the Astros. Even better, though, would be a savvy November trade, followed by a large December/January expenditure on a free-agent arm.
*Bench Coach Joe Espada is reportedly the front-runner for the Giants' managerial job.
*SI: Any team that's actively trying to win games deserves to be celebrated.
*Get ready for a labor stoppage.
*When I was younger and cared about hockey, I liked Don Cherry. Now he can piss off into a long-overdue forced retirement.
*How Mark Zuckerberg became the most reviled man in tech.
*This time last year I wrote about Henry Gunther - the last American to die in World War 1.
*A Musical Selection:
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
