Update #4: Sources are confirming that Betti "most definitely probably cheated on her History quiz." -Cindi
Update (3rd and counting): OF Rajai Davis has been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for minor-league relievers RHP Trystan Magnuson and RHP Daniel Farquhar.
Update: Other sources are putting the A's offer at five years, $64 million. -Nico
Breaking News: The A's offer Adrian Beltre five years, $45 million.
Your 2010 Manager of the Year: Ron Gardenhire (runners up: Ron Washington, Joe Maddon) and Bud Black (runners up: Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy)
We've already covered the potential AL Cy Young Candidates; the winner will be announced tomorrow. And while the A's may have a candidate for the top 10 in that category, I daresay Bob Geren won't be chosen for the Manager of the Year (announced today), and it is equally unlikely that the A's have an MVP pick lurking in their lineup (award announced on the 23rd). However, I think it's important to acknowledge the awards, even if just to dream of what we could have someday. Not to mention, Ron Washington certainly has his roots in the Oakland organization, as one-time runner-up to Geren as the A's manager, and it is not outside the realm of possibility that he could be today's winner.
If I had to guess, the Manager of the Year will be the manager of one of the four playoff teams; Ron Gardenhire (Twins), Ron Washington (Rangers), Joe Maddon (Rays) or Joe Giradi (Yankees). Normally, I'm fine with the playoff qualification, but if I had to choose the National League Award, it would probably go to Bud Black, who led the Padres down the stretch, narrowly missing the playoffs. Even though the Padres were just squeezed out on the last day of the season, I think Black still deserves incredible recognition for what the Padres accomplished in 2010, considering the low expectations for the team.
The AL pick will be decided by the criteria the voters decide to use; whether Gardenhire will receive credit for battling through the Twins' devastating injuries to key players, whether Maddon receives credit for out-pacing the Yankees and the Red Sox, or whether Washington will be credited for battling through a personal scandal that nearly cost him his job at the beginning of the season. What sort of criteria do you think should be used? Who should win?
The AL MVP is much more of a questionable vote. What is the criteria? Winning team? Best numbers? Playoff appearance? Is Jose Bautista a shoe-in with his 54 homeruns? Can Cabrera win the MVP on the mediocre Tigers? Did Konerko put up good enough numbers to overshadow the fact that the White Sox didn't make the playoffs? Will Cano see the recognition for his great season? Or will the favorite, Josh Hamilton, take home his reward to cap off his remarkable story?
What do you think?
