Sedate. If I had to sum my to-day up in a single-word: sedate. The driving mid-November in Oregon monsoons yielded to nigh sun-shine. The frigid winds to mere cool breezes. The latest Reader's Digest edition arrived in my mailbox. In light of this, I opted to keep the calmness going with a snack of Saltines and Velveeta, putting off the stack of Ritz for more turbulent times. In keeping with this mood, the second-day of year-end MLB awards were given out. congratulations to Paul Molitor of the Minnesota Twins and Terry Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks. AL and NL, respectively.
Of the four biggies: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year -- this, that list's caboose, is by far its most... lettuce say... sedate affair. Which is to take nothing away from its calm inherent mystery. How is this thing arrived at, exactly? No one knows but current trends, this year's included, seem to take into vast account over-achieving and/or flying beyond expectations. Lest it'd simply be handed to the skipper whom's squad registered the greatest tally of wins. I mean there's a big difference between sedate and bo-ooo-ring.
T.Lovullo, rookie D-Backs manager, was honored on account'a forming a 93-win post-season team from an under-achieving 93-loss, fourth-place team over the span of a single campaign. For this feat, the Baseball Writers Association of America endorsement he by his garnering 18 of 30 first-place votes. Last year's winner, the ever-over-managing (except for leaving Yu Darvish in whenst it mattered precious-mmost) Dave Roberts of the LA Dodgers, fleshed-in this year's exacta. Bud Black of the Colorado Rockies finished third; then came Craig Counsell of the Milwaukee Brewers in fourth. The canned Dusty Baker finished fifth. Lovullo's win marks the fourth-year in a row that a first-year manager gained the nod and got the trophy. Makes sense if we're grading on turn-arounds. "Yes, hello. I'm calling to see if you have Dusty Baker in a can? ...'
P.Molitor is now perchance the most successful of all Hall of Fame players-cum-managers and as proof is only the second of such to win this award and I can't recall the identity of the other. His win came on the heels and on account'a steering the Twins into the post-season coming off a 103 loss 2016. For this Herculean effort, he too was given 18 of 30 first-place votes. Terry Francona of the Cleveland Indians came in first-loser. World Champion Houston Astros skipper A.J Hinch finished third (?interrobang!) and another unemployment-office denizen Joe Girardi formerly of the Damn Yankees finished fourth. Not only was Molitor's completed-task mentioned a tick ago Herculean, but it landed he in the record books as being at the helm of the first squad ever to accomplish a 100-loss season spring-boarding to a next-year play-off berth. No one was more surprised than Minnesota's front-office.
Sedate. Nice. The Reader's Digest cover story is "The Nicest Places in America." Congratulations again to Terry Lovullo, Paul Molitor, and now Gallatin, Tennessee. This just in! It would appear, according to a small column on a pastel back-drop entitled "The Crazy Things People Said While Asleep," that a man's wife heard him say a month-ago: "Set the burrito trap."
A warmly chuckled "Oh, boy!"
I think I'll make a cup of tea, not drink it, and hit the sack early to-night.
