What’s Happening in Baseball Today

The First Pitch: November 21, 2024

Tarik Skubal gets a sweet 28th birthday gift as winner of this year’s AL Cy Young Award, while Atlanta’s Chris Sale gains his first award in the NL after placing anywhere between second and sixth in seven other seasons (2012-18) while pitching for the White Sox and Red Sox. 

Both pitchers, each of whom earned the triple crown of pitching by leading their respective leagues in wins, ERA and strikeouts, were widely expected to place first in the vote. Skubal’s vote is unanimous, grabbing all 30 first-place votes; Sale gains 26 of 30 in the NL, with Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler nabbing the other four. 

Skubal is the fifth Detroit pitcher to win the Cy, and the first since Max Scherzer in 2013; Sale is also the fifth in Braves franchise history, with Tom Glavine last being rewarded in 1998. 

Wheeler is followed in the NL vote by Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes, who places a distant third; Kansas City’s Seth Lugo is second in the AL count, ahead of Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase.

It Was Whatever-Something Years Ago Today

1934: The Yankees acquire Pacific Coast League star Joe DiMaggio, just four days shy of his 20th birthday, from the San Francisco Seals for $50,000 and five players. The deal stipulates that DiMaggio will stay in San Francisco for one more season, before joining the Yankees in 1936.

You Say It’s Your Birthday

Milwaukee second baseman Brice Turang is 25; 2000s slugger Hank Blalock is 44; Hall-of-Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. is 55. Born on this date is Griffey’s Cooperstown mate born in the same town (Donora, PA) Stan Musial (1920), catcher/manager Paul Richards (1908), pebble-cursed Hall-of-Fame third baseman Freddie Lindstrom (1905), 13-year infielder Andy High (1897) and 297-game winner from the 19th Century Bobby Mathews (1851).

Shameless Link of the Day

As mentioned up top, Chris Sale is the fifth pitcher in Braves history to win a Cy. But a number of the previous winners earned the honor numerous times. Here’s the list in the Braves’ Sidebar of Achievement.

This Great Game in Print

Baseball Cards at the Edge of War is the new book from author Todd Marcum that focuses on baseball’s legendary 1941 season and the “three bubble gum titans” that took on one another in an attempt to rule the burgeoning baseball card market. Marcum provides an introductory orientation with content from our 1941 Yearly Reader page, which is why you’ll find the names of TGG creators Eric Gouldsberry and Ed Attanasio on the book’s cover as co-authors. The core of the book that follows is devoted to the players and their baseball cards who graced the 1941 season. Baseball Cards at the Edge of War is now available on Amazon.

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To Whom It May Concern

We are proud of what we have built at This Great Game, but we also admit it is not perfect. Occasionally, fans from all walks of life check in and point out errors, and we are grateful to these external editors. Our site is all the better because of you.

Also, we have had many folks chime in on our various lists in the Lists and Teams sections, many of them disagreeing with some of our choices. Since all lists are made to be argued, this is to be expected. If your arguments are respectful, we will respond in kind and join in a civilized debate—and we’ll often see your viewpoints, since no list should qualify as The Gospel. But if your responses contain the sort of vitriol found so often these days in social media circles, you’re going to get ignored. So please, respond respectfully, engage in polite conversation with us, and enjoy the site!