What’s Happening in Baseball Today

The First Pitch: November 20, 2024

Two rookie pilots win this year’s Manager of the Year Awards, with Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt (AL) and Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy (NL) receiving the honors. Both receive 27 first-place votes and are placed on all 30 ballots. 

Vogt, who guided the Guardians to an AL Central title, is the third Cleveland manager to win the honor, following Eric Wedge and Terry Francona (who won the award three times). Murphy, who led the Brewers to the NL Central crown, is the first award winner in Milwaukee franchise history. 

The proposed new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays is in trouble. Just hours before Pinellas County commissioners meet to vote on $310 million in public bonds toward the St. Petersburg project, the Rays blindside the commission by sending a letter stating that the current terms on the ballpark need to be renegotiated. 

Approval to the bonds was already delayed a few weeks due to the aftermath of two hurricanes that struck the Tampa Bay area—most particularly Hurricane Milton, which shredded the Rays’ current home of Tropicana Field to the point that the team will have to play their 2025 home schedule at a minor league facility. Because of the delay, the Rays claim that they have been thrown off their schedule to have a new ballpark ready by 2028—and that a one-year delay will lead to “significantly higher costs” to build it. 

Because of the fluid situation created by the Rays’ letter, the commission had no choice but to further delay the vote until early December. 

In relatively more innocuous news involving the Rays, the team trades outfielder Jose Siri, who batted a team-low .187 but with 18 home runs this past season, to the New York Mets for reliever Eric Orze—who gave up four runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter over 1.2 innings on July 8, his sole major league appearance.

It Was Whatever-Something Years Ago Today

2008: After 35 years, an ailing George Steinbrenner officially steps down as owner of the Yankees, conceding control of the esteemed franchise to his sons Hank and Hal.

You Say It’s Your Birthday

Likely 2024 AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is 28; Cleveland slugger David Fry is 29; Cincinnati shortstop Amed Rosario is 29; 2010s closer Cody Allen is 36; outfielder of 242 home runs J.D. Drew is 49; 19-year outfielder and first-ever pick in modern amateur draft format Rick Monday is 79. Born on this date is outfielder/humorist Jay Johnstone (1945), pitcher of one MLB appearance and TGG interview subject Rugger Ardizoia (1919), 25-game winner from 1928 Larry Benton (1897), Deadball Era shortstop George McBride (1880) and Hall-of-Fame pitcher/manager/owner Clark Griffith (1869).

Shameless Link of the Day

The Brewers’ sidebar of achievement now includes an entry for Manager of the Year, with Pat Murphy earning this year’s NL honor. See who else he joins.

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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