Award Season

Yoon-tae Kim won the Superior League Jeffrey Lamar Lewis award for top rookie. The 28 year old from South Korea hit 45 homers and drove in 115 runs after signing a 10 year, 250 million dollar contract in Las Vegas. He gathered 29 of 30 first place votes. Trevor Wood, who hit 31 homers and played gold glove defense at shortstop, finished second. Miami's Jerry McDonald finished third and Baltimore's Noel Walton fourth. Walton picked up the other first place vote.

In the major league it was Tsugumichi Masuda from Portland. The 32 year old from Japan signed a 5 year, 145 million dollar contract with Portland and hit .289 with 33 homers and 104 RBI. Masuda received 20 of 30 first place votes, with the other 10 going to Florida's Don Glenn. Glenn hit .303 with 31 homers and 100 RBI for the Penguins.

Jason Gambini and Keith Grace, who each managed in the world series, won the two manager of the year awards. 

Hollywood's Pat Evans took home the Roger Chillingworth award for top pitcher. Evans was 17-3 with a 2.89 ERA and struck out 219 batters. He also won 2 games in the world series as Hollywood won the championship. Evans barely edged Cristobal Rangel for the award, with a lead of 15-14 in first place votes and 163-154 in overall points. Alaska closer Cesar Cordero also earned a first place vote after a 45 save season where he struck out 162 batters in only 74 innings.

Carson Olsen took the award home for the Superior League after a 15 win, 287 strikeout season that included a no-hitter. Louisville's Andy Roughton finished second, followed by Ben Angus of Las Vegas (who led with a 2.83 ERA) and Miami's Johnny Anderson who won 18 games.

The Conan award for MVP went to Alex Duran after he had the best offensive season by any second baseman in history. Duran hit .352, had a .454 on base percentage, .611 slugging percentage, stole 21 bases in 24 attempts, and had 32 homers among 80 extra base hits. Duran scored 119 runs and drove in 113. He picked up 28 of 30 first place votes. Simon Burgos, who led the league with 51 homers and 145 RBI, received the other two. Miguel Cruz and Cesar Corona finished 3rd and 4th.

The Superior League award went to Cleveland's Troy Wyckoff. Wyckoff hit .326 with 46 homers and 117 RBI and led his team to their first ever world series. He had 29 of 30 first place votes. In 2nd and 3rd place were Louisville outfielders Jimmy Flannery and Cole Werner. Silveran Kanan Bonis finished 4th, and earned the other first place vote. Bonis hit .272 with 28 homers in only 119 games. While not batting, he took the mound 32 times and struck out 255 batters against only 40 walks. He went 10-9 with a 3.51 ERA. 

Gold Gloves

 Superior League:

1B Tyson Cox, TEX

2B Jamy de Jongh, SPR

3B Dave Haney, PHO

SS Trevor Wood, MAR

C Jimmy Walker, LOU

P Scott Elzy, MIA

RF Elijah Foster, UTE

CF Allan Hunt, BOS

LF Jason Robinson, BAL

Elzy wins his second gold glove, while all the others are first time award winners. Wood led all of baseball with 27 defensive runs saved in his rookie season. He was a big part of leading Mars to a division title, and was acquired from Hollywood last season in exchange for utility infielder Erik Rivera, which looks like a steal of a deal now. Hunt tied the league record for most putouts in a season with 482, and also had 21 outfield assists. Data for outfield putouts goes back to 1997, so Hunt had more putouts than any season by Chad White, Kermit Holmes, or Dee Sanders, who combined for 34 gold gloves. We should note that the league does not have complete data for Sanders, Holmes, or Kenny Anderson, so one of those players may have had more putouts. 

Major League:

1B Brandon Cohen, TOR

2B Lee Thompson, NYC

3B Eddie Del Toro, HOL

SS Alex Jones, STL 

C Kenard Gil, DEN

P Jason Curry, DEN

LF Bubba Donaldson, HOL

CF Michael Molina, LA

RF Jason Combs, LA

Del Toro wins his 3rd gold glove, Thompson his second, and all the others are first time award winners. Molina led the league with 21 outfield assists. Del Toro previously won the award in 2016 and 2019. Billy Bass and Peter Rabbitt each failed to win their 6th gold glove.

Kenard Gil won the award for catcher in a controversial election. Gil threw out 32% of opposing base stealers and had 3 errors, 8 passed balls, and a 4.47 catcher ERA. New York's Jeff Bowman had 8 errors, 2 passed balls, threw out 31%, and had a catcher ERA of 3.21.

New York owner Brad of this Nation has falsely alleged voter fraud and demanded a recount. "When I went to bed Jeff Bowman had a COMMANDING LEAD for gold glove. Then I wake up and the league's FAKE NEWS FAT YODA keeps finding more ballots for Gil! They even have ballots from people who died in 1983!"

Editor's note: Brad is referring to Boba Fett, who some believe died in a Sarlacc pit in 1983. Boba Fett is alive and well and is the general manager of the Las Vegas Gamblers. He also appeared in season 2 episode 1 of The Mandalorian.  

Update on managers

 Baltimore: After leading the team to a playoff appearance, Bernardo Flores received a 4 year extension.

Chicago: Sylvanus Wong retired. The team promoted Rocky Balboni after he won the Southern League manager of the year award.

Florida: Wally Calhoun retired, the team is searching for a new manager.

Green Day: Alex Morales was fired, and rookie Eric Rodriguez will take over.

Hawaii: After firing Nomad Garciajawa, the team is still searching for a new manager.

Hollywood: Keith Grace signed a 4 year contract extension after winning the world series.

Los Angeles: The Shockers fired Don Muttonly in mid season, bringing back Perceptor who managed for the first time since 1987. After the season they signed Scott Wolcott to a 2 year deal.

Louisville: Walter Lewis received a 4 year extension after leading the team back to the playoffs.

New York Cobra: George Kird was not renewed after failing to win a single playoff game. Chad White will take over.

New York Knights: Bob Cobb was fired, the team is looking for a new manager.

Philadelphia: Clyde Frogg was fired after only one season, a search for replacement is underway.

St Louis: After another postseason with some real head scratching moves, Paul Hudson was fired. George Kird was signed to a 5 year, 30 million dollar deal to make him the highest paid manager in the game.