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Lindor, Rizzo Named Platinum Glove Winners Softball

Lindor, Rizzo Named Platinum Glove Winners Softball

Lindor, Rizzo named Platinum Glove winners Softball star Andrews receives first female Gold Glove at awards ceremony By Joe Trezza / MLB.com | November 12th, 2016 NEW YORK -- Their gloves already gold for the first time this year, and turned platinum Friday night. Lindor and Rizzo were presented with the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award as Major League 's best overall defensive players in each league during the Gold Glove Awards ceremony at The Plaza in Manhattan. The awards were well deserved, as both Rizzo and Lindor cemented their places among baseball's elite defenders this season. Rizzo led MLB first basemen with 125 assists and 11 . Lindor ranked in the top 10 in and Defensive Runs Saved while posting a 2.7 dWAR (defensive ), tied for the best among . The Platinum Glove is awarded based on a formula that combined fan voting and the Society of Baseball Research's SABR Defensive Index. As is the case every year, the event was flush with baseball royalty, including , , Jim Palmer, , , , , and Doc Gooden. Two living legends were honored in addition to this year's winners. , considered by many to be the greatest of all time, was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by Palmer. , the 15-time All-Star, was inducted into the Gold Glove Hall of Fame in a presentation by Jim Kaat. National Pro Fastpitch softball star A.J. Andrews became the first female Gold Glove winner. The former LSU standout is known for making highlight-reel catches as an for the Akron Races. Now in its 58th year, the Rawlings Gold Glove has been awarded to 323 players, all male players, until now. "I'm really excited to be that pioneer that paves the way for more girls to win Gold Gloves in the future," Andrews said. "For young girls to grow up thinking they can win something MLB players do, I don't think anyone understands the significance in that." Gold Glove recipients were Lindor at , Salvador Perez of the Royals, of the Rangers, of the Tigers, third baseman Adrian Beltre of the Rangers, left fielder of the Yankees, of the Rays, of the Red Sox and of the Astros. trophies went to Rizzo at first base, catcher Buster Posey of the Giants, second baseman of the Giants, third baseman of the Rockies, shortstop of the Giants, left fielder of the Pirates, center fielder of the Braves, right fielder of the Cubs and right-handed pitcher of the D-backs. Posey, Rizzo, Panik, Inciarte, Moreland, Kinsler, Lindor, Garner and Betts were all first-time winners. Beltre won his fifth career Gold Glove, while Arenado and Perez took home their fourth consecutive awards. "Beltre, to me, is on his way to the Hall of Fame," Robinson said. Arenado is the first third baseman in Major League history to begin his career with four consecutive Gold Glove wins. "He's the best defensive player I've ever seen at any position," 15-year veteran and former teammate said last year. Posey's first career selection broke a streak of eight straight awards for Cardinals catcher , who will likely be honored with a lifetime achievement award of his own one day. Esurance MLB Awards week concludes Nov. 18 on MLB Network and MLB.com at 8 p.m. ET with the MLB Awards. Categories include Best Major Leaguer, Hitter, Pitcher, Rookie and , and recognize overall MLB winners with no league distinction.

Naquin rises quickly to Rookie of Year finalist By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | November 11th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- In his meeting with manager at the start of , Indians outfielder was told he had a legitimate shot at making the roster. Naquin seized the opportunity and turned in a campaign that now has him in the running for some end-of-season hardware. Naquin is in the mix for the American League Rookie of the Year Award, along with Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez and Tigers pitcher . While Sanchez and Fulmer appear to be the favorites, Naquin has a case based on the fact that he spent the most time in the Major Leagues of the three finalists. The winner will be announced in a 6 p.m. ET special on Monday on MLB Network. Esurance MLB Awards week concludes Friday on MLB Network and MLB.com at 8 p.m. ET with the MLB Awards. Categories include Best Major Leaguer, Hitter, Pitcher, Rookie, Executive and Manager, and recognize overall MLB winners. "We put him in a challenging spot," Indians said at the end of the season. "It's pretty rare -- at least in our experience -- for a player who had no Major League experience [to be] an everyday player who made the team of Spring Training." The cases for Sanchez and Fulmer are compelling. Sanchez had only 229 plate appearances in 53 games for the Yankees, but the catcher did a season's worth of damage. Among the 172 rookies in baseball history to belt at least 20 home runs, Sanchez did so in the fewest games and plate appearances. He collected 32 extra- base hits, 42 RBIs and a 1.032 OPS in helping New York remain in the postseason chase into the final month. For Detroit, Fulmer did not join the rotation until late April, but he went 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 159 . The right-hander fell three innings shy of qualifying for the ERA race, in which he would have ended third in the AL with his season-end mark. Fulmer teamed with Detroit ace to keep the Tigers' starting staff respectable as the team attempted to keep pace with the AL Central champion Indians. Naquin played a big role for the Tribe, which not only won the division but also went on to capture a pennant. In 116 games, Naquin turned in a .296/.372/.517 slash line in 365 plate appearances. The center fielder ranked second among AL rookie hitters in WAR (2.5 per FanGraphs) and weighted Runs Created Plus (135), while finishing third in the AL rookie class in games, runs scored (52), on- base percentage and . With the exception of two brief stints at -A because of a roster crunch, Naquin was a regular part of the Indians' order. "He battled some adversity early on," Chernoff said, "with some ups and downs and the uncertainty of our roster at that time. The way he went down, worked really hard when he was down in the Minor Leagues, came back and the ground running when he came back, was really exceptional to see." All 14 of Naquin's home runs came between June and August, during which he posted a .988 OPS for the Indians. He had a four-RBI game on June 19, a two-homer showing with six RBIs on June 20 and then provided the signature moment of Cleveland's season on Aug. 19. On that night against Toronto, Naquin delivered a walk-off, inside-the-park home -- a feat that had not been accomplished by a Tribe hitter since 1916. Along the way, Francona used Naquin mostly against right-handed pitching. When the season ended, Naquin compiled 325 plate appearances against righties, compared to 40 against left-handers. That was a way to not only protect Naquin in his first taste of the big leagues but to also field the best lineup. "One of the things Tito does so well is he's thinking about, 'How do I put a player in the position to be successful?'" Chernoff said. "We felt and Tito thought, 'Let's find those opportunities for Tyler to transition to the Major Leagues that put him in the best position to succeed.' That happened to be against mostly right-handed . He faced a couple of lefties, but mostly righties. "That doesn't necessarily mean that would be the same thing moving forward as Tyler continues to mature and develop." Naquin, who was Cleveland's top pick in the 2012 Draft, finished with the most home runs by an Indians rookie since 2008, when Ben Francisco knocked 15. He matched a Cleveland rookie record with his six-RBI game against the Royals and became the first Tribe rookie since 1986 () to have two home runs and six RBIs in one game. Among Indians rookies with at least 300 at-bats, Naquin's .372 OBP and .514 SLG were the best marks since 1956 (, .372/.531). Naquin's .886 OPS was also the best mark by a Tribe rookie since Colavito's .903 showing in that '56 season. The 126 OPS+ posted by Naquin was the highest by a Cleveland rookie since Joe Charboneau (129) in '80. Charboneau won the Rookie of the Year after that season. "It's fun to see a homegrown player with that type of mentality join the team and contribute in the way he did," Chernoff said of Naquin. "He was one of our most productive offensive players for the year when you look at the statistics. As we reflect back on his year, he played a huge role on this team, established himself in many ways, and we look forward to him continuing to be a big part of this team."

Cleveland Indians' Tyler Naquin, Terry Francona, finalists for BBWAA awards this week Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – Baseball's award season really doesn't last as long as the regular season, it just seems that way. We are entering the second and final week and this is for the big hardware. The winners of the Baseball Writers Association of America awards will be announced Monday through Thursday at 6 p.m. on MLB Network. The Indians have three finalists in the American League portion of the awards show – Tyler Naquin, rookie of the year, Terry Francona, manager of the year and Corey Kluber, . The AL and National League rookies of the year will be named Monday night. The Managers of the Year will be named Tuesday followed by the Cy Young winners on Wednesday and MVPs on Thursday. Two writers from each BBWAA chapter in AL and NL cities vote for each award in their respective leagues. Votes are based only on the regular season. Rookie of the Year Naquin, the Tribe's center fielder, made the final cut along with Detroit right-hander Michael Fulmer and Yankee catcher Gary Sanchez. Naquin, who made the Indians out of spring training, hit .296 (95-for-321) with 14 homers, 43 RBI and a .886 OPS. He platooned in center field with . Fulmer went 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 26 starts. He was 7-1 on June 1, but struggled after that. Sanchez hit 20 homers with 42 RBI and posted a 1.032 OPS. Here's the catch – he played only 52 games. Is that enough to make him rookie of the year? We shall see. The NL finalists are shortstop and right-hander of the Dodgers and Trea Turner of the Nationals. Prediction: Fulmer and Seager. Manager of the Year Francona, out of the Indians three finalists, probably has the best chance at winning. His competition is good – Jeff Bannister of Texas and of Baltimore. The Indians hired Francona after the 2012 season and he has led them to four straight winning years, including two trips to the postseason. This year the Indians won their first AL Central title in nine years, set a franchise record with 14 straight wins and owned first place for over 100 days. If Francona wins the award, he would be the first Tribe manager to win it twice, previously winning it in 2013. (1995) and Eric Wedge (2007) are the only other Indians' managers to receive the award. Indians manager Terry Francona learned early to be himself and not be afraid to let players know he cared about them. Bannister, who won the award last year, led the Rangers to their second straight AL West title and a league-high 95 wins in the regular season. Showalter, a three-time winner, led the Orioles to a wild card berth in the rough-and-tumble AL East. The NL finalists are of the Cubs, of the Nationals and Dave Roberts of the Dodgers. Prediction: Francona and Maddon. Cy Young Kluber made his deepest imprint in 2016 in the postseason when he went 4-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts to lead the short-handed Indians' pitching staff to Game 7 of the . But the votes for Cy Young only include the regular season, but even then Kluber was exceptional. The 2014 Cy Young winner went 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts. He finished third in wins, fourth in ERA and fifth with 215 innings and 227 . Kluber led all AL pitchers with a 6.5 WAR (wins above replacement) and a 3.26 FIP (fielding independent pitching). Boston's (22-4, 3.15) and Detroit's Justin Verlander (16-9, 3.04) are the other finalists. Verlander, who led the AL with 254 strikeouts, won the Cy Young in 2011. In the NL, the finalists are and of the Cubs and of the Nationals. Prediction: Kluber and Lester. Most Valuable Player Houston's Jose Altuve, Boston's Mookie Betts and of the Angels are the finalist in the AL. Chicago's , Washington's Daniel Murphy and Corey Seager of the Dodgers are the finalists in the NL. There have been two position players who have won Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season – Boston's in 1975 and in 2001. of the Dodgers won the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in 1981. Seager has a chance to do that this year. Prediction: Betts and Bryant.

Cleveland Indians' helps student solve math problem on Print Email Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – In the offseason, some baseball players go hunting or fishing. Some find a deserted beach with a hot sun to sit under. Others, in the words of Crash Davis from the movie Bull Durham, tell their loved ones after the grind of the season, "I just want to be."

Then there is Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer, who helps students solve math problems on Twitter.

Bauer has taken to Twitter to argue politics with his followers. He's chastised reporters and engaged in Tweet wars with the fans of various teams, the most recent being the and .

But lending a helping hand to a student with a math question is something new. Then again, Bauer studied engineering and computer mathematics at UCLA so maybe it's second nature to him.

It all started Saturday when a student from the greater Cleveland area named Maddie Martin -- yes, she's an Indians fan -- Tweeted Bauer about his drones.

@BauerOutage when you are in Ohio where do you fly your drone+ how much did your drone cost? Not sure if she was asking about the infamous drone that gashed Bauer's right pinkie before the start of the ALCS against Toronto, but Bauer was glad to answer.

@m_martin2021 I find a park with no people at it and depending what gear I have on it between 350 and 1000 ish each

Then Martin asked Bauer if he could help her with some homework.

Maddie Martin @m_martin2021 @BauerOutage oh and also do you understand the slope of a line and y intercept? I have a math test coming up I don't get certain things

Bauer was curious and asked for more information. @BauerOutage I'm not home but I'll try to remember it's like y•2=x and you have to graph it on the line and say the y intercept

This seemed to be right up Bauer's alley.

@m_martin2021 for every 1 unit on the x axis go 2 units on the y axis. y intercept is where it crosses the y axis. Make y 0 and figure x.

When Martin got home she was able to describe the actual problem to Bauer.

@BauerOutage the question is y-8=x and it says to plot (-2,6) (0,8) (2,10) and I don't get where they got that 9:40 PM - 11 Nov 2016 4 4 Retweets 6 6 likes Bauer delivered the answer and the fog started to lift for Martin.

@m_martin2021 (-4,4) also works, as does (5,13) etc

Needless to say, Martin was happy.

@BauerOutage it did! I got the question right and I never would have without your help thank you you have no idea how much that meant to me

Trevor Bauer ݲ @BauerOutage @m_martin2021 hope that helped!

Cleveland Indians' Francisco Lindor goes from Gold (Glove) to Platinum (Glove) for defense Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio – Gold wasn't enough for Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, so he went platinum. Lindor, after being named the Gold Glove winner for American League shortstops on Monday, received the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, signifying the top defensive player in the AL, on Friday night in New York. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo received the award for National League defenders. MLB's Gold Glove winners were honored Friday at Rawlings Gold Glove ceremony. Lindor, 23 on Monday, not only is the first Indians player to win a Platinum Glove, but he's the youngest player ever to be so honored. Rawlings has been handing out Gold Gloves since 1957. This is the sixth year for the Platinum Glove award. The last Indians shortstop to win a Gold Glove was in 2001. The last Indians player to win a Gold Glove was center fielder in 2008. A statement by Rawlings said Platinum Glove winners are determined by a defensive metric devised by SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) and the votes of fans from around the world. Based on SABR's Defensive Index, Lindor led all AL shortstops with a 18.5 SDI, while Rizzo finished with a 8.6 SDI. Fan voting on the Platinum winners started Monday night after the Gold Glove winners were announced. Tribe's SS Lindor wins first Gold Glove Lindor and the Indians enjoyed a great 2016 season. At the start of the year, Lindor said he wanted to start the season when it was cold and end the season when it was cold. In other words, he wanted to still be playing baseball in November. He got his wish as the Indians reached the seventh game of the World Series before losing to Rizzo and the Cubs, 8-7, in 10 innings. OK one more @Lindor12BC Gold Glove highlight -- with an from @MrLapara. pic.twitter.com/IxVFAEJZl3 — Cleveland Indians (@Indians) November 10, 2016 Lindor, who went to his first All-Star game last season, hit .301 (182-for-604) with 30 doubles, 15 homers and 78 RBI. He scored 99 runs, led the AL with 15 sacrifice flies and stole 19 bases in 24 attempts. In the postseason, he hit .310 (18-for-58) with two homers and six RBI. In the World Series, Lindor hit .296 (8-for-27) with two RBI. Here's a list of the Indians' previous Gold Glove winners: 1958: 1B Vic Power; 1959: 1B Vic Power, OF Minnie Minoso; 1960: Vic Power; 1961: Vic Power, OF ; 1964: OF ; 1970: C ; 1971: C Ray Fosse; 1976: OF ; 1990: C Sandy Alomar; 1993: OF ; 1994: OF Kenny Lofton, SS Omar Vizquel; 1995: OF Kenny Lofton, SS Omar Vizquel; 1996: OF Kenny Lofton, SS Omar Vizquel; 1997: SS Omar Vizquel, 3B Matt Williams; 1998: SS Omar Vizquel; 1999: 2B Robbie Alomar, SS Omar Vizquel; 2000: 2B Roberto Alomar, SS Omar Vizquel, 3B Travis Fryman; 2001: 2B Roberto Alomar, SS Omar Vizquel; 2007: OF Grady Sizemore, 2008: OF Grady Sizemore. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 11.13.2016 Could Cleveland Indians get with Jonathan Lucroy-type deal? Hey, Hoynsie Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie. Hey, Hoynsie: Are the prospects the Indians offered for catcher Jonathan Lucroy (Francisco Mejia, Greg Allen, Shawn Armstrong and Yu- Cheng Chang) enough to entice the White Sox to trade Chris Sale at the deadline in the upcoming season? I think that would ensure the Indians a World Series victory. The White Sox are rebuilding and I don't think they'd require one of the Tribe's everyday players – Ken, Lakewood. Hey, Ken: I know the White Sox are considering rebuilding, but it's still unclear if they've fully committed to it. One way or the other, I don't think they would trade Sale strictly for prospects. I know Armstrong has pitched in the big leagues, but I think Chicago would have to get some young everyday big-league players for Sale. A player such as Jose Ramirez comes to mind. Hey, Hoynsie: Will Terry Francona's way of managing the pitching staff in the playoffs carry into the 2017 season? I think Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer could be part of the bullpen next year, setting up a murder's row of relievers from the sixth on. What do you think of Salazar and Bauer pitching out of the pen next year? – John Lamb, Bridgeport, Conn. Hey, John: Francona was asked versions of that same question many times during the postseason. He said it would be impossible to use his pitching staff during the regular season as he did in the postseason because "these guys arms aren't made of titanium." Remember, you're talking about 19 games at the most, with well-placed off days, in the postseason. Baseball's 162-game regular season is a lot more unforgiving. I prefer to see Salazar and Bauer stay in the rotation until a better alternative comes along. Hey, Hoynsie: The Tribe's postseason performance will probably give it at least a bit of a bump in 2017 season ticket sales. But the fact remains that the Indians' 2016 regular season attendance was lousy. Who was the last World Series participant to have a lower regular season attendance figure than this year's Tribe? – BK, Parma. Hey, BK: The last World Series participant to draw fewer people in the regular season than the Indians did in 2016 was the 2003 Marlins. They beat the Yankees for the World Series title in six games after drawing just 1,303,214 fans during the regular season. The Indians drew 1,591,667 fans this past season. The Indians and Marlins both finished 28th in overall attendance in 2016 and 2003. Hey, Hoynsie: I'm thinking about the top of the 10th inning in Game 7 of the World Series. Did the Indians have an infield shift on when was ? If so, why? Wouldn't one expect the traditional alignment where the corner –- third baseman Jose Ramirez and first baseman -- playing the lines to prevent exactly the kind of run-scoring that was hit? – Jeff, Columbus. Hey, Jeff: Ramirez was off the line because Zobrist is a left-handed hitter. But he wasn't that far off the line and just missed Zobrist's double with a dive back to the line. Catcher Yan Gomes set up on the outside part of the plate and that's exactly where Bryan Shaw threw his . The Indians used the shift with great effectiveness all season and through much of the postseason. It didn't work that time, but let's give some credit to Zobrist as well. He's a good hitter and he proved it. Hey, Hoynsie: I would like your thoughts on the Tribe signing instead of Mike Napoli. I feel Napoli won't replicate his career year of 34 homers and 101 RBI from this past season and will regress to hitting between 17 and 18 homers. Holiday can give the Indians that kind of power and he's been a better overall hitter in his career. – Anthony Berardino, Campbell, Ohio. Hey, Anthony: Holliday, a seven-time All-Star, has been a good player for a long time even though his last two seasons have been shortened by injuries. He made $17 million last year and the Indians weren't willing to give Napoli a $17.2 million qualifying offer, so that could be a problem. Holliday, 37 in January, is primarily a left fielder, so you have to wonder where he'd play if returns to full health as the Indians' doctors are predicting. He doesn't have much experience at first base and I'm not sure how much the Tribe would be willing to pay him strictly to DH. Napoli, at this point in the off-season, would appear to be a better option. Hey, Hoynsie: I would like to see an upgrade this offseason. A Michael Brantley return will help, but do you think adding Michael Saunders or to replace is possible? – Denny Pinch, Arlington, Va. Hey, Denny: As jumbled as the outfield was last season – a platoon at every position – it was still productive, especially when it came to the platoon advantage. As you said the return of a healthy Brantley will help, but I think you're underestimating Chisenhall's effectiveness as a platoon player in right field. Not to mention his salary works well with the Indians' payroll. Still, I understand your concern about the outfield. I like Reddick, but he didn't have that great a year with Oakland and the Dodgers. Saunders is a good left-handed hitter, but he's defensively challenged. Hey, Hoynsie: Do the Indians have a in charge of defense? In the 10th inning of Game 7 of the World Series, they seemed to be in the wrong shift. There was too much space between first and second base when started the inning with a to right. Third baseman Jose Ramirez was out of position when Ben Zobrist doubled past him to score the go-ahead run. – Tim, Naperville, Ill. Hey, Tim: Third base coach is in charge of the infield shifts. Bench coach Brad Mills is in charge of placing the . The hits by Schwarber and Zobrist were well placed. It's hard for me to blame the defensive alignment on them. Schwarber's hit was a seeing-eye single. Zobrist's double was a great piece of hitting. What about the shift the Indians were in when shortstop Francisco Lindor threw out to end the ninth inning with the go-ahead run on third? Sometimes, regardless of stats and shifts, you just get beat. Hey, Hoynsie: The Indians represented Cleveland very well and earned so much respect around the country. You hate to see changes that would ruin the chemistry of the team. How much would the Indians be hurt without Mike Napoli on the team. I always hear about how good he is in the clubhouse. – Mel Mitchell, Lehigh Acres, Fla. Hey, Mel: Napoli is good in the clubhouse. Manager Terry Francona said a lot of players were drawn toward Napoli, while others were afraid of him. Both traits have advantages. But without the 34 homers and 101 RBI Napoli delivered during the regular season, being good in the clubhouse wouldn't have amounted to much. The question is if the Indians are able to re-sign Napoli, can he maintain that kind of production? The two-month slump he went through in September and October was worrisome. Hey, Hoynsie: Terry Francona made a lot of great moves this postseason, but I think he did not maximize Danny Salazar in the World Series. Why did he only come in during mop up duty and not in Game 5 or Game 7? – Steve, Plymouth, Mich. Hey, Steve: I think the Indians were just trying to make sure Salazar was healthy headed into the off-season. It's obvious they were in need of pitching the whole postseason, but they didn't add Salazar until the World Series because they wanted to make sure that they knew – and more importantly he knew – that he was healthy enough to compete at that level. To me the last thing the Indians wanted to do was put Salazar in a high-stress situation during the World Series and have him re-injure himself. Hey, Hoynsie: Two questions for next season – what are the chances of Roberto Perez becoming the main catcher and Yan Gomes the backup and could the Indians put Trevor Bauer back in the bullpen as an alternative to Bryan Shaw? I think Ryan Merritt could replace Bauer in the rotation. – Brian, Euclid. Hey, Brian: Perez certainly grew up in the postseason. He looked like a front-line starting catcher, but I think, with all things being equal, Gomes will go to camp as the No.1 guy. The Indians have a lot of money invested in him. The question for Gomes is can he stay healthy after two years of injuries? Tribe pitchers cruise with Perez catching I know Bauer opened last season in the pen, but I think he's a starter and I believe the Indians think that way as well. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 11.13.2016 / SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES / CBA stalemate could hinder MLB’s big-ticket free agents By Nick Cafardo The absence of a new collective bargaining agreement is going to cause problems for a few big-market teams that intend to be big buyers, because they won’t know what the luxury tax threshold will be until the new CBA is in place. The current CBA, which expires Dec. 1, has a $189 million payroll threshold, so you can see why teams such as the Red Sox, Yankees, and Dodgers would be hesitant in signing a big-ticket player until they know the actual luxury tax figure. The general feeling is that the luxury tax threshold will go up, but by how much? There’s been speculation that $200 million or $210 million could be the figure. But if a team signs a big-money free agent prior to the new CBA, it could face unwanted penalties should the luxury tax threshold be lower than expected. Agents who represent elite free agents such as Edwin Encarnacion and Yoenis Cespedes are a little worried that the market may develop late because of this uncertainty. Commissioner Rob Manfred had hoped to have a new agreement in place by the end of the World Series. Now we’re beyond the general managers meetings, when player acquisition discussions start. On Dec. 2, a day after the current CBA expires, the Winter Meetings are on tap in Washington. That’s when trades and signings usually come to fruition. If there’s no new CBA, talks will certainly go on but may not be finalized for a while. There’s always the chance an agreement is worked out by then, but while everyone involved expresses optimism of an agreement happening sooner rather than later, you do hear whispers about one or two major issues holding up the process. Red Sox president of baseball operations said at the GM meetings that “it would be nice to know what the rules are.” Those rules will help determine whether the Red Sox pursue a more expensive DH such as Encarnacion, or whether they need to think cheaper, like Carlos Beltran or Detroit’s Victor Martinez (trade). Sellers don’t seem to be quite as affected by this, but even they have a stake in the new rules because they’re selling to the buyers. The Tigers, for instance, are trying to pare payroll and have offered up their higher-priced veterans, including and Justin Verlander. The new luxury tax threshold also makes a difference to medium-market teams, which may have just one big offseason move to make and would need to know how much they can and should spend. Tigers GM and White Sox GM are looking to sell big-name players. Avila isn’t focusing too much on the luxury tax because he knows that over the next three years he’s going to gradually sell off Detroit’s high- priced assets. And he said he’s not going to force the issue. If teams are interested, great, he’ll try to work out a deal. If not, he said he doesn’t mind carrying Cabrera or Verlander on the payroll. But the problem now is, a delay in the new CBA could hinder his ability to start the process this season. “I don’t know what [the luxury tax threshold is] going to be,” Avila said. “We’re going to make this change in our business philosophy. We were just trying to get younger and whatever that ends up being, it ends up being. The market will decide what will happen. This is probably going to be a three-year process. It starts this winter.” Avila said the Tigers haven’t been able to do what the Indians did at the trade deadline and get a game-changer such as because they didn’t have the young players to pull it off. Avila wants to sell off, get younger, and get to the point where he can pull off a Miller- like deal if needed. Hahn is in a little better position in that his big prize, Chris Sale, has three controllable years left at reasonable money (about $38 million). He also has Jose Abreu, who can opt out of his current contact (which runs through 2019) into arbitration. Abreu was scheduled to earn $12.2 million in 2017 but could do better in arbitration after his third consecutive 100-RBI season. The Blue Jays, feeling they’ll lose Encarnacion and Jose Bautista in free agency, struck quickly to sign to a three-year, $33 million deal, giving themselves cost certainty by signing a lesser-paid DH. BUILT TO LAST? Epstein has Cubs on stable track is likely headed to the Hall of Fame after winning his third World Series with two lovable losers in the Red Sox and Cubs, who went 86 and 108 years, respectively, between championships. Epstein learned from his Boston experience that building a dynasty is tough, but with a new five-year contract in hand, why not give it a try in Chicago? “I feel really lucky to be a part of two great franchises. I’m lucky to be working in major league baseball and showing up to a ballpark every day to work. Winning makes you realize how wonderful the feeling is and it makes you want to do it again,” he said. With a young roster and superb resources, there’s no reason Epstein’s Cubs can’t keep winning. He’s got plenty of experience from the “year after” hangover that plagued the Red Sox. He also knows that key players leave and that you can’t stand pat with your roster. He will lose the valuable , who is retiring, but Epstein said, “I think because we have young players who have now gone through the process and know what it takes to win a World Series, I probably don’t have to search for that guy like David that was such a big part of what we did. I think he really taught our players how to win and what it takes. I have faith that our guys will know what it takes going forward.” He has to decide whether to re-sign free agent or whether to spend the resources someplace else. Epstein said that after winning you can take more chances in roster-building and the draft. You can be a little bolder. Epstein knows how difficult it is to sustain excellence. But at least he now has the experience through trial and of knowing what to avoid. Epstein said he has to pinch himself every day since the Cubs won. It was his dream. And it came true, which is why people are talking about the Hall of Fame. “I give myself plenty of credit in that I still have a chance to screw it up, so we’ll see what happens,” he said. “It means a lot that people I respect would say that. It’s a reflection of great organizations I’ve been able to work for. There’s still a lot to accomplish for fans of Chicago and baseball.” Apropos of nothing 1. has it pretty good in Chicago working under Theo Epstein. But he does acknowledge that he would like to run his own team again, as he did in San Diego as GM. “The structure wouldn’t work without Theo,” Hoyer said. “He gives me a lot of autonomy because he trusts me and we’ve been together for so long. It was easier for me to transition to having been ‘the guy’ in San Diego. My experience with other GMs, making trades, dealing with agents, making deals certainly put me in a good position. I’m just happy I’ve been able to build this with Theo and that we put this Hall of Fame issue to bed. He’s going to be in the Hall of Fame. He deserves it. He’s the best in the game. I’m fortunate to have been able to work with him. I like being part of a group. At some point I would relish [being in charge] again. I aspire to that. But I’m in no hurry. I’ve had opportunities to have that role and I turned them down to stay in Chicago. We had a real talented group back in the day in Boston. I hope all those guys are running teams someday because it means we did our job well.” Hoyer, 43, recently signed a five-year extension with the Cubs. 2. The Diamondbacks quietly hired Jared Porter, the former pro scouting director for the Red Sox and Cubs, as third man behind and Amiel Sawdaye. His official title is assistant GM and senior vice president. Porter hails from Duxbury. 3. Giants GM Bobby Evans will focus on the back end of the bullpen this offseason. “We need to be clear who’s finishing our games. That’s the area where we don’t want to have any doubts. The nice thing for us is we can go different levels in the trade market or free agent market. We’ll have numerous options as to how we stack it up,” Evans said. Mark Melancon is frequently mentioned, but the Giants may also take a strong look at Aroldis Chapman and as well in free agency, or explore a trade for White Sox closer David Robertson. 4. Future non-playing Hall of Famers — , Bruce Bochy, Epstein, and Terry Francona. 5. Nationals president of baseball operations said of Melancon, “He fit into our clubhouse beautifully. He was a great teammate.” But Rizzo also talked up in-house candidates or less-expensive options in free agency to fill the closer role. “It’s a deep group in free agency, so you don’t have to go after that elite group to fill your needs,” Rizzo said. 6. There was a time when you thought there was no better center fielder in baseball than Jackie Bradley Jr. But quite frankly, his play slipped a tad this year and he finished behind Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier and Toronto’s in defensive metrics. While sporting a great arm, some of Bradley’s throws were off the mark. He was not recognized by either Rawlings Gold Glove or Fielding Bible this year. 7. How Ian Kinsler got the AL’s Gold Glove at second base over is a head-scratcher. 8. Is Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado the best player in baseball? Think about it. Great fielder and a great power hitter. 9. ’s value is pretty high because of his ability to play multiple positions, a skill all teams are seeking in young players now. But the older Holt gets, the less valuable he’ll be in that role, which tends to wear players down. 10. The AL Central is an interesting division. The Royals, Tigers, and White Sox are looking to turn over their rosters. The Royals may try to give it one more go-around. The Indians will look to sustain their success. The Twins are looking to take the next step. Updates on nine 1. Jose Bautista, OF/DH, free agent — The Red Sox are a potential landing spot. Bautista loves Boston, loves Fenway, hits well there (.972 career OPS), and has strong relationships with and Brian Butterfield from their Toronto days. Also on the radar are Texas, Houston, Baltimore, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The feeling is Bautista won’t accept Toronto’s qualifying offer and that he will get a multiyear deal somewhere. 2. A.J. Pierzynski, C, free agent — Braves president of baseball operations thinks Pierzynski, who turns 40 on Dec. 30, wants to keep playing. It just may not be in Atlanta. Whether a team takes a chance on Pierzynski, a decent lefthanded-hitting catcher, remains to be seen. Pierzynski, according to Hart, doesn’t want to retire. The outspoken catcher also has a big future in the broadcast booth. 3. Shohei Otani, OF/RHP, Nippon-Ham Fighters — This marvelous two-way player likely won’t be posted this season, but it seems inevitable that the 22-year old righthanded pitcher and lefthanded hitter is destined to be the next great Japanese player in MLB. He recently led the Ham Fighters to the Japan Series title. Otani throws high 90s to 100 and was 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 140 innings this past season. He also hit .322 with 22 homers, 67 RBIs, and a 1.004 OPS. Would a major league team allow him to pitch and play the field? It could be a prerequisite for Otani to sign with a team. Otani can be posted at any time, but mostly likely look for next year as a real possibility. 4. Mike Hazen, GM, Diamondbacks — Hazen said he has been told by ownership that he must keep the payroll around the same as last season (around $100 million), which means Hazen won’t have a lot of room to make big-ticket acquisitions. He also confirmed that he has a gentleman’s agreement with Dave Dombrowski not to raid the Red Sox coaching staff or front office staff further. “We are grateful Dave allowed us to bring in Amiel [Sawdaye] and Torey [Lovullo].” 5. , 1B, Reds — It appears Votto and his humongous contract will stay in Cincinnati unless, of course, Toronto comes calling. Votto has a no-trade clause and is owned more than $170 million. Reds GM said hasn’t spoken to Votto about waiving the no-trade and that he has not had any substantive trade talks with any team. “Joey is a guy we’re building around and we’re not in any conversations with anyone,” said Williams. “He’s so valuable in teaching our young guys. I forsee him being a part of what we’re trying to do.” Would they keep Votto as a draw? “We’ve traded away a lot of players we’ve drafted and developed. He’s one of the few that remains. There’s a sentimental connection with fans no doubt. But it doesn’t have anything to do with attendance and draw. It’s about performance. He delivers.” 6. , RF, Nationals — Will the Nationals try to re-sign Harper to a -like deal? GM Mike Rizzo said, “We’d love to have him long term, but that’s a two-way street.” Harper had a significant fall from his MVP season in 2015. He hit .243 and had an OPS of .814 and hit only .226 in the second half. “The thing that goes unnoticed is he played outstanding in right field, stole 20 bases for the first time in his career. All aspects of his game improved. He struggled in the second half of the season, but there’s not one team that doesn’t have his name circled on the advance report,” Rizzo said. 7. Trae Turner, CF/SS, Nationals — Rizzo expects Turner to start in center field next season, though there is a scenario where Turner is at shortstop and Harper is in center. Rizzo said he’s trying to upgrade the offense. If he obtains a center fielder like Dexter Fowler, for instance, Turner could wind up at shortstop, his natural position. 8. Brett Gardner, LF, Yankees — Expect a few teams to inquire about Gardner’s availability, ones that could use a lefthanded bat/. Gardner could bring back prospects to add to the Yankees’ war chest. “Open to listening on anything,” said GM . 9. Grady Sizemore, OF, free agent — Sizemore was out of baseball last season, but he and his agent, Joe Urban, were at the GM meetings trying to drum up a playing assignment or a coaching job. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files — “The pitcher with the most wins over the last 10 seasons is Justin Verlander with 156. The pitcher with the most losses over the last 10 seasons is Edwin Jackson with 110.” Also, “There were 20 leadoff batters who hit at least 11 homers, led by , who hit 29.” . . . Happy birthday, Wade Miley (30) and Dan Petry (58). How’s that for an encore? Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant is the heavy favorite to win National League MVP honors this week. If he wins the award, to be announced Thursday, he would be just the fourth player in history to win Rookie of the Year honors one year and MVP the next. Only two players — Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 and Fred Lynn in 1975 — swept both awards as rookies. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.13.2016

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