>>Epstein Executive of the Year From TSN
Theo Epstein has been voted The Sporting News Major League Baseball Executive of the Year for revitalizing the Chicago Cubs.
Balloting by 56 big league executives took place before the postseason. The Cubs led the majors with 103 wins during the regular season and beat Cleveland in a seven-game World Series last week for their first title since 1908.
Epstein was presented with the award Monday night at the start of the annual general managers meeting. He received 13 votes, followed by Cleveland's Chris Antonetti (nine), the New York Yankees' Brian Cashman (eight), Texas' Jon Daniels (seven), Cleveland's Mike Chernoff and Washington's Mike Rizzo (three each), and Baltimore's Dan Duquette and the Cubs' Jed Hoyer (two apiece).
>>Several Cubs Up For Major Awards
Slugger Kris Bryant, pitchers Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks, and manager Joe Maddon of the World Series champion Chicago Cubs are among the finalists for baseball's major postseason awards.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America announced the top three vote-getters in each category Monday.
The honors will be announced next week on MLB Network. Voting was completed by the end of the regular season.
Bryant, Daniel Murphy of Washington and Corey Seager of the Dodgers are up for NL MVP. Jose Altuve of Houston, Mookie Betts of Boston and Mike Trout of the Angels are on the AL side.
The AL Cy Young Award is between Cleveland's Corey Kluber, Boston's Rick Porcello and Detroit's Justin Verlander. In the NL, it's Lester, Hendricks or Washington's Max Scherzer.
Detroit's Michael Fulmer, the Yankees' Gary Sanchez and Cleveland's Tyler Naquin are finalists for AL Rookie of the Year. Seager, Dodgers teammate Kenta Maeda and Washington's Trea Turner are on the NL side.
Maddon, Washington's Dusty Baker and Dave Roberts of the Dodgers are up for NL Manager of the Year. Cleveland's Terry Francona, Texas' Jeff Banister and Baltimore's Buck Showalter are the AL candidates.
>>Chicago Announcers Up For Frick Award
Longtime Chicago baseball announcers Ken Harrelson and Pat Hughes are among the eight finalists for the Ford C. Frick Award that rewards broadcasting excellence.
The list was presented Monday by the baseball Hall of Fame. The winner will be announced Dec. 7 at the winter meetings and honored on July 29 during the Hall's enshrinement weekend.
The other candidates are Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Bill King, Mike Krukow, Ned Martin and Dewayne Staats. King and Martin are deceased.
Harrelson has spent the last 27 years doing White Sox games on television. Known as Hawk, he was an All-Star outfielder for Boston in 1968, when he led the majors with 109 RBIs.
Hughes has called Cubs games on radio for 21 seasons.
Doucet started with the Montreal Expos during their expansion season in 1969 and spent 34 years doing play-play on their French network.
>>White Sox SP Shields Opts To Stay With ChiSox
James Shields is keeping his contract with the Chicago White Sox rather than become a free agent after tying for the big league lead in losses.
The 32-year-old right-hander was acquired from San Diego on June 4 for pitcher Erik Johnson and shortstop prospect Fernando Tatis Jr.
An All-Star in 2011, Shields was 13-7 in his first season with the Padres in 2015, then went 2-7 this year before the trade. He finished 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA, tying Tampa Bay's Chris Archer for the most defeats.
Shields agreed in February 2015 to a $75 million, four-year deal with the Padres that called for a $10 million salary in the first season and $21 million in each of the next three years. The agreement includes a $16 million club option for 2019 with a $2 million buyout.
As part of the trade, San Diego sent Chicago $8,770,492 this year. Because he kept the contract, the Padres must send the White Sox an additional $11 million in each of the next two years, raising the total to $30,770,492.
