Chris Antonetti named executive of the year by Sporting News

It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year — off-brand award season! Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, Cy Youngs, MVPs, and the like aren’t coming until after the season concludes, but we still get Sporting News and Sports Info Solution Awards, which I guess makes up for almost a full week without baseball*.

*it does not

Ok, joking and mild bitterness about the lack of baseball aside, the SIS Awards are neat because they are from a different perspective than a lot of the player/front office voted awards, or even the ones voted on by other writers. It’s purely statistical-minded folks picking the winners by their own criteria.

Cleveland Guardians news

Cleveland Guardians President Chris Antonetti named Sporting News Executive of the Year | WKYC
While the Guardians were hardly wheeling and dealing talent this year — something you might normally associate with an executive of the year — virtually all of their success is a reflection of the foundation that Antonetti and the rest of the front office have built since he took over as president of baseball operations in 2015. All the home-grown players coming up, all the players of past trades flourishing past the players they were acquired for — it all starts with Antonetti. A well-deserved honor for Antonetti, and probably not the last.

Just don’t try to congratulate him on Twitter.

Winners of Fielding Bible Awards announced | MLB
Guardians defenders are already taking home hardware before the Gold Gloves are announced next month. Steven Kwan and Myles Straw have been awarded Fielding Bible Awards by Sports Info Solutions, recognizing their great defense in the outfield.

Guardians player heads to World Series, but not to play | FOX 8
So, this is cool. Triston McKenzie will be a behind-the-scenes social media correspondent for MLB during the World Series. Hopefully it’s not the last time he gets to the World Series while under contract with the Guardians, if you catch my drift.

According to MLB, McKenzie will attend Game Two in Houston and Game Three in Philadelphia where he will interview players on the field, make appearances on MLB Network, and give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the Fall Classic on MLB’s social media accounts.

Around the league

• The World Series starts tonight!
• Spencer Stride is the Sporting News Rookie of the Year.
• David Stearns steps down from Brewers.
• George Springer had elbow surgery.
• Red Sox, Rafael Devers isn’t particularly close on extension talks.