Area well-represented among finalists
The Astros and the Houston area were wellrepresented Tuesday when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced the finalists for the American League and National League BBWAA awards.
Shortstop Carlos Correa is one of three finalists for the American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award, and ace lefthander Dallas Keuchel is a finalist for the Cy Young Award.
A.J. Hinch is a finalist for the Manager of the Year Award. He’s vying for that honor with the Twins’ Paul Molitor and the Rangers’ Jeff Banister, who starred at La Marque High and the University of Houston.
The Astros didn’t place a finalist in the AL MVP race, but The Woodlands High graduate Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks is a finalist for NL MVP along with the Nationals’ Bryce Harper and the Reds’ Joey Votto.
Correa, who is vying to become only the second Astro to win a Rookie of the Year Award and the first since Jeff Bagwell took the NL honor in 1991, is competing with the Indians’ Francisco Lindor and the Twins’ Miguel Sano.
Even the NL Jackie Robinson Award has a Houston link, considering the Cubs’ Kris Bryant was one of the players the Astros passed on to draft pitcher Mark Appel first overall in the 2013 draft. Bryant, picked second overall, is now vying for NL Rookie of the Year against the Giants’ Matt Duffy and the Pirates’ Jung Ho Kang.
Former Astros manager Terry Collins of the Mets, Joe Maddon of the Cubs, and Mike Matheny of the Cardinals are the three NL Manager of the Year candidates.
The award winners will be announced over four days next week.