Jays extend interim GM LaCava
Longtime executive not going anywhere according to reports
Whether or not he eventually loses the interim tag attached to his general manager title, Tony LaCava at least appears poised to stick with the Blue Jays in some front-office capacity after agreeing to a multi-year contract extension, according to multiple reports.
The extension, first reported by Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal on Tuesday night, was not formally announced by the club, and neither LaCava nor new team president Mark Shapiro would confirm to the Star a deal was in place.
It is unclear for how many years the new deal will be, but it is believed to cover LaCava — who worked under Shapiro in Cleveland prior to joining the Jays in 2002 — whether he is named the team’s permanent GM or if he returns to his role as assistant. Shapiro, who took over from Paul Beeston earlier this month, said he plans to name a GM at some point, but has not set a timeline for that decision.
LaCava made it clear last week when he was announced as the interim replacement for Alex Anthopoulos he would be happy with any role in the organization.
“Whatever the job is going forward, I’m in,” the 54-year-old Pittsburgh native said then. “I’m a Blue Jay. I’ve been here 13 years. I love the city. I love the fans. I love the people I work with — albeit a couple of them aren’t here anymore — but I love the group that we have.”
Alongtime scout highly regarded for his abilities as a talent evaluator, LaCava was the Jays assistant general manager for the last nine seasons, serving as the top lieutenant to both Anthopoulos and his predecessor, J.P. Ricciardi. He is seen as key to ensuring some front-office continuity in the wake of Anthopoulos’s abrupt departure following the franchise’s best season in 22 years.
NEW YORK— World Series MVP Salvador Perez and Kansas City Royals teammates Eric Hosmer and Alcides Escobar have won Gold Gloves.
The awards for fielding excellence were announced Tuesday.
Yoenis Cespedes won the AL prize in left field even though he was traded from Detroit to the New York Mets on July 31.
Perez was honoured for the third consecutive season as the AL catcher, as was Hosmer at first base. Escobar won for the first time at shortstop.
The other AL winners were second baseman Jose Altuve and pitcher Dallas Keuchel of Houston, Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado, Tampa Bay centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier and Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun.
In the NL, catcher Yadier Molina and right fielder Jason Heyward won from St. Louis. Arizona also had two winners with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and centre fielder A.J. Pollock.
Other NL winners were Miami second baseman Dee Gordon, San Francisco shortstop Brandon Crawford, Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado, Pittsburgh left fielder Starling Marte and Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke. JAYS FINALISTS: Josh Donaldson and David Price of the Blue Jays are finalists for the American League MVP award and Cy Young Award respectively.
Lorenzo Cain of the World Series champion Royals and 2014 winner Mike Trout of the Angels join Donaldson as finalists for the AL MVP, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced Tuesday.
“For him to even be recognized in the same conversation with Donaldson and Trout just shows you what level Cain’s game has risen to,” Royals manager Ned Yost said Tuesday night.
Price, who was traded from Detroit to Toronto during the season, won the Cy Young Award as the AL’s best pitcher in 2012. Oakland’s Sonny Gray and Houston lefty Dallas Keu- chel are also nominated this year.
Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper is one of three finalists for the NL MVP award from teams that failed to make the playoffs.
Harper is joined by Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt and Cincinnati’s Joey Votto, who is from Toronto.
Winners will be announced next week on MLB Network, beginning with rookie of the year awards on Monday.
Managers of the year get revealed Tuesday, followed by Cy Young Award winners Wednesday and MVPs on Thursday.
The Cy Young Award finalists in the NL are reigning winner Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers teammate Zack Greinke and the Cubs’ Jake Arrieta.
Houston’s Carlos Correa, Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor and Minnesota’s Miguel Sano are up for AL rookie of the year. Correa and Lindor are shortstops, while Sano played nearly all his 80 games at designated hitter.
In the NL, Cubs slugger Kris Bryant, San Francisco third baseman Matt Duffy and Pittsburgh infielder Jung Ho Kang are finalists.
First-time managers Jeff Banister of Texas and Paul Molitor of Minnesota join A.J. Hinch of Houston as finalists for the AL’s top manager.
In the NL, the contenders are 66year-old Terry Collins of the Mets, Joe Maddon of the Cubs and Mike Matheny of the Cardinals.