hawk, hughes up for award
Former White Sox broadcaster Ken Harrelson and current Cubs radio voice Pat Hughes are among eight finalists for the 2020 Ford C. Frick Award, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced Friday.
The award is presented each year for excellence in baseball broadcasting.
Harrelson, 78, and Hughes, 64, join Joe Castiglione, Jacques Doucet, Tom Hamilton, Ned Martin, Mike Shannon and Dewayne Staats as the finalists.
Harrelson, who also was a finalist in 2007, 2014 and 2017, retired from broadcasting after the 2018 season after serving as the voice of the White Sox for 33 seasons.
Hughes called Brewers games from 1984 to ’95 before joining the Cubs in 1996.
The winner will be announced Dec. 11 at the winter meetings in San Diego.
♦ Third-base coach Brian Butterfield and conditioning coach Tim Buss are leaving the Cubs to join Joe Maddon’s staff with the Angels, according to reports. John Mallee, who was the Cubs’ hitting coach from 2015 to 2017 before taking the same job with the Phillies, also is headed to the Angels. Former Mets manager Mickey Callaway was named the Angels’ pitching coach.
♦ The Mets hired nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran as their manager. Beltran, who’s two years removed from playing and has no managerial experience, received a threeyear deal with an option for a fourth.
♦ The Marlins declined their $16 million option on infielder Starlin Castro for 2020 and will pay him a $1 million buyout, allowing him to become a free agent.
♦ Mike Moustakas declined his option with the Brewers to become a free agent.