Cubs’ Maddon voted NL Manager of Year
NEW YORK — Joe Maddon has won his third Manager of the Year award, earning his first in the NL after guiding the Chicago Cubs to their first postseason berth since 2008.
Maddon got 18 first-place votes for 124 points from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in balloting announced Tuesday.
Maddon becomes the seventh manager to win the award three times and the seventh to earn it in both leagues. He won the AL award with Tampa Bay in 2008 and ‘11.
With NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant anchoring a youthful lineup, Maddon’s Cubs won 97 games, good for third-best record in the majors this year — and third place in the Central. Chicago beat Pittsburgh in the wildcard game before losing to the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series.
Report: Ortiz set to retire after ’16
David Ortiz, the Boston Red Sox slugger who put up some of the best numbers since the prime of his career last season at the age of 39, will retire after the 2016 season, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports.
USA Today Sports reports Ortiz will announce the news Wednesday.
Big Papi, who turns 40 on Wednesday, has a contract guaranteed for $11 million next season.
Ortiz hit 35 home runs last season for the sixth time in his major league career and topped 100 RBI for the ninth time. The nine-time All-Star has 503 career homers, including 445 in 13 seasons with the Red Sox.
Crawford gets $75 million deal
Fresh off his Gold Glove award last week, San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford signed a new $75 million, six-year contract that takes him through the 2021 season.
The team scheduled a news conference for Crawford on Wednesday. Crawford’s new contract covers his two remaining years of arbitration and four years of free agency — and also provides some stability for his young family right at home in the Bay Area. Crawford and his wife, Jalynne, have two young daughters and a son on the way.
A reliable glove in the middle of the infield and first-time All-Star this past season, Crawford, 28, batted .256 with 21 homers and 84 RBIs.