Posts in Major Leagues (MLB)
Whicker: Re-signing Schwarber is about winning now for Phillies

“Hydrologists worry about 2030. So do climate scientists. Some baseball teams do, too, but generally they’re the ones who are trying to placate their fans. There’s nothing more self-indulgent than talking about the Five Year Plan when you’re 60-102 and you’re still charging eight bucks for hot dogs.

The Phillies aren’t worried about 2030. They proved it on Tuesday when they kept Kyle Schwarber, the 32-year-old king of the Three True Outcomes. Although Cincinnati, Baltimore and Pittsburgh tried to bid high for Schwarber, the Phillies put up $150 million over five years. They had little choice. Not only is Schwarber probably the most popular Phillie since Chase Utley, he’s refining the few things he does well. “

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ICYMI, Kennedy: Hoynes wins BBWAA award, grandson of Kingston HOFer Bill Cook

Paul Hoynes, 74, of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and then Cleveland.com, won the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s Platinum Pen Award (renamed from Career Excellence Award) Tuesday in Orlando at the annual winter meetings. One other writer from Kingston, Ont,. was the first Canadian to win the award — but we forget his name. There could be more on the horizon: Richard Griffin (Kingston, Jamaica) and Jeff Blair (Kingston, Ont.). Last year, Patrick Kennedy wrote about Hoynes’ Canadian grandfather.

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Pivetta, Naylor, Guerrero Jr., Smith headline list of candidates for Tip O’Neill Award

With so many Canadians enjoying standout seasons in 2025, it will be a close competition for this year’s Tip O’Neill Award.

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame presents this award annually to the Canadian player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball’s highest ideals.

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Shushkewich: O'Neill opts to stay with Orioles

Tyler O’Neill isn’t going anywhere. The right-handed hitting slugger, who hails from Maple Ridge, B.C., has opted to stay with the Baltimore Orioles for the next two years. The three-year contract O’Neill signed with the Orioles last winter included a clause that allowed him to opt out of the remaining two years following the 2025 campaign, leaving over $33 million on the table if he decided to test the free agent market. Instead, he will remain in Baltimore, where he will earn $16.5 million in each of the next two seasons.

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