More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

The dynamic duo each picked up a Silver Slugger award today

Browse more photos »

Coming into 2009, it was not unheard of to expect a Dodger outfielder to win a Silver Slugger award.  In April, I would have pegged Manny Ramirez as the favorite, but instead his two outfield mates, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, each captured the honor today, which recognizes the top offensive performances at each position.

Each Silver Slugger captured his second award this season:  Kemp won a Gold Glove yesterday; Andre Ethier won the Pepsi Clutch Player of the Year award last week.

Kemp hit .297/.352/.490 with 26 home runs, 97 runs scored, and 101 runs batted in.   Ethier hit .272/.361/.508 with 31 homers, 91 runs, and 106 RBI.  Kemp & Ethier were the first Dodger teammates to knock in 100 runs since 2001 (Shawn Green & Gary Sheffield).

Kemp and Ethier become the fourth and fifth Dodger outfielders to win the award, which began in 1980, joining Dusty Baker (1980, 1981), Pedro Guerrero (1982), and Kirk Gibson (1988).

The last Dodger to win a Silver Slugger was Russell Martin in 2007.  The last pair of Dodger teammates to win a Silver Slugger were Mike Piazza and Eric Karros in 1995.

View full size photo »

The Dodgers announced their 2010 spring training schedule yesterday.  Among other things, they open Dodger Stadium with an exhibition against Cleveland on Friday, April 1, followed by a home-and-home with the Angels.  Here is the full schedule (games at Camelback Ranch in blue):

The Dodgers play 15 games at Camelback Ranch.  All times are 1:05pm local time unless otherwise noted.  Tickets and more information can be found here.

by Mark J. Terrill - AP

"So Joe, you aren't really going to walk me every time a runner is in scoring position, right? Right?"

View full size photo »

Albert Pujols unanimously won the 2009 SB Nation National League MVP award, easily defeating Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins.  Dodgers who received votes were Matt Kemp (11th), Andre Ethier (15th) and Juan Pierre (24th).  Here are the results:

Here are our ballots:

Eric: Pujols, Lincecum, Utley, Hanley, Zimmerman, Gonzalez, Fielder, Kemp, Vazquez, Tulo

Phil:  Pujols, Hanley, Utley, Kemp, Tulo, Sandoval, Ethier, Werth, McCann, Escobar

Joe Mauer won the SB Nation AL MVP award.

More photos » by Keith Birmingham - AP

Browse more photos »

Tim Lincecum of the Giants won the 2009 SB Nation National League Cy Young award, easily outdistancing a pair of Cardinals, who figure to be much closer to the real award when results are announced next week.  Here are the results:

My ballot:  Lincecum, Vazquez, Carpenter

Phil's ballot: Lincecum, Wainwright, Haren

Zack Greinke won the AL award, garnering 28 of 29 first place votes.

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

The Bison took home his first Gold Glove award today, joining teammate Orlando Hudson

Browse more photos »

Matt Kemp and Orlando Hudson of the Dodgers are among the National League Gold Glove winners, to be announced later today.  This is the first award for Kemp, and the fourth for Hudson, who also won from 2005 to 2007 with both the Blue Jays and Diamondbacks.  Here are the full list of winners:

This is the first time the Dodgers have had two Gold Glove winners in the same season since 2004, when Cesar Izturis and Steve Finley (who was acquired at the trade deadline that season) took home the hardware.

Kemp, who led all major league center fielders with 14 assists and four double plays (tied with Nate McLouth), is the first second full-time Dodger center fielder to take home a Gold Glove, joining Willie Davis (1971-1973).  Finley played center field for the Dodgers in 2004, but only for 55 games.  Kemp is also just the fifth sixth Dodger outfielder to win the award, joining Wally Moon (1960), Davis, Dusty Baker (1981), Raul Mondesi (1995, 1997), and Finley.

The only other Dodger second basemen to win a Gold Glove award were Charlie Neal in 1959, and Davey Lopes in 1978.

Thanks to Kensai at Memories of Kevin Malone for the scoop.

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

Browse more photos »

In a very close vote, Tommy Hanson of the Braves won the SB Nation NL Rookie of the Year award, over J.A. Happ, Andrew McCutchen, and Chris Coghlan.  Here are the results:

Hanson faced the Dodgers once this season and pitched decently enough, not allowing a run until the fifth inning.  However, he had the misfortune of running into the buzz saw that was Jason Schmidt's turn back the clock game, where Schmidt allowed just one hit (and five walks!) in six scoreless innings.  That game also marked George Sherrill's debut as a Dodger.

Here are the ballots that Phil & I submitted:

Phil:  Hanson, Happ, McCutchen

Eric:  Garrett Jones (yes, I was the one!), Hanson, Casey McGehee

I don't really have a legitimate excuse for not having Andrew McCutchen in my top three.  I whiffed on that one.

Elvis Andrus of the Rangers won the SB Nation AL ROY award.

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

"So Clint, it is May 27. The Dodgers are about to sweep us to make our record 18-28. You are the manager. What are the odds that one of us will win manager of the year this season? Clint? Clint? Are you awake?"

Browse more photos »

The fine blogs of SB Nation got together and voted on all the major awards as the season closed.  The awards are being announced this week, one week before the Baseball Writers Association of America announce the awards that actually have hardware attached.

It should come as no surprise that Jim Tracy of the Rockies won National League Manager of the year.  He received 24 of 30 first place votes, easily outpacing Tony LaRussa of the Cardinals.  Joe Torre finished fourth.  Here are the results:

Here are the ballots that Phil and I submitted:

Phil:  Jim Tracy, Tony LaRussa, Bud Black

Eric:  Tracy, Bobby Cox, LaRussa

Tracy's Rockies finished the year 74-42, although the Dodgers beat them six out of nine games, winning all three series.

Phil and I only voted on the NL awards.  Mike Scioscia of the Angels won the SB Nation AL Manager of the Year.

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

Browse more photos »

All that talk of Joe Torre leaving after his contract expires after next season may have been premature.  T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles TImes brings the news that Torre and the Dodgers are working on a contract extension:

"We were talking about my coaches and I've been thinking about it," Torre says while mentioning General Manager Ned Colletti's name and plans to chat again once Torre returns from a charity function in New York.

"It's been fun. When I came here, I was curious about how it might go. But the last two years have been invigorating. You see progress and your ego tells you maybe you had something to do with it."

It has been rumored that Don Mattingly is being groomed as Torre's successor as Dodgers manager, especially since he declined to interview with the Nationals for their managerial job earlier this week.  Simers also reveals a confirmation of Mattingly's status from the club:

"We'll discuss Don this winter as well," Colletti says. "We believe he wants to stay here and we'll see where that goes.

"When I hired Joe, I told him we wanted to develop continuity here and I would like to have his successor on his staff or at least within the organization. He suggested Don be given a chance and I've told him we'll do that."

One of the main reasons the pending McCourt divorce is troublesome is the dysfunction we all fear it will bring to the organization.  At the very least, extending Torre will bring some sense of stability to the club, as did Colletti's extension last month.  Good or bad, if a new owner comes in, it will be hard to fire the manager and general manager if both have long-term contracts.

Torre turns 70 next season, and is already the oldest manager in Dodger history.

**********

If you are near a radio or a computer at 5:30pm tonight, I will be a guest on the Sunday Sports Final on KABC 790 with Ken Levine and Steve Lyons.  You can listen online here.