Awards season starts with BBWAA finalists

Esurance voting continues; Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers among awards this week

November 5th, 2017

The Astros took down the Dodgers in an unforgettable seven-game World Series, earning the championship for the first time in franchise history. It was a glorious day for the Astros and the city of Houston, and it capped a fantastic 2017 season in style.
But there's a lot more hardware to be handed out, and it begins today.
Cast your ballot for the Esurance MLB Awards
Before the visiting clubhouse carpets in Dodger Stadium dry out from the Astros' champagne party, the most prestigious individual honors in baseball will be awarded to the best players in the sport.
The celebrated and oft-debated winners of the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Awards will be decided, as will the annual Esurance MLB Awards and a host of other honors.
For two weeks, the memory reels of 2017 will roll almost every night. Here's a handy guide for what to watch:
BBWAA Finalists Show: Tonight, 6 p.m. ET, MLB Network
The season is over, but the debate begins with this one-hour special, which reveals the finalists for the four Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards -- MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year -- for each league. The four honors are determined from votes by two BBWAA members in each of the 30 Major League cities. The votes were counted before the postseason began.
Rawlings Gold Glove Awards: Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Rockies third baseman will be vying for his fifth Gold Glove in five Major League seasons. Royals catcher is hoping for No. 5, too. Astros starter and D-backs starter Zack Greinke can get their fourth. And Cardinals catcher has a shot at his MLB-best ninth. The Gold Gloves are the most prestigious annual defensive awards. Based on votes that combine input from MLB managers and coaches, plus statistical analysis, this year's Gold Gloves are sure to feature some stalwarts and a few surprises.

Players Choice Awards: Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET,MLB Network
This is the 26th annual edition of the awards that are voted on by the peers of the best in the Majors. The Players Choice Awards were voted on in September, and there are three finalists for the marquee honor of Player of the Year: Astros second baseman , Marlins outfielder and Rockies third baseman Arenado. Otherwise, there are multiple awards for both leagues, plus the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award.
Louisville Silver Slugger Awards: Thursday, 6 p.m. ET,MLB Network
The Silver Sluggers honor offense from every position on the diamond, and they're the result of voting by managers and coaches. Angels outfielder has a chance to land his sixth Silver Slugger in a row.
Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards: Friday, 6 p.m. ET,MLB Network
This won't necessarily be a carbon copy of the Gold Gloves. Since 2012, these awards have been determined using a formula that considers basic fielding statistics, but also adds sabermetric analysis and input from scouts. Teams also win awards here, unlike the solely individual Gold Gloves.
BBWAA Rookie of the Year Awards: Monday, Nov. 13, 6 p.m. ET,MLB Network
With Yankees outfielder and Dodgers first baseman having such historic rookie seasons, some might feel these awards will be easy to predict. But there's always the possibility of an upset, and if that's the case, Red Sox outfielder and Cardinals infielder might have a say in the outcome.

BBWAA Manager of the Year Awards: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m. ET,MLB Network
Will usual suspects A.J. Hinch of the Astros or Terry Francona of the Indians get the nod in the American League, or will Paul Molitor of the Twins jump up and claim the honor? And will Dodgers manager Dave Roberts get it in the National League, or will first-year skipper Torey Lovullo of the D-backs take the hardware? We'll find out.
BBWAA Cy Young Awards: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m. ET,MLB Network
Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale has the chance to land his first Cy Young Award in a distinguished career, but Indians right-hander , who's already won one, looks like fierce competition in the AL. In the NL, Dodgers ace is always a contender, but he missed time because of an injury, which might open the door for two-time winner Max Scherzer of the Nationals or a first-time Cy such as Washington's or Dodgers closer .

BBWAA Most Valuable Player Awards:Thursday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m. ET, MLB Network
Trout missed a good deal of 2017, but still qualifies as a contender for AL MVP Award, which he's already won twice. Judge has a legitimate shot at the AL Rookie of the Year Award/AL MVP Award double last pulled off by in 2001, but it just might finally be Altuve's year. In the NL, Stanton's flirtation with 60 homers can't be ignored, and neither can the staggering numbers put up by Colorado's Charlie Blackmon and Cincinnati's Joey Votto. But Arenado and Arizona's might be the last two men standing for one of the more up-in-the-air honors of the awards season.
Esurance MLB Awards:Friday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m. ET,MLB Network
The Esurance MLB Awards annually honor Major League Baseball's greatest achievements as part of an industry-wide balloting process that includes five groups, each of which accounts for 20 percent of the overall vote: media, front-office personnel, retired MLB players, fans at MLB.com and Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) members.
The MLB Awards are an all-inclusive program, encompassing the top players and performances from both leagues from Opening Day through the end of the postseason.
Hall of Famers, team general managers, broadcast-booth legends and you will be among those helping to pick this year's Best Major Leaguer in addition to the winners in the following categories: Pitcher, Rookie, Defensive Player, Manager, Executive, Personality, Postseason Moment and Postseason Performer.
One winner in each category will also be recognized for the year's best offensive play, defensive play, single-game performance, fan catch, broadcast call and player-fan Interaction.
In addition to the aforementioned categories, a panel of MLB experts will identify and recognize the season's best moments and trending topics.
Voting for the MLB Awards will remain open until 2 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 13, by visiting MLB.com/awards. Winners also will be announced live on MLB.com.