Rival Roundup, Vol. 25: Series Premiere

October is coming to a close; with it, the baseball season, and - impressively - the year, as well. Writing cardigan-clad on a crisp, fall evening instead of a breezy, open-windowed June afternoon, it’s on this Friday morning that I prepare you for baseball’s biggest event, the pinnacle of the sport, which begins again today as per the tradition of the last century-plus.

No, not the World Series. That’s right — yet again, it’s:

RIVAL ROUNDUP TIME, BABY!

• We begin in Cleveland, where Chris Antonetti of the Guardians has been named MLB Executive of the Year by The Sporting News. The Guards, as we know, are not one of baseball’s more wheely-dealy teams — but the division-winning “Baby Guards” proved that something is very, very right in the development pipeline water. Reportedly, Antonetti’s practices earned him twice as many votes as anyone else, in a survey conducted of 29 other front office minds. He previously won in 2017, and may yet win it all over again, like a maniac.
• Elsewhere in the landscape of the front-facing office, the Tiger shakeup rolls on, as Scott Harris kicks current assistant GM David Chadd to the curb, replacing him with new blood from the Tampa Bay organization in the person of one Rob Metzler.

• It’s my personal assessment that anyone who’s spent 15 years around the Rays is not to be trusted, and most certainly not with a division rival. Metzler is poised to take over domestic and international scouting for the Kitties, having established himself as a scouting department leader (despite never having worked in scouting before!) The Tigers are still in search of a GM to serve under Harris, but over Metzler. [Your joke here.]
• Closer to the ground on the hiring carousel, the White Sox skipper opening has suddenly shrouded itself in mystery. This time last week, it sounded like Houston bench coach Joe Espada had been offered the job, though things were still hush-hush with his Astros charging toward the American League pennant. Now, the White Sox media and their followers have engaged in a thrilling social deduction exercise loosely termed “Where’s Ozzie?”

• This report, which came after the report that Espada had the job, was shot down by Guillen himself in a blurb shared with the Chicago Sun-Times. But, wait! That shutdown was then itself shut down by Sun-Times reporter Chuck Garfien, who seemingly “confirmed” that Ozzie had in fact, already interviewed at the top of this week.
• Ultimately, I think it’s safe to say the status of Chicago’s manager for the 2023 season will depend on whether or not he is being observed.
• Let me fire some more names at you. Pedro Grifol. Vance Wilson. Scott Thorman. Matt Quatraro. All of them are candidates on America’s Next Top Kansas City Royals Manager, but none of them are Ozzie Guillen, so it’s time to get out of here.

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Once again, the World Series starts this evening in Houston; the heavily-favored Houston Astros, who continue to prove themselves as a powerhouse organization, will face the underdog Philadelphia Phillies and their powerhouse vibes. Who do you think will win it all? Tell us, so we can all place bets on it.

See you next week!