Mike Matheny is a finalist for manager of the year - A Hunt and Peck

Say what you want about Mike Matheny, but at least this did not happen on his watch:

Points for not [redacted] up that badly.

Also, handsomeness.

The other finalists:

Joe Maddon, Cubs
Terry Collins, Mets

what else is going on in baseball...

• On Tommy Hanson, who helped me find my way seven years ago | Talking Chop
  ...

• 2016 MLB free agent predictions | MLB.com
• Justin Upton’s Youth and Power in the Free Agent Market | FanGraphs Baseball
• Everyone wants to sign Ben Zobrist | SBNation.com
• Angels' Albert Pujols has toe, foot surgery | angels.com
• Check out the awkward rookie portraits for seven retiring MLB players | MLB.com
• The Johan Santana comeback is still happening (and Andruw Jones and Carlos Quentin, too) | MLB.com
• Which MLB teams most need positional upgrades? | Sports on Earth
• 2015 Baseball Writers Awards finalists named | MLB.com
• Gold Glove winners announced | MLB.com
• Statcast highlights Wilson Awards for defense | MLB.com
• Kevin Kiermaier on His (Gold Glove) Defense | FanGraphs Baseball
• Silver Slugger Award winners announced | MLB.com
• Veterans to join MLB Diversity Business Summit | MLB.com
• Big free-agent contracts not worth it long-term. | Sports on Earth
• Cuban players to watch this Hot Stove season | MLB.com
• Report: Colby Rasmus to accept qualifying offer from Astros | HardballTalk
• Andrelton Simmons traded to Angels from Braves | angels.com
• The Angels got better with the Andrelton Simmons trade, the Braves got weirder | SBNation.com
• Offseason trades we'd like to see teams make. | Sports on Earth
• The National League’s Weakest Positions | FanGraphs Baseball
• Joe Torre honors David Cone at foundation gala | MLB.com
• Time for a full A-to-Z recap of the weirdness and wildlife that was the 2015 MLB season | MLB.com
• On Friday the 13th, celebrate five of the most superstitious players in baseball history | MLB.com

what the cardinals are up to...

• Cardinal prospect Alex Reyes suspended 50 games for marijuana | Viva El Birdos
• Lance Lynn out for 2016 season with Tommy John surgery | Viva El Birdos
• Yadier Molina, Jason Heyward win Gold Gloves | cardinals.com
• Lynn on elbow injury: 'I decided to keep pitching' : Sports | STL Today
• Cardinals prospect Mike Ohlman makes a highlight-reel catch as the bullpen catcher | MLB.com
• Baseball's hypocritical marijuana rules leave Cardinals prospect high and dry | Yahoo Sports
• The Cardinals have the trickiest offseason in baseball after the Lance Lynn injury | SBNation.com
• The 2015 Cardinal Blogger Awards | United Cardinal Bloggers

KNOW THINE ENEMY...

the nl central

• Anthony Rizzo wins Heart & Hustle Award | orioles.com
• Joey Votto Is the Best at Another Thing | FanGraphs Baseball

viva el stuff...

• Perception vs. Reality: "Closer" division | Viva El Birdos
• The Cardinals Did Not Give Up Shelby Miller for Nothing | Viva El Birdos
• Manny Machado | Viva El Birdos
• Ottoneu Fantasy: Openings in VEBOtto | Viva El Birdos
• On Posnanski's Lessons Learned | Viva El Birdos
• Soon, the Viva el Birdos offseason bookclub, Viva el Libros, will begin! If you have any book suggestions, leave them in the comments for me! 
  My thoughts:
  Five Seasons: A Baseball Companion by Roger Angell
  October 1964 by David Halberstam
  Molina: The Story of the Father Who Raised an Unlikely Baseball Dynasty by Bengie Molina, Jean Ryan
  What do y'all think?

other things...

• Blues Vs. Rangers Recap: Go, Go, New York Rangers | St. Louis Game Time
• 2015 Week 10: St. Louis Rams Vs. Chicago Bears | Turf Show Times