Friday Bird Droppings: Gunnar Henderson was the fourth-place MVP finisher

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

The BBWAA awards announcements wrapped up yesterday with the AL and NL Most Valuable Players, and in no surprise, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani were the unanimous winners for their leagues. But the Orioles got some representation as well.

Gunnar Henderson finished fourth in the AL voting with 208 overall points (behind Judge’s 420, Bobby Witt Jr.’s 270, and Juan Soto’s 229). All 30 voters included him either third, fourth, or fifth on their 10-player ballot, with a few putting him ahead of Soto.

Henderson never had any realistic chance of winning MVP after the monster seasons that Judge and Witt put up, but his strong showing is just another reminder of the young Oriole shortstop’s superstar talent. In only his second full season, the 23-year-old set career highs in every offensive category — including 37 home runs and an .893 OPS — to take his game to another level after his 2023 Rookie of the Year campaign. Last year he finished eighth in the AL MVP voting, and now fourth. I like the direction he’s trending. Though you can never predict such things, there’s a decent chance that Gunnar ends up with MVP hardware on his mantle someday.

Henderson wasn’t the only Oriole to get votes. Anthony Santander garnered one eighth-place and one tenth-place vote to finish 14th overall. It’s the first time in his eight-year career that he’s been named on any MVP ballots, so that’s a nice little feather in his cap as he heads into free agency.

With awards season now over, it’s back to waiting for some hot stove action to boil. On the Orioles rumors front, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the O’s “are exploring the top of the [starting pitching] market with the blessing of their new ownership,” and that they currently appear more interested in Blake Snell or Max Fried than in re-signing Corbin Burnes. I’m partial to Burnes, but I’d take any of ’em. Or how about all of them? Hey, it’s not my money.

Links

4 Orioles prospects now at risk of the Rule 5 draft after roster decisions - Birds Watcher
Tim Smart delves into four minor leaguers the O’s could lose in the Rule 5 draft. It’s not anyone you’d miss.

Seeking answers to four Orioles questions - School of Roch
Roch Kubatko poses multiple-choice questions about John Means, Félix Bautista, Albert Suárez, and new 40-man pitcher Kade Strowd. My answers: Bs across.

Arizona Fall League experience a real plus for several O’s players - and the manager too - Steve Melewski
The O’s didn’t send any big-name prospects to the AFL, but it seems like the guys that went had a fun time and got some good experience. And in the end, really, isn’t that what all of us want out of life?

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You share your day with three former Orioles: lefty Jayson Aquino (32) and outfielders Jay Payton (52) and the late Joe Gaines (b. 1936, d. 2023).

On this date in 1965, Orioles outfielder Curt Blefary won the AL Rookie of the Year Award after hitting 22 homers and posting an .851 OPS as a 21-year-old. Blefary won a narrow decision, 12 votes to eight, over Angels lefty Marcelino López (who would join him on the Orioles two years later). Blefary hit 20+ homers in each of his first three seasons before the O’s dealt him to the Astros for Mike Cuellar.

And on this day in 2021, Trey Mancini was named the AL Comeback Player of the Year, deservedly so. The fan-favorite Mancini, after missing the entire 2020 season battling colon cancer, returned to play 147 games for the Orioles in 2021 and memorably finished second in the Home Run Derby that summer. Mancini hasn’t played in MLB since 2023 with the Cubs, but is looking to make a comeback next year. Orioles: you know what to do.