News, Notes, Ol' Bucs Still Playing...

Here's what's happening going into the weekend:

• Edgar Santana had his TJ surgery Thursday and all went as expected for the righty.
• In a vote by a combo of players and industry folk, Yahoo selected its All-MLB team for 2018. One Pirate made it as a third-teamer: Felipe Vazquez.
• Gregory Polanco is the Bucco nominee for the Henry Aaron Award, given to the best all-around hitter in baseball.

Nik, we hardly knew ye (photo via ESPN)

• Nik Turley was outrighted off the 40-man roster. The lefty was claimed from the Twins last year but got smacked with an 80-game PED suspension and then injured his elbow, so the Bucs got no look at him in a wasted season.
• The Bucs, who set an all-time low at PNC Park by drawing just 1,465,316 fans this year, aren't alone in shrinking gates. Ronald Blum of the AP writes about the attendance woes across baseball, with causes ranging from miserable spring weather to teams that are non-competitive during their rebuilds.
• BTW - the final line for Tyler Glasnow at Tampa Bay was 1-5/4.20 (4.38 FIP). He was 1-2/4.34 (3.63 FIP) with the Bucs this year. Austin Meadows got a quick look (the Pirates aren't the only team that sits on service time) and hit .250/1 HR in 24 at-bats.
• Guessing you may have noticed, but the Yankee playoff roster features Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Adeiny Hechavarria, AJ Happ and Stephen Tarpley. Houston has Gerritt Cole & Charlie Morton on their postseason list, Boston has Brock Holt & Steve Pearce on their 25-man and the Tribe stocked their pine with Rajai Davis & Michael Martinez.
• The Brew Crew are carrying Joakim Soria, Erik Kratz and Keon Broxton. David Freese is on the Dodger list; no ol' Buccos for the Bravos or Rox.
• No surprise that the Yankees beat this year's feel-good club, the A's - Oakland has dropped eight straight winner-take-all postseason games, the longest streak in MLB history. They haven't won a do-or-die match since Game 7 of the 1973 World Series, per SABR.