Notes: FO Shuffle, Players on the Go, Awards, Random Events

And in the past 10 days...

• The Pirates and Frank Coonelly have split after 12 years. Bob Nutting: “Frank and I both agreed that it was clear a change in the day-to-day leadership of the Club is needed...I ultimately decided that the best interests of the Pirates would be served if the club had a new leader who would bring new ideas and a new direction.” Neal Huntington seems safe as GM, though undoubtedly on a short leash w/a new bossman. He was replaced by ex-Penguins COO Travis Williams, who is currently the President of Business Operations for the NHL’s New York Islanders. The official announcement was made Monday, when it was also announced that Neal Huntington was let go, too. That kinda puts the manager search back to square one...

Travis Williams - photo 10/28/2019 MLB.com

• The move did not impress the smart money. BetOnline has the Pirates as 100-1 shots, along with the Marlins and Blue Jays, to win the 2020 World Series. The only teams with longer odds are the Tigers (150-1) and Orioles (250-1).
• The Mets Pete Alonso won The Sporting News Rookie of the Year award in a romp. Bryan Reynolds came in a distant second, nosing out Atlanta's Mike Sokora and San Diego's Fernando Tatis Jr.
• Adam Frazier is the only Bucco Gold Glove finalist. Tough competition, though - Ozzie Albies and Kolten Wong are the other two.
• Making up for a season mostly lost to injury, IF Erik Gonzalez is playing winter ball in the Dominican. He joins Joey O, Pablo Reyes, Bryan Reynolds, Cole Tucker, Michael Feliz, Dario Agrazal and Geoff Hartlieb as guys getting in some extra offseason work, along with a small posse of Pirates minor league prospects.
• The 40-man cha cha begins: The Pirates have outrighted C Steven Baron, IF Corban Joseph and IF Jake Elmore. Then they claimed left-handed reliever Sam Howard off waivers from the Rockies. Howard, 26, posted a 6.63 ERA in 19 innings pitched, with 23 strikeouts but an alarming five homers.
• Jared Oliva, 23, made the midseason and now the end-of-year MLB Pipeline AFL All-Star team. He batted .312/.413/.473 in 26 games for Peoria and led the circuit with 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases while finishing second in hits (29), runs scored (18) and walks (14). The CF'er hit .277 for Altoona this past campaign.

Jared Oliva in the AFL - photo  Pittsburgh Pirates

• All the North Shore redevelopment parties, including the Bucs, have agreed on a plan for a mixed commercial/residential 8-story building, a garage and a green space between Heinz Field and PNC Park.
• WalletHub selected Pittsburgh as the 11th best baseball city in MLB.
• David Ross was named manager of the Cubs and Joe Girardi of the Phils; neither was in play at Pittsburgh.
• Cleveland Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco was named the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award winner. He is a doer of many good deeds.
• Josh Peter of USA Today caught up with a baseball legend, Morganna the Kissing Bandit. She's 72 now and saves her smooches for her hubby (mostly).