With the offseason ramping up, here are three things we’re monitoring heading into the weekend…
1. Parade in Arlington:
The first World Series title in Rangers’ history will be celebrated with a parade taking place today in Arlington. It’s set to kick off at 12:15 pm Central time, but local reporting indicates that some fans started lining up last night. If you’re planning on heading down, don’t delay.
2. Mets’ managerial vacancy:
Reporting from yesterday indicates that the Mets are narrowing the field in their managerial search with a hire perhaps being made soon. Craig Counsell, Carlos Mendoza and Mark Kotsay are thought to still be in the running at this point. Could the club have a new skipper by the time Monday rolls around?
3. Free agent pool growing:
The pool of available free agents grew by huge numbers yesterday as players and clubs began making decisions on contract options and opt-outs. Outfielder Jorge Soler, infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield and right-hander Seth Lugo were some of the bigger names to hit the open market, but there were dozens of others. November 6 is the deadline for these decisions and for qualifying offers, with plenty of choices still to be made in the coming days.