A.M. Wahoo’s: Francisco Lindor the First to Win an Award

Francisco Lindor won a Gold Glove award Tuesday night, which will hopefully be the first of several awards to be won by members of the Cleveland Indians this offseason.

While the country was focused on the election last night, Cleveland Indians fans were able to get a much-needed distraction with the news that Francisco Lindor was named an American League Gold Glove award winner.

Lindor was the easy choice for the award after an amazing season at shortstop, and this award should only be the first of many.

The young shortstop is only 22 years old, (although he turns 23 next week), which shows just how impressive this award is. He is under team control through at least 2021, making him a staple of this team for years to come.

With Lindor, Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez all under team control for the next several years, this infield will only get better. And after nearly winning the World Series, better could mean the team’s first championship since 1948.

Lindor’s award may only be the first for the Indians this offseason, as Tyler Naquin, Terry Francona and Corey Kluber are all up for awards next week. Naquin may not be the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year, but Corey Kluber is a legitimate contender for the AL Cy Young award and Terry Francona is the easy choice for the AL Manager of the Year award.

It is no surprise that the Indians are so well represented in the postseason awards, but it is still a great sign for the future of this team. The disappointment of losing the World Series still looms large, but it is great to see certain individuals be recognized for what was truly a special season of baseball in Cleveland.

And while the nation is caught up in politics, it is always nice to draw some positivity from sports. Let’s now take a look at the news surrounding the Indians and the rest of the MLB in today’s edition of A.M. Wahoo’s.

Cleveland Indians News:

Terry Francona is the Easy Choice for AL Manager of the Year

"Postseason play is not supposed to be a factor when deciding postseason awards, but it is going to be hard for any voter to ignore what Terry Francona did for the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 postseason."

How a Healthy Brantley Could Impact 2017

"The saga of Michael Brantley in 2016 became something of an epic tragedy."

2016 in Review: Yan Gomes (Let’s Go Tribe)

"On March 31, 2014, after a tremendous 2013 campaign, the Cleveland Indians finalized a deal with catcher Yan Gomes that would keep him in Cleveland through at least 2019 with club options for 2020 and 2021."

Tribe Plans to Use FA to Complement, Not Build Team (Indians.com)

"The Indians came within one victory of winning the World Series, and they did so with a team that was mostly homegrown."

MLB News:

MLB Rumors: Rays Will Consider Trading Evan Longoria (FanSided)

"The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off a bad 2016 season, as they won just 68 games and finished last in the American League East by a substantial margin."

Three Giants, Two Cubs Among Winners of Gold Glove Awards (ESPN.com)

"First baseman Anthony Rizzo and right fielder Jason Heyward from the World Series champion Chicago Cubs have won Gold Glove Awards."