Red Sox GM Theo Epstein landed not one -- but two -- Japanese gems in Daisuke Matsuzaka and All-Star Hideki Okajima. Jim Rogash/WireImage.com

AL Executive of the Year Award

1. Dave Dombrowski, Tigers. Got Gary Sheffield for who knows what? Sorta like the Placido Polanco deal. Nice follow-up from a World Series appearance.

2. Theo Epstein, Red Sox. Matsuzaka was his brainstorm. Must have great scouts in Japan (better than the Yankees, that's for sure). Hideki Okajima has been a great bargain find, as well. Julio Lugo misstep keeps him from the top spot.

3. Bill Bavasi, Mariners. His team is a lot better than we give it credit for.

AL Hawk Harrelson Award (Worst Executive)

Side note: there is no award given for worst announcer but if there were, that would similarly be named the Hawk Harrelson Award.

Brian Cashman, Yankees. The long-term plan to get younger makes great sense. Yet, it wasn't an especially good idea to depend on Carl "Hangnail'' Pavano and Kei Igawa.

NL Executive of Year Award

1. Doug Melvin, Brewers. Knew all along it would be better to trade Carlos Lee, and did especially well to get Francisco Cordero and the others. Holdover scouting director Jack Zduriencik has to get an assist for the entire infield, plus Corey Hart.

2. Josh Byrnes, Diamondbacks. Smart to keep all the youngsters together. Team clearly is on the rise.

3. Kevin Towers, Padres. Great trades and keen eye for pitching. Yet, let's hope Milt Bradley isn't the only answer to offensive woes.

NL Ed Wade Award (Worst Executive)

Pat Gillick, Phillies. I loved the Freddy Garcia move at the time, but in hindsight, perhaps a few relievers would have been better. Still, Gillick is Hall-of-Fame worthy for the entirety of his career (not to mention, a thousand percent better than the man he replaced in Philly).

Around the Majors

• Big-league execs say White Sox GM Ken Williams had sought two premium high-level prospects for Mark Buehrle, who, instead, finally signed his four-year extension on Sunday for $56 million. Williams preferred all along to keep Buehrle but in trades had sought either one of two pitchers, Jon Lester or Clay Buchholz from the Red Sox, along with outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Or from the Mets a top pitching prospect (Mike Pelfrey or Phil Humber) along with a top outfield prospect (Carlos Gomez or Fernando Martinez). Both Buehrle and the Sox wanted to get a deal done, and the White Sox did well, considering he got only 44 percent of Barry Zito's $126-million contract (You think Zito's better, do you? Buehrle now has 103 victories to the 102 Zito had heading into free agency).

• Jose Contreras' trade value, meanwhile, is considerably compromised by low gun readings. Some competing execs are wondering how healthy he is after his recent fastball numbers were in the 90-mph range.

• Speaking of Zito, one big-league exec, said, "His breaking ball just isn't the same this year.'' The exec said another factor in Zito's poor start is that he isn't getting the calls he got in the AL, either.

• Mets GM Omar Minaya said Oliver Perez's back isn't a major concern and to look for him before Jorge Sosa. Meanwhile, it was learned that Scott Schoeneweis has been trying to pitch through a leg injury, which may account for his poor performance.

• MLB did the right thing to ask Barry Bonds to participate in the Home Run Derby. No surprise, he did the wrong thing in declining (although, MLB folks weren't exactly heartbroken that he did).

• MLB also showed integrity not forcing Matsuzaka onto the team. Although, a reasonable case could be made that he deserves to be here (10-6, 3.84).

• Forbes magazine used a formula to judge players agents by comparing player salaries to players with similar statistics, and the magazine concluded that New York-based agent Peter Greenberg (and brother Ed) get the best contracts, procuring for their clients a whopping 266 percent above similar players. The Greenbergs have some big contracts in their future, as well, as they represent Johan Santana, who's a free agent after 2008.

Among what Forbes figured were the very biggest agents (more than $100 million in player contracts this year alone), the magazine said that Scott Boras, who is the leading agent with $266 million in contracts for 2007, got the best contracts, at 40 percent over.

• Something tells me that whatever Neifi Perez was taking wasn't doing the trick, anyway.