SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

by Randy Booth on Nov 6, 2007 2:07 PM EST in SBNation Awards

Another day, another award. Today's award to announce is for the American League and National League Managers of the Year.

The 2007 AL Manager of the Year is ... Eric Wedge:

Here's how the voting broke down:

American League	1st	2nd	3rd	Points
Eric Wedge	16	3	-	89
Joe Torre	1	7	3	29
Mike Scioscia	2	4	6	28
Mike Hargrove	-	1	4	8
Terry Francona	-	1	3	6
Ozzie Guillen	-	1	1	4
John McLaren	-	1	-	3
Buddy Bell	-	1	-	3
Sam Perlozzo	-	-	1	1
Ron Washington	-	-	1	1

First off, I voted for Wedge for obvious reasons. Secondly, Terry Francona really got shafted, I think. Third, guess who voted for Sam Perlozzo? One hint: it wasn't me.

For the NL, SBNation voted for D-Back's manager Bob Melvin. Rightfully so, too. Here's how the voting broke down:

National League	1st	2nd	3rd	Points
Bob Melvin	10	5	2	67
Charlie Manuel	3	5	4	34
Clint Hurdle	3	3	3	27
Lou Piniella	3	2	3	24
Manny Acta	1	2	3	14
Bud Black	-	3	2	11
Bobby Cox	1	-	1	6
Ned Yost	-	1	1	4
Tony LaRussa	-	-	1	1
Bruce Bochy	-	-	1	1

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Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

Agreed. Francona was definitively shafted. I don't understand the Torre vote at all. Wedge makes sense.

by Fenway Fan on Nov 6, 2007 7:15 PM EST reply actions

Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

Considering the Yanks turnaround after an abysmal beginning, I see how Torre got some love.

Manny Ramirez is a bad man

by tommy.otm on Nov 6, 2007 7:53 PM EST up reply actions

Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

Except that most pre-season pundits (for whatever reason) had the MFY winning the AL East with 95+ wins. If Torre gets credit for the strong second half, he has to be blamed for the poor first two months. Wang missing 4 starts doesn't cut it as an excuse, nor does Mussina missing time early on. Carl Pavano on the DL is addition by subtraction, and I don't want to hear about the injuries to the MFY #6, 7, and 8 starters. One could argue that the Sox had more significant injuries in '07: Beckett, Schilling, Wakefield, Timlin, and Manny were all on the DL. Ortiz was hurt all year. In short, Tito did a much better job than Torre.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Nov 6, 2007 8:18 PM EST up reply actions

Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

+1.

by Allen Chace on Nov 6, 2007 8:25 PM EST up reply actions

Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

Torre did pretty well to hold the team together after that first month and a half where they used - what - ten starting pitchers? And saying he should be blamed for a poor start is equivalent to blaming Tito for the Sox' injuries in 2006. The Yanks were a poorly constructed team, but that's on Cashman, not Torre. They crawled back from like 15 games out to make a race of it. I give Torre a lot of credit for that.

In regards to Tito, yes he did an excellent job, and I wasn't comparing him to Torre.

Manny Ramirez is a bad man

by tommy.otm on Nov 6, 2007 8:41 PM EST up reply actions

Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

Though I concur with the Wedge decision, if you were to consider the playoffs then its a totally different outcome. Not even considering in-game managing of the playoffs but how the regular season impacted on the playoffs. What I am getting at is that Wedge overused his two top starters in the regular season and they both ran out of gas in the ALCS.
Tito did get shafted on this voting and when you consider the big picture of not just managing for the regular season, but managing for the impact the season will have on your playoff run, then he wins this thing hands down. I cannot prattle on enough about how well managed/organised the team was this year with respect to balancing out regular season results and the impact that would have on how they would approach the playoffs. It was brilliant and inspirational stuff and is now looking to be copied by other teams.

by sydneysox on Nov 6, 2007 7:32 PM EST reply actions

Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

Wedge has a nice little history over the last 3 or 4 years of "not getting the job done" despite having above average talent on his teams. 05 they choked really hard,06 they didn't exist, and they choked pretty bad in the ALCS, thankfully.

by Matzushocka on Nov 6, 2007 8:03 PM EST reply actions

Re: SBNation 2007 MLB Awards: Manager of the Year

I thought Ned Yost, despite the post ASB swoon, did a pretty good job managing kids--not as good as Bob Melvin, but good.

The Phillies also deserve major credit for winning the NL East. That was a hell of a thing!

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Nov 6, 2007 9:42 PM EST reply actions