Maddon, Piniella named Managers of the Year

[SeriesFinale]

Story.

Glad to see Piniella get recognized for leading a defending division-winner with a 9 figure payroll back to the playoffs to get steamrolled. Again.

Sveum got one vote, by the way.

[billyhallfan]

why did lou win? that is ridiculous...

[adamb100]

Ned Yost deserved manager of the year more than Piniella.

[fondybrewfan]

Who the heck gave Svuem a 3rd place vote?

I guess I don't hav a big problem with Pinella. The voting was done before the postseason was complete and it isn't like anyone else really made a name for themselves anyways. Who else should have gotten it if it is a regular season award?

[joepepsi]

I don't know who else you give it to in the NL. They were probably the best in the league on paper at the the start of the season. They finished with the best record in the league. At least he didn't screw up anything. Sometimes that's all you need from a manager.

 

Hard to argue with Maddon, although Gardenhire deserves a lot of credit. I suppose Ozzie does as well. The Blue Jays turned around once Cito became manager.

[TooLiveBrew]

Who the heck gave Svuem a 3rd place vote?

 

Another poster in a different thread (sorry, can't remember which one... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif) guessed that was Haudricourt

[Ennder]

Cubs were not a 97 win talent team so I have no problem giving it to them. Deserves it more than say Torre for taking the dodgers to the playoffs when they played under their talent level. I'd have gone with LaRussa mid season but then they came back down to earth.

[apirk]

I think LaRussa and Cooper did a much better job managing the talent on their team. Neither of those teams should have been competitive.

[RU Rah Rah]

I think Gardenhire did a great job, but I can't imagine voting for him over Maddon (as one voter apparently did).

[TooLiveBrew]

MOTY is usually awarded more as a team honor anyway, so I really can't say the selections are surprising. While I agree that Piniella is a rather uninspired pick, I can't think who I would say is a better choice in the NL. Maybe Manuel? But I guess that's with the postseason in mind, and I really don't think Manuel was all that incredible. The fact that most managers are so similar makes these choices hard imo.

[RightFieldCoder]

Was Ned Yost on the ballot? Maybe you could only choose the current Brewers manager and someone wanted to cast a vote for the combination of Yost and Sveum.

[joepepsi]

The selections aren't surprising, but La Russa and Coop probably did the best managing in the league.

[Fatter than Joey]

I think Pinella was a reasonable choice.

[Cracked Bat Collector]

THey may not have made the playoffs but why not give Fredi Gonzalez this award? He has a $21 million payroll team to work with, finishes 7 games over .500 and the Marlins stay in the division race most of the year? Pinella had a $120 million payroll team...pathetic.

[Fatter than Joey]

It seems to me that judging a team based on payroll is more of a measure for a front office than the field manager.

 

A team's payroll could easily be tied into crappy overpaid players, that a field manager needs to get some sort of production out of.

[Invader3K]

How did Maddon not win unanimously? He took a 96 loss team and turned them into a 97 win team that made it all the way to the World Series in one year. Really no other manager in the AL should have even been considered.

[TooLiveBrew]

Maddon didn't sprinkle magic dust on the team & transform them himself though. The team got an influx of top young talent that turned it around. Maddon, just like Piniella, had little to do with it.

[Invader3K]

I don't know if that's totally fair. If you're going to criticize the manager when the team fails, you need to at least give some credit when they succeed. Yes, they got lucky with some really good young talent, but this wasn't a team with a high payroll like Boston or New York. In fact, given that Tampa plays in the AL East, it's even more of an accomplishment.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't criticize the manager just because his team fails (like I said, I think MOTY tends to be a team award). I think Ned Yost was of about the same impact in 2004 as he was in 2008. And fwiw I don't think they got lucky with young talent -- just like I don't think the Brewers have. I agree 100% that the Rays having the season they did in the AL East is incredible. Just goes to show how far talent takes you.

[Fatter than Joey]

Maddon, just like Piniella, had little to do with it.

 

This statement is inaccurate and unqualified.

[TooLiveBrew]

The talent had far more to do with it than the managers.

 

Better?

[Fatter than Joey]

Yes, that's much better.

[TooLiveBrew]

Keeping a smile on your face is my job #1 http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif