October 10, 2009

AL Manager Of The Year

JoS is part of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance and the site is gathering votes for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year.

There are three Red Sox blogs in the BBA; Derek (Inside The Monster) and Christine (Boston Red Thoughts) run the other two.

I don't usually post end-of-season awards (choosing instead to make fun of the BBWAA's stupidity and poke holes in its "logic"), but I'll be making lists this year ...
AL Manager of the Year

1. Don Wakamatsu, Mariners
2. Jim Leyland, Tigers
3. Terry Francona, Red Sox
... and making fun of the BBWAA. (Its website used to be horrendous; it's better now.)

12 comments:

laura k said...

This would be more fun for your readers if you would show your work. How about a very brief "why" for each?

allan said...

Pfft. I was only going to do that for MVP and CY. Plus I have no real "work" to show.

1. Don Wakamatsu, Mariners
Seattle improved by 24 games (61 wins to 85). The press I have read on him is universally good.

2. Jim Leyland, Tigers
Detroit nearly went last to first this year. Then again, with Leyland at the helm, they went from 2nd in 2007 to 5th in 2008, so ...

3. Terry Francona, Red Sox
I'd vote Tito #1 every year, simply because it's so much fun (and historically rare) to have an intelligent manager running my team. But I'm trying to be semi-professional here.

laura k said...

See? This is already more than I meant.

Thanks! Your fans will appreciate the extra bit of typing.

allan said...

And they can poke holes in my "logic"!

laura k said...

Its website used to be horrendous

OW! My eyes!

andy said...

Can Girardi be in the running? We all thought it was gonna be another year of failure but they turned it around. He changes pitchers too much and I think over coaches but they have the wins to back that up.

allan said...

I thought everyone annointed them champs back in March. They started slow, but I have a hard time giving him much credit for their finish.

9casey said...

You can pick who you like , but no Gardehire , especially over Leyland, and me makes the playoffs after losing his starting first baseman and third baseman, one being a former MVP.....

Rob said...

I'm not trying to be pessimistic here, but it just feels different this year. There isn't that rally cry resounding all over "Red Sox Nation" with Kevin Millar throwing out the first pitch or big red "NO PANIC" signs everywhere.

Seems strange to me. Then again, I'm really not freaking out. I'll watch the game tomorrow with all the rest of you, and make sure to thread because it could be the final game of the season.

I don't know. It really does feel like it will be. Even though it feels like it's way too soon!

Prove me wrong, Boys.

allan said...

If we had any bats at all, I'd feel a lot better. The offense is was really dead.

Just win one.

Hendu throws out the first pitch tomorrow! MOJO!

allan said...

I usually get to work at noon. Will have to leave the house early to get settled before the game.

Unknown said...

Don Wakamatsu? Fine.

Leyland? Tanked.

Francona? Underacheived. This team was picked to finish first by the majority of writers before the season.

Please explain how Leyland or Francona outperformed Mike Scioscia...