1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Wednesday “Manager of the Year-Strange Votes”

Posted by on November 15th, 2017  •  0 Comments  • 

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“Baseball Awards-High & Wide”

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Wow, this was like a moving strike zone some of the home plate umpires employ.

This vote for Manager of the Year, by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

They were all over the place, and when we got to the final out, the final vote, there were surprises. They voted for the underdog.

Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks, ran away with the balloting for National League bench boss of they year. He took a 93-loss team and made it a 93-win season in Phoenix. He did it despite some major injuries to a couple of key everyday players. He got the benefit of his GM making a bold trade to rent home run hitter JD Martinez.

He got 18-first place votes.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who started the season without his pitching ace Clayton Kershaw, ended the season without vested veteran Adrian Gonzalez, and managed thru an array of DL stints involving starting pitching, was second, but got just 5-votes.

He coaxed a consistent season out of Yasiel Puig. Tolerated a terrible season from former rookie of the year Joc Pederson, and the injury to Corey Seager.

That despite watching his team go thru a (57-11) stretch at midseason …survive a (1-16) pothole…then sprint into the/World Series, he didn’t merit much consideration..

Bud Black, who had the Rockies in the pennant race thru July got 3-votes to finish third.

Over in the American League, it was much the same.

Paul Molitor took a 103-loss Minnesota Twins team to the Wildcard game before the season ended. He found a bunch of young bats, got by with a journeyman starter and rookie right-hander having good seasons on the mound.

Monitor, in danger of getting fired last year, got 18-votes.

The popular Terry Francona, with a great lineup and very good pitching staff wound up second with 11-votes for the very strong summer in Cleveland..

AJ Hinch, whose Astros were blazing hot for half a season, then played home run derby the the playoffs, and won the World Series, got one, that is right ‘1’ first place vote.

Granted the BWAA votes only on regular season accomplishment. Maybe post-season should be considered and you canst your vote the day after the World Series is over.

But it is stunning that winning 103 games in a season and pile-driving thru the playoffs to the Fall Classic, wouldn’t merit stronger consideration.

No argument with the jobs done in Arizona and Minnesota. Just saying the accomplishments at Dodgers Stadium and Minute Maid Park, seemed much more creditable.

Dave Roberts and AJ Hinch had great seasons. They probably deserved more respect in the post-season votes.

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