Wednesday,
November 17, 2010
Finally!
Ron Gardenhire Named AL
Manager of the Year
After finishing runner-up
in the voting for American League Manager of the Year five times in his first
eight seasons as Twins manager, Ron Gardenhire
finally received an award of his own.
Gardenhire topped Rangers manager and 1987 Twins spring
training competitor Ron Washington for the award. Gardenhire
had 108 points in the vote to Washington’s 81 points. Of the 28 ballots, Gardenhire received 16 first-place votes, eight
second-place votes, and four third-place votes. He was the only manager to
appear on all 28 ballots. Washington received 10 first-place votes. Terry Francona finished in third, while Joe Maddon
finished in fourth place.
Ron Gardenhire led
his team to a 94 win season despite a season full of injury and other
distractions. Before the season even started, he lost his closer, Joe Nathan,
to Tommy John surgery. Joe Mauer missed three weeks
in late April. JJ Hardy’s wrist injury cost him significant time. Orlando
Hudson was injured following a terrific catch. His season-opening 3B Nick Punto missed a lot of time. And Justin Morneau,
who was putting up MVP-type numbers did not play after
July 7th. Several players did not meet expectations, and yet, the
manager coaxed the team to another AL Central title.
Ron Washington was certainly a deserving
candidate. Many believed that the Angels would be a lock to win the AL West yet
again despite all of their losses on and off the field. The Mariners were
supposed to continue to improve. But instead it was the Rangers who fought
bankruptcy and a team sale to dominate the division. The Rangers dominant
offense and surprisingly good pitching staff clawed and moose-eared their way
all the way to the World Series, thanks in large part to second-half additions
of Bengie Molina, Cliff Lee and others. Washington is
a great story, overcoming his admission of cocaine use as recently as last
year. The Rangers stood by him and he rewarded them. Washington is the epitome
of a player’s manager.
Bud Black topped Dusty Baker by 1 point in
the NL voting.
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