It is the MLB Awards portion of the offseason. And since the top awards will be announced next week. It is time for the Laracuente Ledger to announce it’s vote for each award. So without further ado here are our picks for Managers of the Year. Also be sure to take a look back at our preseason MLB Awards Predictions to see if we made the right calls.Â
Now just to set some ground rule for the selections. We will be using the same three finalists as have been announced by MLB. So while JD Martinez deserved real consideration as the AL MVP, he was not one of the final three. And I will also reveal who I believe the BBWAA will actually choose as the winner.
Laracuente Ledger’s Pick for NL Manager of the Year: Craig Counsell
The Milwaukee Brewers were expected to be pretty competitive. But they were not expected to dethrone the Cubs as the NL East Champs. The Brew Crew would battle all season and would be given a vote of confidence in the club. The Brewers front office would add to the club at the trading deadline. The Brewers would employ a strategy in the NL Playoffs that would help them get to the NLCS. It would be the all-out twenty-five plus man roster attack that would allow Craig Counsell to deploy his players in positions to succeed. Which is obviously the goal of every manager. Counsell would have his players believing and driving the same direction
Laracuente Ledger’s Pick for AL Manager of the Year: Kevin Cash
Speaking of another field general that would have his players believing and driving the same direction was Kevin Cash. The Tampa Bay Rays were slated to be rebuilding. And not just a small revamping but an all-out teardown. They traded off long time players and key pieces from previously great runs. Yet cash would be ahead of the forefront with the use of all of his pieces and players.
Kevin Cash would not be afraid to go against the status quo and conventional wisdom. Cash would not be afraid of the potential ridicule that would come from trying something new and different. And it would be that boldness that would keep Tampa in the playoff hunt all season. Tampa would finish with a record of 90-72 when they were more likely expected to finish with the opposite record. And Kevin Cash would be at the helm and in control of the reins guiding the young talented Rays.
