Florida was privileged to see some first-rate managing this season. Don Mattingly of the Marlins and Kevin Cash of the Rays have been named the Manager of the Year in their respective leagues, per the BBWAA NL and AL announcements. The ballots for the 30 participating writers in each league can be seen in full on the announcements page.
Mattingly becomes just the fifth manager to win the award after having won an MVP award as a player, which Mattingly won with the Yankees in 1985. The Marlins’ skipper finished with 20 of 30 first-place votes and 8 second-place votes. He was left off two ballots. He finished with 124 total points, well ahead of the Padres’ Jayce Tingler, who finished second for the award with 71 votes. David Ross of the Cubs finished third with 25 votes. Ross and Tingler each head into just their second years on the bench, while Mattingly will be entering his 6th season as the manager of the Marlins next season.
The award comes in the same season that his former club, the Los Angeles Dodgers, won their first World Series of this century. Mattingly managed Los Angeles from 2011 until 2015, finishing in first place for the final three seasons of his tenure there, which began the Dodgers’ current stretch of 8 consecutive division titles.
This season, Mattingly helped the Marlins to a 31-29 wild card run that ended their playoff drought at 16 years. The Fish enjoyed quite the turnaround after suffering 98 and 105 losses in the two seasons prior. Perhaps a more telling harbinger of the hardware that would be coming Mattingly’s way was the way his club battled throughout the postseason. They swept the NL Central champion Cubs in a three-game series before being swept themselves in a 3-game series by the division rival Braves. The Marlins were without star centerfielder Starling Marte for their NLDS series.
In the American League, Kevin Cash wins a new trophy for his mantle after leading the Tampa Bay Rays to the World Series. He received 22 first-place votes, 5 second-place, and 1 third-place vote to finish with a total of 126 points. He was left off two ballots. Rick Renteria – who has been dismissed by the White Sox – finishes in second place with 61 points. Charlie Montoyo of the Blue Jays finishes in third place with 47 votes. This is Cash’s first time winning the award.
Cash has taken his lumps of late for pulling Blake Snell in Game 6 of the World Series, but he’s more than deserving of this award. He led the small-market Rays to a 40-20 record, the best mark in the American League. They swept the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Round before heading to a decision final game in each of the next two series. They outlasted the Yankees in the divisional round and the Astros in the ALCS to win the pennant. It was just the second time in Tampa’s history making it to the World Series.
Congratulations to Cash and Mattingly.
Wait…. A reasonable, respectful person? Here? I think you’re a bot.
Honestly, I thought Melvin deserved it or atleast a nomination. The way he managed that bullpen was magnificent, I just feel Kevin Cash had the best and most talented team in the AL and everyone knew it before the season started.
The Rays were expected to win 82 games in March. The Yankees were an overwhelming favorite and expected to win 96 games. Cash is a great manager that got the lowest payroll team in the AL, and one that was beset with injuries during the season, to the World Series.
Really?
Cash won? His decision in the World Series for pulling Snell will go down as one of the worst in history! I guess I shouldn’t judge off of one mistake
Manager of the Year is voted on at the end of the regular season. Postseason has no influence.
I just want to say this now: does anyone else see the irony in the fact we all thought Cash would out manage Roberts in the WS but yet he is the one who got out managed?
I wouldn’t say Roberts “out managed” Cash, no, instead I would say Cash over-managed himself. Lots of nit picky, unnecessary things were done in the postseason that seemed like he was trying to lean into what he’s know for… which in turn cost them the WS. It’s something that I think he himself will reflect on and hopefully change if he ever does get that far again.
I don’t understand this take. The focus should have been that the Rays couldn’t score runs, not that Snell was pulled. They scored one run, won’t win many games doing that.
Terry leaving Harvey in Game 5 was a worse decision than pulling Snell
I thought TC made the right call, it just didn’t work out (although letting the player talk him into changing his mind wasn’t a good look)
Cash made the right decision.
Snell had not gone past 5.2 IP all season. Rarely has his whole career.
His velocity was way down in the 6th. 5 mph on his FB.
He was all over the place. Missing the catchers glove by feet, not inches.
He was showing he was tired by how long he was taking to throw each dang pitch.
That was a tired pitcher.
Koa
That’s an absolutely false statement. Not even remotely true. He threw four pitches in the sixth, three of them for strikes.
The lone fastball he threw in the sixth was 94.3, and unless he was sitting 99 (which he wasn’t), it wouldn’t be possible to be down 5 mph.
scout.texasleaguers.com/players/605483/games/13266…
Snell had not gone over 5.2 IP all season and he averaged a tick over 4.5 IP. He didn’t average 5 IP in 2019 either. Snell is not a guy you allow to go deep in games.
As far as pitch speeds I was going by the broadcast and I chart the pitches. The broadcast showed 91 mph. Which is over 5 mph slower than the 96+ mph he had been averaging in the game. In the 5th he had 3 FB to Bellinger of 97 mph and 3 pitches of 96 mph to Taylor, so even 94 mph is a substantial drop in velocity.
He was missing his catchers spots wildly. On the pitch that Pollock popped up, Zunino was calling for low and inside on Pollock’s back foot. It was outside and thigh high. He was lucky it wasn’t a home run. The first pitch to Barnes was in his eyes, the 2nd was supposed to be in the dirt and was thigh high, and the third was called as a back door slider at the knees that was hung at the top of the strike zone.
He was taking 27-28 seconds per pitch after averaging 18 seconds from the 1st to the 5th inning.
I’m not the only one that pointed out how tired he was.
baseballprospectus.com/news/article/62866/moonshot…
You can believe what you want. I will go with the decision of the best manager in the AL this season.
Koamalu is notorious for making blatant false statements, and here is no different.
And using multiple accounts and claiming to speak to insiders
The losing manager
Koamalu, even if you think that Cash made the right decision to pull Snell(I don’t) you must agree that his decision to put Anderson in the game was horrible. Anderson had pitched like complete trash in the postseason, so putting him in the game to face Mookie Betts in a one score game was a disaster.
Anderson was the wrong call in hindsight. He had a 0.55 ERA on the season, so I am not so sure any of us would have made a different call.
Yeah, I get that his regular season ERA was awesome, but he had just set a record by giving up a run in six consecutive postseason games(seven after replacing Snell). Based on that recent lack of success, Cash should have known better than to put him in the game.
You go with the players who got you there.
@Koamalu it wasn’t true when you posted this in Friarhood, what made you think it would be true this time?
What is Friarhood?
The place where you posted these comments:
“Cash followed the script they had followed all season. Snell rarely makes it out of the 6th and he was obviously gassed. His velocity dropped 5 mph in the 6th, his command was gone after 5 innings of the catcher rarely having to even move his glove, and he was taking more than 25 seconds between pitches after taking 15-16 seconds earlier in the game.”
“Everything wasn’t going Snell’s way in the 6th. That is the point.
He was finished.”
“lmao. 4-5 mph drop in velocity, missing his catcher’s spots be 2-3 feet, and talking 10 seconds longer between pitches than in previous innings. It didn’t take a genius or analytics to see clearly that he was gassed. Cash did the right thing. The reliever didn’t come through. But that doesn’t change the fact that Snell was done.”
“No. CASH knows Snell better than you do. Maybe you need to learn more about what signs mean a pitcher is done. It’s not analytics and it’s not on paper. It’s on the field. Its sad that you feel you are competent to argue the point when you missed the obvious signs of a pitcher that is gassed.”
“No its not. Once a pitcher is showing signs of fatigue in the SAME MANNER HE HAS SHOWN ALL SEASON, why in the world would any sane manager leave him in?”
I’m trusting you’re being ironic.
Metsfan,
What’s your critique of the fourteen AL managers and the decisions they made that prevented them from overtaking the Rays for the pennant?
It’s a regular season award man. His decision making was nearly flawless all year. He’s a fantastic manager the way he gets buy in from the team.
Even if it involved postseason decisions, you going to give it to Dusty Baker, Aaron Boone, or Montoyo for their stellar work in the postseason?
I do believe that Jayce Tingler should have won the award, but what Mattingly did with this Marlins team was impressive. As for Cash, this is a regular season award, so he deserved it.
I’m not knocking on anyone but I don’t get all the love for Tingler. He walked into a good roster. He butchered the Tatis bat flip situation too.
Yeah, that’s fair to say. However, going into the season, a lot of people predicted that the Padres would be a .500 team, and they ended with the second best record in the National League, which is quite impressive. He did butcher the Tatis situation though.
I would tell you as an opposing fan, that they were a well coached team. Significantly better than last year.
I think Atlanta, San Diego, and Los Angles(Dodgers) all were better than Mattingly!!!!!!!!
Was never a fan of Mattingly on the Dodgers. Always thought he was a clown, but you can’t deny what he did in 2020. To win games with that many roster moves and doubleheader is astounding. To top it off, they beat the Cubs in the postseason. Watch out- the Marlins look good.
Cash is so money!*
*except in the World Series
Good thing the TB Rays stadium went cashless a few years ago.
A little over five minutes into his nine minute acceptance speech Cash will abruptly stop talking and lose the award.
LOLOL
I mean… Kevin Cash wasn’t the Manager of the ENTIRE Year…
I’d like to hear their argument for not including postseason results in the voting
Yeah, personally I thought it was Dusty Baker’s award to lose. He did such a great job taking a down and out Astros team and injecting life into them (hence being the manager of the year).
Fully agree. Baker definitely deserves the running up award.
Bro, Dusty took the reigning AL champions and led them to a sub-.500 finish. The fact that he even managed to net one third place vote is baffling.
Or you could say he took a team that lost their 1a and 1b aces, their ROY slugger, their shutdown closer, and two of their star players for extended periods mid season, to the ALCS. Not to mention being hated for cheating, having star players forget how to play, and having an all rookie bullpen, but nevertheless, a pessimistic point of view is always a refreshing one. Few more to note: having an 8th inning guy be the closer because of rookies, and having zero acquisitions mid season because of the front office shakeup. Oh… and some of the players caught Covid for extended time.
@Rangers29 Only one manager has ever won MOY with a losing record. That was Joe Girardi in 2006 and that was because people expected the 2006 Marlins to lose 100 games and they managed to stay in the Wild Card race for most of the season. Coming off an AL pennant with most of their key players still there, the 2020 Astros had MUCH higher expectations than the 2006 Marlins.
You could argue that it was Dusty’s fault that the star players forgot how to play. And as far as him taking the team to the ALCS, the award was voted on the day after the regular season ended. That was before the Astros made it to the ALCS.
Dusty Baker had no case for 2020 AL Manager of the Year. Stop it with your delusion. I’d be surprised if he’s still the manager in 2022.
I would be surprised if he’s still the manager in 2022 seen as how he is in his 70’s and he really seems like a transitional guy, but why would that matter to this argument anyways?
And I highly doubt that Baker was the cause of the Astros’ players ebbs. I would blame that mainly on the cheating scandal and the demonizing of the players in every city they went to. Especially Altuve just forgetting how to play defense.
Baker did what he needed to do and more. He found viable ways to win games, squeaked out of close games with a bullpen full of wet-behind-the-ears pitchers, got production out of Tucker, Maldonado, Javier, and Framber, and also kept his players motivated and didn’t let them take themselves over with emotions.
I see that as a win in its own right. Not to mention making it to the ALCS which was the cherry on top.
He’s not going to be the manager in 2022 because he’s just not a good manager They wanted someone safe for two years in the wake of the sign stealing scandal. After 2021 they will go out and get a real manager
So Tucker, Maldonado, Javier and Framber playing well was Baker’s doing but Altuve and Correa playing poorly wasn’t? Holy self-serving bias Batman!
Again, they finished below .500. Only one manager has ever finished below .500 and won MOY. And he was managing a team with historically low expectations. The Astros didn’t have that.
And once again, the awards are voted on before the postseason. Making the ALCS means absolutely nothing as far as this award goes. Not any kind of cherry on the top.
Stop being so obtuse and admit that Baker is one of the worst managers in the game. Not deserving of AL MOY in any way, shape or form.
I won’t admit that Baker is one of the worst in the game because he’s not, but I will say now, that I think Cash is deserving of it though Baker is in second.
Baker didn’t cause Bregman or Altuve’s cold streaks because they were both there in 2017, hence being guilted for being on that team, and knowingly being cheaters. The others I said weren’t. Everyone was waiting on Framber and Tucker to make the jump to the bigs, and they did in flying colors this season. Javier and Maldonado were both surprises in their own right.
Looking at it for a while I will now say that Cash deserved it especially since it was pre-postseason. Despite that I don’t know how you could say Baker is a bad manager, he’s still one of the best when it comes to getting the best out of guys.
No, Baker is in dead last.
You couldn’t possibly know that Bregman or Altuve’s cold streaks were because of them being guilted for being on the 2017 team. It’s just a theory. Just like your theory that Framber, Tucker, Javier and Maldonado’s successes were because of Baker. And it’s not like Framber and Tucker weren’t top prospects who were expected to do well
The fact that Baker even got one third place vote baffles me.
At this point let’s just agree to disagree. Because we all know who’s right… lol
No we will not agree to disagree. You’re wrong and in denial. Your view is wrong and always will be. Don’t even try to play like you have a rational argument because you don’t.
Really? You are seriously going to push it this far? I am not going to sit here and say Baker is the worst manager is baseball because he isn’t. I’m done. Good night.
Thank you. Every team Baker manages turns to dust when it matters.
Never has been. Never will be. This is a regular season award. They don’t need to put up an argument.
If anything you would need to put up an argument as to why they should give an award based on a small sample size.
Congratulations to two managers that helped young teams navigate arguably the most difficult season in recent history.
Both were excellent choices. It was amazing what the Marlins did this year given not only their talent level but the amount of games their best players missed due to COVID. Hats off to Donny Baseball, job well done. Who are the two voters who left Mattingly off their ballots entirely? They probably have a personal grudge with him.
Cash fending off the Yankees in the East was almost as impressive. People seem to forget how many pitchers the Rays lost to injuries this year (most were major injuries like TJS too) but they still dominated the East with a payroll 1/3 of what the Yankees rolled out in the Bronx. The best two candidates won the award. Well done, voters!
Wait can someone tell me how Marte played 61 games this year when it was a 60 game season?
Since he was traded from Arizona to Miami, he played in every game he could for both teams. Another example of this is when Todd Zeile played 163 games in 1996 in a 162 game season because he played in every game for both the Phillies (134) then the Orioles (29) after being traded.
@Derek Jeter
Would you accept Boone in a straight swap for Mattingly?
I love Donnie Baseball – my favorite player growing up – but his personality is too dry for the NY media. I think Boone consistently does a great job. Girardi had a lot more bad days than good in front of the camera.
Joe G > Mattingly >> Boone
I remember decades ago, Mattingly guaranteeing Georgie a WS in his NYY days for signing an extension that never happened with the NYY back then.. Maybe this award, as well as title his team helmed he will announce is won in honor of that promise he made to Georgie those 30y ago?
Wut?
Shoutout Florida
Top 5 Managers of All Time:
1. Bucky Dent
2. Tony Larussa
3. Bob Melvin
4. Earl Weaver
5. Jack Mckeon
If Mack, McCarthy, Stengel. Anderson, Alston, Bochy and Torre are not on your list, its incomplete.
You just suggested seven names for a top 5 list.
If none of them is on your list, its incomplete. Those are the best of the best. Not one of them is on that list.
Ok ok I’ll give you Torre maybe replace Jack Mckeon with Torre
Torre? You realize that he has done jack schitt without a team jacked up on roids?
How do you figure? Bucky Dent managed a total of 89 games from 89 – 90 in the majors with a .404 winning percentage. That makes him the 1. manager on your list of top 5 managers of All Time???
Who was the guy the Yankees kept firing and brining back? He’s who I meant
Billy Martin
George Brett deserved the MVP in 85.
Gotta agree on all counts. Cash did a nice job; Donnie Baseball was truly amazing.
“At least some of the writers like me”
– Rick Renteria, 2020
Congrats to the two of them. Hard to argue against them. Mattingly had a rotating cast early in the year.
Cash went up against the payroll behemoths and won outright.
I wanted Rick Renteria to win.
The shortstop?? I agree wirt these choices Bexause of the record And doing a lot with nothing.
No argument here, the winners and runners up were all deserving. However, I think the cardinals manager, schildt, also deserved some consideration. I know he won it in ‘19, but he managed and motivated a mediocre team that had a two and a half week break, 11 double headers, multiple injuries, etc to a playoff spot.
Top 5 People I think Would be Great Managers:
1. Benito Santiago
2. Roberto Alomar
3. Joey Belle
4. Ernest Riles
5. Adam Piatt
1. No
2. No
3. No
4. No
5. No
Jk.
Who the hell are 3-5?
Unfortunately, the great Roberto Alomar has not had an easy time when his playing career ended. Many rumors that he is a sickly guy which is why I think you have not seen him.
Mattingly was a great player and has been a pretty bad manager. His in-game tactics in particular have long been suspect. I can’t believe he got the MOY award this season. But hey, it’s not the worst thing that’s happened this year, or even the weirdest.
This award should be called the Team Above Expectations award.
Wow what a year for cash. He gets manager of the year and World Series MVP. Great job Kevin.
Bazinga!
I would’ve gone David Ross. Every single talking head said they’d finish 4th. That was because they hadn’t done anything during the off-season. I get why Donny Baseball won. The Marlins were projected to maybe win 15 games. They used over 80 different players because half the organization got covid.
I keep seeing all this stuff about how Kevin Cash cost his team the WS by pulling Snell.
The counter point to this is:
1. Game 6 should not have happened because there were 2 fluke errors that cost the Dodgers Game 4.
2. Even IF Tampa won Game 6, it wasn’t looking too great for them to win Game 7. Who were they going to trot out against Buehler? All their other pitchers were getting shelled.
It was pretty clear from Game 1 that the Rays were going to be over matched, and they were. Tampa had a good team, and there were some break out stars, but I’m kind of sick of the narrative that this series was even competitive, or how great Snell was. The Rays had one legitimate win and a stupid luck win, and Snell was OK, but I was more impressed with CK not having his best stuff and still getting his wins in the WS. I can’t even imagine all he’s gone through mentally as a competitor these last few seasons, having to work through that “Oh great, it’s happening again” yips in Game 5.
Further, Cash was correct in pulling Snell, considering the mountains of evidence showing he’s a different pitcher after the 6th inning.
Congrats to Mattingly though- I always liked him when he was with the Dodgers, but I wasn’t sad to see him go.
Mattingly overcame the most injuries to his roster of all the managers in baseball, 1,049 days on the IL cumulatively. Next was the Pirates with a cumulative 790 days on the IL. I’m glad his accomplishment was recognized. He deserved it.