Cash, Mattingly are top managers

Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash won the AL Manager of the Year award on Nov. 10, and Miami’s Don Mattingly took home the NL honor.

Long regarded as one of baseball’s bright young minds, Cash guided Tampa Bay to an AL-best 40-20 record during the pandemicshortened season. But he was roundly criticized for pulling ace lefthander Blake Snell in the sixth inning of the decisive Game 6 in the World Series against the champion Dodgers.

Voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America concluded before the beginning of the playoffs. Rick Renteria, who was let go by the White Sox after the team made the postseason for the first time since 2008, finished second, followed by Toronto’s Charlie Montoyo.

Mat tingly g uided the Marlins to their first playoff appearance since 2003 despite dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak that paused their season and ravaged the roster.

The Marlins’ 31-29 record was Mattingly’s first winning season in his fifth year with the club. The former big league first baseman had a winning record in each of his five seasons as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

NBA

CELTICS LEGEND DIES » Tommy Heinsohn, who as a Boston Celtics player, coach and broadcaster over more than 60 years was with the team for all 17 of its NBA championships, died. He was 86. “This is a devastating loss,” the team’s owners said in a statement. “Tommy was the ultimate Celtic.”

SEASON STARTS DEC. 22 »

It’s official: The NBA is coming back Dec. 22. The NBA’s board of governors unanimously approved Tuesday the financial terms and other parameters that were negotiated between the league and its players. Teams will play a 72game schedule, which will be revealed in the coming weeks. Negotiations with free agents will be allowed to begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20, with signings permitted starting at 12:01 p.m. on Nov. 22.

College football

MORE SEC GAMES POSTPONED » No. 1 Alabama at LSU and No. 5 Texas A&M at Tennessee will not be played Nov. 14 because of COVID-19 issues, raising the number of Southeastern Conference games postponed this week to three. The SEC said that the Aggies and Volunteers will be rescheduled for Dec. 12, but the Crimson Tide’s game against the defending national champion Tigers is in danger of not being played at all after COVID-19 cases in LSU’s program. ... Arkansas said that coach Sam Pittman will miss the game at No. 6 Florida on Nov. 14 after having two positive COVID-19 tests.

OHIO WINS» De’Montre Tuggle rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns to help Ohio beat Akron, 24-10. Ohio (1-1, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) has won 12 of the last 13 meetings in the series. Akron (0-2, 0-2) has lost 19 straight games.

KENT STATE ROLLS » Dustin Crum was 18 of 27 for 271 yards and four touchdowns as Kent State routed Bowling Green, 62-24.

NFL

DEVELOPING MINORITY COACHES REWARDED » NFL owners have approved a proposal that will reward organizations for developing minority coaches and front office executives who become head coaches, general managers or team presidents for other clubs. Also, the league’s owners unanimously approved a contingency plan to expand the playoff field to 16 teams if meaningful games are canceled due to COVID-19.