Francona, Showalter named top managers
Cleveland’s Terry Francona was voted the American League Manager of the Year, winning the award for the third time in 10 seasons after leading the Guardians to the AL Central title.
Francona, a New Brighton native, received 17 of 30 firstplace votes and nine secondplace votes for 112 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel. Baltimore’s Brandon Hyde finished second, earning nine first-place votes and 79 points.
In the National League, New York’s Buck Showalter became the third person to win a fourth Manager of the Year award and the first to win with four different franchises. He won with the Yankees in 1994, Rangers in 2004, Orioles in 2014 and now the Mets. The other four-time winners are Hall of Famers Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa.
Showalter received eight of 30 first-place votes, 10 secondplace votes and 77 total points, edging Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts, who finished second. Roberts also earned eight-first-place votes but had just four second-place votes for 57 points.