USA TODAY International Edition
Managers of the Year
Cleveland’s Francona in the AL, Dodgers’ Roberts in the NL,
In his first year running a club at any pro level, Dave Roberts led the Los Angeles Dodgers to one fewer victory than they had the season before.
For that, he was deservedly named the National League manager of the year Tuesday.
The injury- decimated Dodgers overcame a midseason eightgame deficit in the standings to claim their fourth consecutive NL West title as Roberts’ upbeat attitude and team- first approach spread through a clubhouse previously regarded as fractured.
In the American League, Terry Francona’s expertise in personnel management and dealing with people and baseball decisions was recognized again Tuesday when he was named AL manager of the year, outpointing the Baltimore Orioles’ Buck Showalter — a three- time winner — and the Texas Rangers’ Jeff Banister. The Cleveland Indians’ Francona received 22 first- place votes and was the lone candidate to be named on all 30 ballots. Banister received four first- place votes to finish second.
Roberts, too, was the only NL manager to receive 30 votes and garnered 16 first- place votes, doubling runner- up Joe Maddon of the Chicago Cubs, who received eight. That was enough to edge Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker for second place.
Roberts played 10 years in the major leagues — he was even teammates in San Diego with his first baseman, Adrian Gonzalez — and was a surprise choice to earn the Dodgers’ top dugout job. He gradually established himself as a strong decision- maker, but his handling of the human element had a more immediate effect.
“You always want to remember what it’s like to be a player,” Roberts said after the announcement, “and becoming a coach and a manager, to have your manager reach out and physically put hands on you every day, I think it sends a message that you care, you’re thinking about them.”
Francona’s managerial skills were prominent during the postseason, when his reliance on an overwhelming bullpen helped Cleveland reach the World Series and push the Cubs to a Game 7 — and an extra inning — before bowing out.
But it was getting the Indians to the postseason via the AL Central title that Francona was rewarded for in balloting conducted before the playoffs began. It was the second time in his Indians tenure he won the award.
Cleveland missed arguably its top player in Michael Brantley for nearly the whole season because of shoulder woes, then lost fellow outfielders Marlon Byrd and Abraham Almonte to drug- related suspensions. The Indians also suffered major setbacks in September when Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, two of their top three starters, went down with injuries.
“When something like this happens, if somebody thinks it’s an individual award, it’s the furthest thing from the truth,” said Francona, who led the Indians to 94 victories. “One, it’s players, incredible players. It’s front office, ownership, the coaches. The coaches work so hard every day, and I’m the one who gets to take a bow every once in a while. I wish we could do this together because they deserve it.”
On the surface, Roberts merely accomplished the same feat as predecessor Don Mattingly, who guided L. A. to the West crown each of the previous three seasons. However, Roberts faced a much higher degree of difficulty. The Dodgers were beset by an array of injuries to their rotation, losing staff ace Clayton Kershaw for 21⁄ months and fellow start2 ers Hyun- Jin Ryu, Brandon McCarthy, Alex Wood and Brett Anderson for even longer stretches. The Dodgers used 31 pitchers.
Through it all, Roberts remained a picture of positive thinking. He also found a way to deal with mercurial outfielder Yasiel Puig, who was banished to the minors for a month before being recalled.
When the San Francisco Giants faltered after entering the All- Star break with the majors’ best record, the Dodgers pounced and overtook them despite Kershaw’s absence. By the time the three- time Cy Young Award winner returned Sept. 9, Los Angeles was ahead by five games and well on the way to a 91- 71 record.