Terry Pluto defends voting Joe Maddon No. 2 for AL Manager of the Year

Terry Pluto, a veteran columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has gone through pretty much everything in his 30-plus years in journalism, from winning awards to writing more than a dozen books.

"But this," Pluto told the Times this morning, "Is a new one."

Pluto was the voter who kept Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon from being the first unanimous Manager of the Year Award recipient in baseball history. Maddon received 27 of 28 first place votes, with the Minnesota Twins' Ron Gardenhire getting the other. The Anaheim Angels' Mike Scioscia was third.

Pluto voted Gardenhire No. 1 and Maddon No. 2, and joked he now has "many fans in Tampa" after getting more than 20 emails from puzzled Rays fans.

But here's Pluto's explanation:

Gardenhire's Twins didn't make the playoffs (they lost in  one-game playoff with the White Sox for the AL Central title), but voting was done in the final week of the regular season. Pluto said he has absolutely nothing against Maddon, whom he has a lot of respect for. It was just a tough decision at the time.

"The voting is done in the final week of the season, so I did not have the playoffs to consider," Pluto said. "If they did the voting after, certainly Joe would have got it. I had great respect for both men, and gave the edge to Gardenhire for keeping his team in contention after losing Santana, etc. I had no idea how anyone else was voting. I certainly didn't set out to stiff Joe by being the lone voice not to have him No. 1."

Pluto said, "I'm glad Joe won. Clearly after what he did in the playoffs, he deserves it. It's just how it is."

Pluto said he's trying to respond to every email he's received, which have included a one-word, "Idiot," and even some from fans in Cleveland who love his work but were wowed by his vote

"One guy wrote, 'I usually like your stuff, but what were you thinking? You're making me embarrassed to be from Cleveland."

But as Pluto said, he clearly understands the sentiment.

"Now I look back and say, "I know why everybody voted for Joe."

-- JOE SMITH, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Tone]

Someone needs to deflate Joe's ego, losing crucial playoff games(game5 vs Red Sox/game5 vs Phillies) due to poor managing was not enough. He already knew he had MOY so why not do a bunch retarded moves that if they work make you look like a SuperStar. Did not work but his honeymoon and media hand jobs still came easy. Thanks for Troy too, that was REALLY good managing gettin' him here to make sure we did not have 100+ wins or money for a REAL closer in 2009.

[Ryan]

"We all think Terry Pluto is pretty stupid for thinking Ron Gardenhire did a better job managing than a guy who changed the mindset of an entire franchise in one year."

Actually, since Maddon became manager in 2005, he had three years to change the mindset.

I would have voted for Maddon too, but the guy isn't a miracle worker. He has a very talented team who played well all season. Gardenhire deserves plenty of credit for the job he did and it's not ridiculous to think someone might have voted for him. Get over it.

[Craig]

GO JOE!

this guys an idiot

[KiP]

I'm pretty sure the Rays lost because their bats didn't just get cold, they basically froze completely over.

I'm not sure what World Series you were watching, but Joe Maddon didn't lose it. The lack of offense did.

Unlike the Bucs defense did in 2002, the Rays defense can't score to compliment their offense, and Philadelphia was able to take full advantage of it.

No one is planning on killing themselves over this either. We all just wanted an answer. We all think Terry Pluto is pretty stupid for thinking Ron Gardenhire did a better job managing than a guy who changed the mindset of an entire franchise in one year.

Because anyone who thinks Joe Maddon shouldn't have won this award is a moron, and by that logic, Terry Pluto, was a moron when he cast his ballot.

[Chris]

If Joe Maddon is so great like you all seem to think, why did they lose to the Phillies in the World Series?? Perhaps, because Joe made several questionable decisions that cost his team the series. Stop whining about the fact that he didn't get a unanimous decision for the award he did win, there have been several deserving managers over the years that haven't won. The right man won this year, so get over it already and move on.

[Carl]

more talent? i don't disagree. But the Rays also finished ahead of two MORE talented teams (Yankees, Red Sox) winning the toughest division in baseball.

On the other hand, the Twins couldn't even win the weak AL Central.

And sheep? Yeah right. Because rooting for the Rays makes somebody a "sheep". If we were sheep we would be like all the Yankees and Red Sox fans in the area that have never even stepped foot in Boston or The Bronx.

[Steve O]

Wow, you guys are buffoons. I don't care about the last 10 years, the Rays of 2008 had more talent than the Twins of 2008, plain and simple. It's not even close.

Maddon does idiotic things like walking someone with the bases loaded and gets praised for it. Pluto was brave enough to stand up for the minority. Don't be such sheep.

[Ricky]

What a jerk!!

[Carl]

Steve

How about the Twins' 8-season span from 1993-2000. The Twins finished 4th four times and last four times. Only once did they win more than 71 games.

So i guess everything Gardenhire did in the last 7 seasons was inevitable because the Twins sucked for so long before he was hired

[Jonathan]

I think all these comments are belittling the fact that the Rays are a very good team. Yes, Maddon did a tremendous job molding them together but Pena, Upton, Crawford and Shields are All-Star caliber players, not to mention Kazmir, Navarro and Longoria who were actually All-stars. After Morneau, Mauer the Twins hitters are awful and after Liriano and Nathan their staff was lightyears behind the Rays. And the Twins did lose Santana and Hunter, however they also lost Garza and Bartlett. I'm sure Maddon's job was much easier without having Delmon and Dukes around. I'm not saying Gardenhire should have won the award, I'm just saying the Twins were not nearly as talented as the Rays and still played tremendous baseball.

[Knowledge is Power]

Steve...

Get a clue.

http://www.raysindex.com/2008/08/myth-busters-debunking-myth-rays-are.html

[Steve]

You Rays fans need to get over yourselves. Maddon won the award in a landslide, who cares if he did not get a unanimous? Gardy did as great a job this year as Maddon did. Of course the Rays were going to have a good year eventually, they had a decade's worth of #1 draft picks for crying out loud. That DOES matter.

[lilredwagon]

The above posting by Dave IS NOT an actual quote from Terry Pluto, who is a Christian and is not only a sportwriter but also does a column on faith for the Plain Dealer.

[Saint Bobby Bowden]

Now dadgummit, it ain't like Pluto shot the President!

[Carol]

A guy in Cleveland.... Who cares????

[Jon]

I bet he's the member of the BBWA that failed to notice Fausto Carmona being on the rookie of the year ballot a second year in a row. And he received votes.

This buffoon in Cleveland needs to be fired. I feel extreme pity on the people stuck reading his drivel.

[mike]

I am tired of hearing that we had 10 #1 draft picks so we should have been this good. So why aren't the Pirates, Nationals, Royals, or Orioles all playoff contenders. Not every top draft pick is going to be an allstar player. Bad arguing point Matt.

Anyone who had payed attention to the 2008 MLB season would have had no other choice than Joe Maddon as the top manager, even before the playoffs started. Obvious, bold, brilliant strategical moves all season long from player lineups and rotations, to pitching matchups and situational mananging. All Pluto's vote showed was that he just wasn't paying attention. Shame on him.

That being said Joe won without Pluto and he deserves it. All we need next year is a CY Young, an MVP and world series win!

[Carlos]

Idiot

[Gilbert]

Mr. Pluto,

I have read your explanation, and I have had the priveledge of rereading to see if I missed anything.

Here is my take, your explanation is Mr. Gardenhire "held" his team together after losing Santana. Basically you are saying that Santana was the ONLY player for the Twins. Think about this, Mr. Maddon held a team together that was a work in progress from the outset THROUGHOUT the entire season, did this preclude him from even consideration of your first place ballot? While I am a citizen of St. Petersburg and a Yankee fan, even I, know that I must give credit were it is due. In the near future if you all called upon to vote again in any sports venture, please keep in mind that baseball, football, basketball, soccer etc...are team sports and thus one person should never be elevated above the word "team"!

Lastly, your commentary is likened to Jim Rome, so much of the wrong things at the wrong time!

[Walt Disney]

I thought Pluto was a Disney character.

[jeff]

Wow, there are more people complaining on here then go to Rays games. Maddon won and that is all that matters. How about the fact that Gardenhire has finished 2nd in 4 out of 6 years he has been a manager. Maybe the guy felt sorry for him.

[Richard Nixon]

Look, I wrote in Joe Maddon for president over Obama and McCain. Will that let Pluto off the hook?

[Matt]

I for one say that the Maddon / Gardenhire debate is a valid one. The Rays have had years of #1 draft picks that were coming to fruition and this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Twins after losing Hunter and Santana. Can anyone even name any of the Twins' starters that aren't named Liriano? (who did not have a good year)

I'm not saying that Gardenhire should have won necessarily, I'm just saying you have to look closer at the situation before dismissing the possibility.

Oh, and Jeff? I don't think Dave's post was accurate.

[Terri]

stupid is as stupid does

[colt]

The guy gave his vote and stands by it at the time. Good for him. joe won. and what is the big deal again???

[Jeff]

If the posting by Dave (above) is accurate - "When I vote for awards I only vote for people where I'm from or play in the same division as my home team." - then clearly you should not be voting in any poll or for any award outside the state of Ohio.

The relevant bodies should revoke your credentials before you have another opportunity to skew a result.

[Mr. Pluto]

I think it's time you consider retirement!

[gil]

i'll second that motion - idiot! i heard that this morning and i go, what's wrong with this guy? does he read the sports papers? for a journalist, sounds like he doesn't. the playoffs? umm, how about the 162 games the Rays played prior to, from worst to almost the best, do those count in his view? apparently not. duh!

[QB1]

Mr. Pluto:

I know you have had a lot of messages regarding your non vote for Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon. I just read your comments that were printed in the St. Pete Times of which you explained your rationale in voting for Ron Gardenhire.

You really thought he was the manager of the year because the Twins stayed in contention after losing Sanata? Maybe it’s the cold weather up there but can you really not smell what you’re shoveling? Joe Maddon led a young, inexperienced team with one of the lowest payrolls in MLB all the way to the World Series. You said that voting was done prior to the playoffs but by then, it was known which teams were already in contention. Furthermore, the low payroll Rays had clinched the AL East, considered by many as the toughest division in baseball.

Your “keeping them in contention” explanation is flawed from the beginning. Joe Maddon kept the young Rays in contention when all of the “experts” kept saying the Rays were going to fold and Boston will catch them. Did you ever consider that Joe Maddon kept the Rays in contention when Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria went on the DL? Did you ever consider that Joe Maddon kept the Rays in contention when he had to use a “closer by committee” approach because Troy Percival was either struggling or injured? Did you ever consider that Joe Maddon kept the Rays in contention when the Red Sox closed to within a half game in late September but were able to win 2 of 3 games in Boston, thus propelling them to a division title prior to the end of the season? I could go on and on.

Your explanation looks like Swiss cheese. Perhaps you had another agenda and were simply looking to get your name out there. If that’s the case, what sad, sad excuse. There is hope however because maybe you will learn from this. Next time you should really pick your battles (cough, cough) agenda better.

Sincerely,

Your Miscast Vote

Who cares? Joe won

[Mike in Omaha]

This clown's voting privilege should be revoked. At the very least suspended. It's clear that he hasn't revealed his true agenda. The reason that he gave is very difficult to buy. He's a corrupt journalist. Plain and simple.

[mr]

Probably just a hack that will only vote for AL Central managers. Ever. No other explanation. To vote Gardenhire over Maddon over accomplishments up to the last week of the season cannot be explained.

[Jason]

Terry was probably one of the guys that voted for Edinson Volquez as NL ROY as well.

[9equals8.com]

There is really no excuse. The guy must have had some sort of bias he's not speaking of. That's the only logical explanation. Losing 1 pitcher and still making a run at the playoffs is a bigger accomplishment than turning (historically) one of the losingest franchises in HISTORY into the winner of the very tough AL East? The guy has a bias, for sure, he just won't edmit it because he has already lost 99% of his credibility and wants to hang onto the 1% he might still have. Really dumb and unfortunate.

[Andrew]

The Twins losing Santana?!?! What about losing Crawford, Longoria and Percival for major streches?!? and continuing to beat the beasts of the East? Not buying that lame excuse...just admit it was mid-western bias..he probably votes for the BIG 10 team every week too...

[skp]

weak. the rays had the second-best record in the league playing BY FAR the toughest schedule in the league - not to mention all players involved in the rays - twins trade this offseason had better years under maddon than they did under gardenhire. oh, and there was that whole 30+ game jump in wins too.

this is an indefensible point at almost any time following the all-star break, much less the end of the regular season.

[Simon from Indy]

Well, the other 27 voted for him. I say just let it go.

[Becca]

This from a "veteran columnist." The lamest of explanations.

[cg]

Didn't have the playoffs to consider? Please... he had the Rays winning the AL East against the Yanks, Sox and Blue Jays (4th place in division and finished only two games behind the Twins) after being last in the entire league last year to consider. Then he says after the playoff run he thinks Maddon deserved it? Wow... this guy is hopeless.

I wouldn't have thought anything of it until hearing the excuses.