Tampa Bay Rays' Joe Maddon named AL Manager of the Year

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon's whirlwind week just got much better.

Maddon, who got married Saturday, was named American League Manager of the Year on Wednesday, awarded by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Maddon received 27 first-place votes out of 28 ballots, giving him 138 points. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire got the other first-place vote and finished second (58 points), and Angels manager Mike Scioscia took third (45 points).

"It's truly an honor," Maddon said on a conference call from his honeymoon in Rome. "To me it means that we did a pretty good job obviously, that things are definitely moving in the right direction. Getting to the playoffs, getting to the World Series - my goodness, nobody thought (the) World Series. To accomplish what we did, for me, personally - (the award) caps it all off."

Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer was the writer who gave Gardenhire the first-place vote, keeping Maddon from being the first unanimous Manager of the Year selection in history.

With Maddon's honor, the first such honor in the Rays 11-year history, comes just two days after third baseman Evan Longoria was unanimously selected as the AL Rookie of the Year, giving Tampa Bay two of baseball's four major postseason awards.

Maddon's case was pretty much a slam dunk. In his third season with the Rays, he led them to a 31-win improvement over the previous season as Tampa Bay went 97-65 and won arguably the toughest division (AL East) in baseball before clinching its first pennant and World Series berth. It was the third-best improvement in AL history as the Rays became the first AL team to go from the worst record in the major leagues to the postseason.

Maddon seemed to make all the right moves, starting from introducing the team to the inspiring phrase "9 equals 8" in spring training (nine players working hard for nine innings equals becoming one of the eight teams in the postseason). Maddon's bold decisions paid off, from walking Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton with the bases loaded, to pulling CF B.J. Upton from a game for not hustling, to donning a Mohawk hairstyle for team unity.

"He's someone who isn't afraid to exercise his mind, and he's open to new ideas," Rays president Matt Silverman said. "And that openness is one of the traits we noticed during the interview process. We can't do things conventionally and succeed -- we're a low-revenue club, we’re going up against hundreds of millions of dollars of payroll in the AL East. So that openness is key to our ability to succeed and overcome some of the odds against us."

Maddon had already been awarded manager of the year honors by The Sporting News, baseballprospectus.com, as well as the Chuck Tanner Manager of the Year Award.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella, an ex-Rays skipper, won the NL Manager of the Year Award, chosen over the Phillies' Charlie Manuel and Marlins' Fredi Gonzalez.

Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

joesmith@sptimes.com

(Times photo -- Brian Cassella. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Tony Woods / Lakeland]

I shook Joes hand at Fan Fest before the season started and told him "to have a great season"...little did anyone know just how GREAT it would be. In my opinion Joe is one of good guys in MLB and an ambassador for the game. He is more than deserving of this reward for the way he managed the Rays into the World Series as well as his off field contributions. Congratulations Joe!

[MikeyA]

Terry's surname is quite appropriate from the planet he must be from with that Vote. Any explanation would be futile comparing the two managers this season.

The AL central is up for grabs EVERY season, this was the first year since the early 90's that New York wasn't in the playoffs...and most, if not all pundits saw Toronto as the suprise team to take the division, not the Rays. Maddon was more than deserving, he should have been the first time UNAMINOUS winner to cap off the Rays historical year.

Maddon got more of out Delmon, Harris, Garza and Bartlett in addition to all the other landslide comparisions between the two teams and managers that are in Maddon's favor.
Gardenhire is a good manager, but not deserving of a 1st place vote over Maddon in 2008.

[joeknowsbaseball]

What can you say...

JOE KNOWS BASEBALL.

Keep'em stretching, Joe!

[G]

terrypluto2003@yahoo.com

Let him have it folks. I certainly did.

I would LOVE to read his explanation. I guess he saw through all of the hype that went with Maddon this year. Clearly, his managing had little to do with the Rays so-so success, relative to the unforgettable 2008 Twins season.

[skp]

to mr. pluto:

BOOOOOOO!

man did this season spoil us rays fans.

BJ Upton, 2009 AL MVP

[JBuberger]

Personally, the magic of this season may not be fully realized until next July 14th. That is the date whereupon Joe Maddon will manage the AL All-Star team.

And in the weeks leading up to the game, I'm sure Maddon will load the roster up with Rays. Gone are the days where we have a token representative.

[JP]

Don't raise a glass to Joe, raise it to the idiots who run the BBWAA! Its time Topkin was removed from his chapter president's position. Wait for the ultimate atrocity on Friday. Don't raise a glass to anyone involved with voting for this sanctimonious award! Any writer should have their head examined!

[BigJer1950]

All Ray's fans write to the jerk at the Cleveland newspaper who didn't vote for Joe Maddon on first ballot!

terrypluto2003@yahoo.com

[Mike]

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/

The one guy who vote against Madden...WOW what was he thinking!

[Rays Renegade]

Joe,

Hopefully you and your beautiful bride can toast among the vineyards in Tuscany to the good life and a impressive 2008 season for your squad. I was reading an srticle about John Challis today, and you should get another award for the kindness and support you have shown this couragious boy during his life.
It touched me alot and I will also become a contributor to his foundation because of your past and future events with this organization.
( Raising wine glass) To Joe, man of, for and one of the people.........may you always see positives through those glasses.

[hammersmith]

Congratulation and Thank You to Joe Maddon and Rays management for doing what you said you were going to do in turning aroung this team. Years ahead of what we all expected. To all you Yankee and Redsox Fans within earshot the T Dome is our home now so don't come in there with your dusted off, wrinkled hats and jeter jerseys because we own that place now and you will get much more heat than you ever received. We have the best Manager, the best rookie and the best we are 2008 AL Champions!

well done joe!

[Maddon Rules]

The writer who didn't vote for Maddon is just trying to make a name for himself. Don't do him any favors and forever forget that you ever read that loser's name.

[BK in St. Pete]

Congratulations to a very deserving Manager of the Year. Shame on the one writer who voted for Ron Gardenhire (Twins), to keep it from being unanimous. The Rays improved by 31 games from '07 and won their division. The Twins improved by 8 1/2 games and missed the playoffs. There will be a special place in baseball history for the '08 Rays and for Joe Maddon.

[Austin]

I'm sorry, but whoever had the gall to vote Gardenhire over Maddon should first be drug tested and then never be allowed to vote again. The Twins choked and didn't even make the playoffs while Maddon won the toughest division in MLB, won the division series, won the AL and, in the process, re-wrote the history books. This rogue voter must be found and ridiculed to no end.

[M]

Way to go, Maddon!!!

[Burge O. Leigh]

I'm raising a glass to you tonight, Joe Winemaster. Job well done.

[Chris]

Nobody is more deserving than Joe. Way to go Joe! A nice way to cap off a magical ride. Who's the one idiot who didn't vote for him.

[Eric]

Way to go, Joe! Congratulations on the award and thanks for the great season!

And the yahoo who gave Gardy a first place vote should have his voting rights revoked!!

[Alan]

Well deserved. Congrats Joe! Lets get that ring next year.

[J]

Price should have started the 6th inning, and finished the game. The Rays would have won, and the series would have moved to St. Pete. Joe over-managed that last game. It was obvious the bullpen was burned out. Great season, but not perfect. Congratulation for your accomplishment!

[Jaosnhouse]

Congrats to Mr Maddon and the entire Rays organization... They've shown us all what hard work and intelligent planning can do for an organization and its people... I only hope that the Rays are rewarded by the fans in the coming years... The new Rays leadership has proven their dedication to us, now it's time to return the favor.

[Simon from Indy]

Way to go Madden. Well deserved.