Ranking the 6 Manager of the Year finalists
No team gets very far without a stellar bench boss to keep them focused.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America revealed each league's three finalists for Manager of the Year last week, and will announce the winner Tuesday on MLB Network beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
Here's how the six finalists stack up against each other:
1. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers - NL
No manager dealt with more team injuries than Dave Roberts. Ever. The Dodgers set a cruel MLB record this season when they put their 28th player on the disabled list on Sept. 9. Despite the near insurmountable setbacks - including losing ace Clayton Kershaw for two months with a herniated disc - Roberts rallied his team to a remarkable second-half surge as they overtook the San Francisco Giants in the NL West en route to a 91-71 finish.
2. Terry Francona, Cleveland Indians - AL
Cleveland's season looked doomed from the beginning when star outfielder Michael Brantley was forced to miss significant time with a nagging shoulder issue. Late injuries then sidelined two key rotation pieces, when Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco were ruled out for the final month of the year. Yet, Francona's managerial experience somehow kept his team afloat all season, leading them to a 94-67 record and their first division title since 2007.
3. Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs - NL
Though Maddon was at the helm for the Cubs' first World Series win in 108 years, postseason success doesn't count toward his bid for the NL's Manager of the Year. The unorthodox skipper still led his club to MLB's best regular-season record at 103-58, however, giving the franchise its first 100-win season since 1935. With the exception of Kyle Schwarber's knee injury in April, though, his team's overall good health may ultimately hurt Maddon's chances at the prize.
4. Jeff Banister, Texas Rangers - AL
Though Francona will likely be the favorite going in, Banister will also command strong consideration as the AL's best manager in the regular season. Like Francona, the Rangers' bench boss dealt with myriad injuries to his pitching staff all season, but Banister also had to account for the loss of Prince Fielder, who, in July, had his career cut short due to a second neck surgery. Despite the bad luck, Banister and the Rangers still finished with the AL's best record at 95-67.
5. Dusty Baker, Washington Nationals - NL
Baker thoroughly impressed in his first season with the Nationals, guiding the side to a 95-67 finish. Managerial honors aren't foreign to Baker either, as the 67-year-old has won the top coaching prize on three occasions (1993, 1997, 2000). Though the Mets kept close for a majority of the season, and the Nationals had to deal with setbacks to superstars Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, Baker steered his team to its third NL East crown in the past five years.
6. Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles - AL
Saddled with about one-third of a proper starting rotation, Showalter's savvy bullpen usage coupled with a blistering offence propelled the Orioles to a postseason appearance, an impressive feat considering some oddsmakers predicted them to be the second-worst team in the AL East. Unlike Francona and Banister, however, Showalter's Orioles didn't deal with the amount of injuries the Indians or Rangers did, and the Baltimore skipper will round out the finalists for the AL award.