Way to Go Joe! Maddon Named NL Manager of the Year
18 Nov, 2015
Joe Maddon was a huge hit at his new job. Now, immediate team success has reaped individual rewards.
Maddon won his third Manager of the Year award Tuesday after guiding an unexpected run to the playoffs.
In his initial season with the Chicago Cubs, Maddon took the National League prize following the club’s first postseason appearance since 2008. He also won in the AL with Tampa Bay in 2008 and 2011.
“It’s really good to know that what you believe in works in other places,” Maddon said during a break from his pizza-and-wine celebration with family and friends. “I didn’t tweak anything. It was the same approach.”
Maddon received 18 of 30 first-place votes and 124 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He beat out St. Louis’ Mike Matheny and the New York Mets’ Terry Collins by a surprisingly comfortable margin, becoming the seventh manager to win the award at least three times and the seventh to earn it in both leagues.
“To be the steward of this wonderful group of young players, I feel very fortunate,” Maddon said on MLB Network.
Maddon left Tampa Bay last fall and signed a $25 million, five-year contract to manage the Cubs. He took over a team that was coming off five straight losing seasons and hadn’t won a playoff game since 2003.
With his colorful, fun-loving manner, the 61-year-old Maddon led a young club to the third-best record in the majors at 97-65. That was 24 wins better than the previous season and good for third in the competitive NL Central behind St. Louis and second-place Pittsburgh.
Chicago beat the Pirates in the wild-card game and then the Cardinals in the Division Series before getting swept by the Mets in the NLCS.
“Overachieving would indicate that we really did not have that level of talent, and I don’t think that’s true,” Maddon said. “I believe what occurred eventually was that we kind of realized our potentials.”
Matheny came in second with nine first-place votes and 87 points. Collins was listed atop three ballots and had 49 points.
Voting is conducted before the postseason.
Awards week is shaping up as a big one for the revitalized Cubs. Third baseman Kris Bryant was chosen NL Rookie of the Year on Monday, and ace pitcher Jake Arrieta is one of three finalists for the Cy Young Award on Wednesday.
“The spotlight is shining from Wrigley Field,” Maddon said.
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