October 23, 200817 yr The upstart Marlins fell short in their bid to make the playoffs, but the effort did not go unrecognized. Thursday, The Sporting News honored Fredi Gonzalez with its National League Manager of the Year award. In his second season, Gonzalez led the Marlins to an 84-77 record and third place finish in the National League East. Tampa Bay Rays counterpart Joe Maddon took home American League honors. The selections were based on the recommendations of 18 major league managers. Gonzalez is the second Marlins manager in three seasons to win the award along with Joe Girardi. The magazine also recognized former Marlins manager Jack McKeon in 2003 with a co-Sportsman of the Year nod, which he shared with Dick Vermeil. Like Girardi in 2006, Gonzalez did considerably more than expected with talented, but low-cost personnel. Picked to finish at or near the bottom of the National League East due in part to having the lowest Opening Day payroll in the majors ($22 million), the Marlins spent a chunk of the first half in first place. They remained in the postseason hunt until a miserable August torpedoed the season. Gonzalez is entering the final season of the three-year, $1.5 million deal he signed with the Marlins LINK
October 23, 200817 yr I never understood this award. Because the 'experts' pick a team to suck, if they don't the manager is the best. If the 'experts' pick a team to be awesome, and said team is awesome, rarely do they get this award. (although Maddon for sure deserves this award)
October 23, 200817 yr I agree with Rambo a bit here... not specifically for this matter... but the Manager of the Year award is just like... we were wrong but we know the team still sucks so lets credit the manager instead of actually admitting we were wrong about the team. Also, there was a lack of a better option, IMO. Freddi did do pretty good though, but overall, my points above stand in my eyes.
October 23, 200817 yr When it comes to the media, the Marlins went above and beyond expectations this year. For that reason, this was well deserved.
October 23, 200817 yr Congratulations Fredi, but I think I might have voted for someone like Torre. Torre is one of the least active managers in the league. Congrats to Fredi.
October 23, 200817 yr When it comes to the media, the Marlins went above and beyond expectations this year. For that reason, this was well deserved. That's the issue though... "when it comes to the media..." being wrong... I mean, you can only attribute so much to Fredi being an above average manager and the media just being stupid and liking to predict us to lose oodles of games
October 23, 200817 yr Congratulations Fredi, but I think I might have voted for someone like Torre. Torre is one of the least active managers in the league. Congrats to Fredi. Torre was hired by a new team, brought the Dodgers all the way back from a huge deficit in the division, and led them to the NLCS.
October 23, 200817 yr Congratulations Fredi, but I think I might have voted for someone like Torre. Torre is one of the least active managers in the league. Congrats to Fredi. Torre was hired by a new team, brought the Dodgers all the way back from a huge deficit in the division, and led them to the NLCS. Kinda. Torre was hired by a new team and had a GM who brought in Manny Ramirez in, who brought the Dodgers all the way back from a huge deficit in the division and led them to the NLCS. Also, the Dodgers weren't really that far back in the division after April.
October 23, 200817 yr Congratulations to Fredi. In the summer of '07 I predicted he would get canned by May '08. I was wrong. I still don't like him.
October 23, 200817 yr Is this the official award? I always remember MOY awards being announced after the World Series.
October 23, 200817 yr The only other manager that could have gotten it was Jerry Manuel. A team composed of young players is seen as a team that's harder to manage. What the team did early this year with a horrible starting roatation is very impressive. It's questionable what the impact of managers really is, but you have to give Fredi credit.
October 23, 200817 yr Congrats Fredi. Is this the official award? I always remember MOY awards being announced after the World Series. No, it's not the official one.
October 23, 200817 yr The baseball writers association of america one is the 'official' one i believe. Although this one was selected by other managers so in my opinion its more telling.
October 23, 200817 yr How about- congratulations Fredi, overall, good job. exactly, well said, good job Fredi! Joe who??
October 23, 200817 yr Congratulations to Fredi. In the summer of '07 I predicted he would get canned by May '08. I was wrong. I still don't like him. Just curious, why don't you like him? Definitely a lot of things he does I don't like, but that seems to be the case with just about every manager.
October 23, 200817 yr fredi got to much credit; the players won all those games not fredi. he never comes out to argue for his players
October 23, 200817 yr Congrats Fredi. Although in most people on here's opinion you were not even close to the reason the marlins won so many games, you are exactly what this team needs. Obviously the ownership wants a manager that just manages the games, and does not argue with management. Fredi, although he makes some dumb, I mean really dumb decisions with the bullpen, he managed the lineup pretty well this year, excluding the fact he put Hermida #2 for a while. Uggla was the right fit in the #5-6 position in the lineup. Jacobs was used correctly, and Baker was eventually our best #2 hitter. Our rotation was terrible to begin the season, but he managed to slide by for the first half and just overworked the bullpen, which cost us towards the end. If we had JJ and Volstad up and pitching like they did in the second half for a whole season, Pinto wouldn't have collapsed like he did, and our bullpen may have held it together and led us to the playoffs. Fredi did the best with what he was given, i congraduate the man for that.
October 24, 200817 yr fredi got to much credit; the players won all those games not fredi. he never comes out to argue for his players As is the case with every manager.
October 24, 200817 yr The baseball writers association of america one is the 'official' one i believe. Although this one was selected by other managers so in my opinion its more telling. I think they are both very prestigous(sp) awards. I don't know which one would be considered the "official" one, tho I would have to assume it would be the BBWA's. And they don't always go hand in hand. Girardi won both, but Trader Jack just got the BBWA's, I believe. I think Fredi probably gets both. But the BBWA's could very well go to Manuel. In any case..... Congrats to Fredi.
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