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Friday, November 14, 2008

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

Planet X’s wrong box?

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.

Thanks to sm.

Repoz Posted: November 14, 2008 at 06:08 AM | 13 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: awards, indians, rays, twins

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1. ?Donde esta Dagoberto Campaneris? Posted: November 14, 2008 at 06:38 AM (#3008897)

I'm not overly concerned with who wins what award, but I think the Twins case is interesting in that after losing Santana, Hunter, and having Liriano start the year the way he did, it would have been very easy for the Twins to fold up their tent/baggy. I don't know if that makes Gardenhire's effort "better" than Maddon's, but I don't think you can go wrong giving Gardenhire his due. He's pretty damned good* and he has one hell of a track record.

I still would have voted for the guy with the funny glasses, but with his Angel pedigree- that's not saying much.

* I didn't realize just how good the Twins have been since Gardy took over. Someone give that man a toaster or something.

2. Biff isn't really an apt handle anymore Posted: November 14, 2008 at 07:27 AM (#3008909)

Who cares?

3. Vegas Watch

Posted: November 14, 2008 at 07:31 AM (#3008912)

I'm amused by the idea that Joe Maddon earned this award with his flawless October performance.

4. Shock Posted: November 14, 2008 at 07:56 AM (#3008918)

None of us has any idea who is a good manager and who isn't. The whole award and voting process is completely pointless.

5. caspian88 Posted: November 14, 2008 at 07:59 AM (#3008920)

Shouldn't they just rename it the "Most Surprising Team Award?"

6. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: November 14, 2008 at 11:35 AM (#3008929)

Shock:

Speak for yourself. Personally, I think it's a fairly straight line to determining who pushes their team one win beyond their "set point" and who does not.

A baseball manager is a people manager which gets lost in the haze of "tactics".

It's like judging the VP of Finance on his ability to keep the Fixed Assets ledger up to date.

7. Tim Stauffer, Trot Nixon's Coming (Dan Lee) Posted: November 14, 2008 at 11:45 AM (#3008931)

I'd have probably voted for Maddon, but Gardy's a pretty defensible pick.

He won almost 90 games despite having somewhere between diddly and squat in the non-Morneau infield positions, a bad outfield, a starting rotation manned by guys like Livan Hernandez and Glen Perkins, losing Liriano for half a season, and not having Johan around. They looked for all the world like a fourth-place team before the season.

8. Erik, Pinch-Commenter Posted: November 14, 2008 at 12:40 PM (#3008933)

Why not give Scioscia the top spot for the huge difference in wins and run differential?

9. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: November 14, 2008 at 01:39 PM (#3008942)

I think they should give it to Bob Geren because of his power of invisibility. He could totally hang out in the cheerleaders locker room while they showered if he wanted.

10. Big Ed Posted: November 14, 2008 at 03:25 PM (#3009013)

When did the issue of an award being unanimous become as important as the award itself? I doubt if the awardee will care very much in the future with the hardware on the mantle. What I see now is voters being affected by the idea that they might be singled out over a vote that's different, and modifying their opinions accordingly.

Not that this is important. Atention over this stuff is pushed by sports media.

11. Fred Garvin still has outstanding warrants Posted: November 14, 2008 at 03:38 PM (#3009026)

I'm amused by the idea that Joe Maddon earned this award with his flawless October performance.

Same here. You have a guy who takes a perennial loser with MLB's worst record -- a team that has never won more than 70 games in its history -- and transforms them into a division winner, in the AL East to boot, with the 2nd best record in the AL.

Why does what he does in October make any difference?

12. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: November 14, 2008 at 03:51 PM (#3009035)

Shouldn't they just rename it the "Most Surprising Team Award?"

My vote for this would go to the second-half Cleveland Indians. I know Wedge has done well in these awarsds in the past. How is he as a skipper.

13. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: November 14, 2008 at 04:09 PM (#3009057)

Why not give Scioscia the top spot for the huge difference in wins and run differential?

Maybe the Angels shouldn't have had such a bad run differential and that was Sciocia's fault.

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Friday, November 14, 2008

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

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