The wild 2015 MLB season featured the emerging Chicago Cubs and the resurgent Texas Rangers. Their managers - Joe Maddon and Jeff Banister - were largely responsible for the teams' successful campaigns, and that was epitomized on Tuesday when they claimed their Manager of the Year awards.
The Baseball Writers Association of America chose wisely for the second night in a row.
Your 2015 @officialBBWAA NL Manager of the Year: @CubsJoeMadd. https://t.co/EmNwxNqYt4 pic.twitter.com/3waIH8afPU
— MLB (@MLB) November 17, 2015
By the numbers for @Bannyrooster28's AL Manager of the Year Award. #ALMOY pic.twitter.com/8DvWaaJpsL
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) November 17, 2015
Maddon was the recipient of the National League honors after beating out New York Mets manager Terry Collins and St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. It's his second Manager of the Year Award after being recognized as such in the AL back in 2008 when he led the Tampa Bay Rays to a 97-65 record in the competitive AL East division.
Check out the BBWAA ballot for NL Manager of the Year. (Also, check out our piece from earlier in the season that predicted Maddon would win NL MOY.)
This time Maddon led the young Cubs to a 97-65 record, which was their best campaign since 2008. Chicago also made the postseason for the first time since 2008 and appeared in the NLCS for the first time since 2003 under Maddon's first year as skipper. His NL Manager of the Year Award is the second significant recognition for the Cubs this year after third baseman Kris Bryant won the NL Rookie of the Year Award last night.
Banister took home the American League honors in his first season as manager of the Texas Rangers and blew by Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch as well as Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor. Banister led the Rangers to their first AL West title since 2011 with an 88-74 record. The club nearly reached the ALCS after taking a 2-0 lead against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS, but they lost three straight and were eliminated from the postseason.
Check out the BBWAA ballot for AL Manager of the Year.
Nonetheless, Banister's turnaround of the Rangers was impressive. The team was one of the worst in the MLB in 2014 and dealt with the resignation of manager Ron Washington before the season ended. Banister was hired a little over a month later after serving as the full-time bench coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 2011 under manager Clint Hurdle.
Texas had a 42-46 record heading into the All-Star Break, but a second half surge allowed them to supplant the Houston Astros and take over first place in the AL West. They clinched the division in the final day of the regular season thanks to a complete game from Cole Hamels.
Both Maddon and Banister will likely head in 2016 with better rosters than they had this past season. The Cubs are expected to chase a couple of big name free agents to bolster their starting rotation and outfield while the Rangers will get Yu Darvish back in the rotation and possibly add another starter to go alongside him and Hamels.
Congratulations to these managers on their well-deserved honors.
