Who Picks Manager of the Year in Major League Baseball?
Major League Baseball (MLB) is one of the most popular and successful professional sports leagues in the world. Every year, teams from across the United States and Canada compete for the World Series Championship, and the managers of these teams are responsible for leading their teams to victory. To recognize the efforts of these managers, MLB awards the Manager of the Year Award each season. But who picks the Manager of the Year? Let’s take a closer look.
MLB Executive Council
The MLB Executive Council is comprised of the Commissioner of Baseball, the two League Presidents, and the two Special Assistants to the Commissioner. The Council is responsible for selecting the Manager of the Year for the American and National Leagues each season.
Voting Process
The voting process for the Manager of the Year Award is conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the members of the MLB Executive Council cast their votes for the manager they believe deserves the award. In the second phase, the votes of the 30 MLB team beat writers are tallied and the winner is determined.
MLB Executive Council Members
Here is a list of the members of the MLB Executive Council who are responsible for picking the Manager of the Year:
- Rob Manfred – Commissioner of Baseball
- Tony Petitti – Deputy Commissioner of Baseball
- Joe Torre – Chief Baseball Officer
- Bud Selig – Special Assistant to the Commissioner
- Bill DeWitt Jr. – Special Assistant to the Commissioner
- Dave Dombrowski – President of Baseball Operations, American League
- John Schuerholz – President of Baseball Operations, National League
MLB Team Beat Writers
The second phase of the voting process involves the 30 MLB team beat writers. These beat writers cover the teams in the American and National Leagues and are responsible for providing unbiased coverage of the teams they cover.
Voting Criteria
When voting for the Manager of the Year Award, the members of the MLB Executive Council and the MLB team beat writers consider a variety of factors. These include the manager’s overall performance, the team’s record, the success of the team’s players, and the team’s overall success throughout the season. The voters also consider the manager’s leadership style and ability to motivate the players.
Award Winners
The Manager of the Year Award has been awarded since 1983. Since then, there have been many memorable winners of the award. Some of the more notable winners include Joe Maddon in 2008 and 2015, Mike Scioscia in 2002, and Dusty Baker in 1993.
Controversy
The voting process for the Manager of the Year Award has not been without controversy. In 2009, the voting process was changed to allow for a “weighted” ballot, which meant that each member of the MLB Executive Council and each MLB team beat writer could cast a vote for the manager they felt deserved the award. This change sparked controversy as some felt it gave too much weight to the votes of the MLB team beat writers.
Conclusion
The Manager of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious honors in Major League Baseball. Each year, the members of the MLB Executive Council and the MLB team beat writers come together to select the manager they believe is most deserving of the award. The voting process is not without controversy, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the MLB Executive Council and the MLB team beat writers to select the Manager of the Year.
References
- MLB Awards. (n.d.). Retrieved from mlb.com/awards
- MLB Executive Council. (n.d.). Retrieved from mlb.com/executive-council
- MLB Team Beat Writers. (n.d.). Retrieved from mlb.com/team-beat-writers