MLB 2016 Awards: My IBWAA Ballot
By Matt Veasey
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
As easy as it was to pick Francona in the American League, it was even easier to select Joe Maddon of the Cubs as my NL top skipper.
In his second season on the North Side, Maddon guided the Cubbies to the best record in baseball. Their 103-58 mark was the most by any Cubs team in over a century, and the club won the division by a whopping 17.5 games over the arch-rival St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cubs entered the season as favorites. Sometimes it can be even harder to win when you are supposed to than when taking others by surprise. Maddon kept his young team focused and energized to the end.
Mike Matheny guided the St. Louis Cardinals to a distant second place finish in the NL Central behind Maddon’s Cubs, the team missing an NL Wild Card berth by just a single game despite numerous injuries.
Terry Collins turned the Mets around in the final two months for a second straight season. While they could not repeat as NL champions, the club did finish in second place in the NL East, losing the NL Wild Card Game to the San Francisco Giants.
I’m really happy with these two Manager of the Year selections, as the votes were cast prior to the playoffs, and both men guided their teams to the World Series.
MY BALLOT: 1 – Joe Maddon (CHI), 2 – Mike Matheny (STL), 3 – Terry Collins (NYM)