MLB Awards: 2017 American League Manager of the Year
By David Hill
3. A.J. Hinch: Houston Astros
It is easy to look at the Astros lineup and imagine that A.J. Hinch had one of the easier MLB managerial jobs this season. However, Houston did have a dramatic turnaround in performance this season.
After making their way into the postseason in 2015, Houston struggled the following year. An 84-78 record, and a third place finish in the AL West, was not what the franchise had in mind. They made a flurry of moves to shore up the lineup, acquiring Brian McCann, Josh Reddick, and Carlos Beltran in an attempt to inject more power into the lineup.
While those players led to mixed results, the final equation worked out. The Astros lineup was greatly improved, and with better pitching, the team never looked back. They ended the season with a 101-61 record, a 17 game improvement over last season as they returned to the playoffs.
However, Hinch still needed to plug in the right pieces. He turned Marwin Gonzalez into another Ben Zobrist, leading to an All Star appearance. Yuri Gurriel took over at first, and proved to be competent. Jose Altuve had another MVP caliber season, and the Astros young sluggers made dramatic improvements.
After a disappointing 2016 campaign, A.J. Hinch guided the Houston Astros to an impressive 101-61 record. One of the bright young managerial minds in the game, he could be in the Astros dugout for years to come.