For your WAY too early consideration: MLB Manager of the Year

Kevin Cash

Tampa Bay Rays

He was in the discussion last year and one was one of three finalists; eventually losing out to Bob Melvin of the Oakland A’s. Cash has continued his unique managerial methods into this season and as wrote about before, it has paid off.

Cash is currently fronting the best team in MLB that has a unique blend of youth and veterans on both sides of the plate.

Led by Blake Snell, the reigning Cy Young winner, the pitching staff has absolutely shut down the opposition, with the lowest team ERA in MLB, most strikeouts and in the top three in opponents batting average and WHIP.

On offense, Tommy Pham has melded well since his trade from St. Louis and a core in the middle of Pham, Yandy Diaz, and Brandon Lowe has boosted the Rays.

Cash’s ability to control the pitching and put together lineups that have no rhyme or reason on a daily basis have put him at the top of the conversation as well as the top of MLB.

Aaron Boone

New York Yankees

 Last season, Boone has handed the keys to a convertible, and then the Yankees acquired Giancarlo Stanton and he gave that convertible a new paint job, spoiler, and some fresh rims.

So yeah, safe to say Boone would have it easy his first year because all he had to do was write names on a lineup card. This year started drastically different.

Heading into opening day, Boone was already without Aaron Hicks, Dellin Betances, and Didi Gregorius. The depth had been able to help him out but the Injury List was just about to get longer.

Now with duct tape and super glue keeping the team together, Boone has found the lineup that works and has had a majority of his pitchers stay intact. Boone is currently trying to work past a huge roadblock in the Tampa Bay Rays in the East, but he has shown great composure despite a huge hole in his team.

Should Boone continue to keep the team together, keep him in the conversation because he is proving his ability as a manager this year more than ever?

Scott Servais

Seattle Mariners

Jerry Dipoto wasn’t doing Servais any favors this offseason; trading away centerpiece after centerpiece.

Once Dipoto was all finished, Servais was left with the scraps of what was an above .500 team just last season. The new, but older, faces of Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion filled the gaps of Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano in the order. But the unique thing about the Mariners is, no matter who the players are, a manager can make a team great.

This is absolutely the case with Servais.

With some returners but a completely rebuilt team, it almost brings flashes of the 2001 Mariners. Yes A-Rod left and Griffey was traded, but the pieces that remained with the team proved their worth and played as a team rather than as individuals.

In this scenario, the Mariners on paper are starting from scratch but the players just won’t quit!

Domingo Santana, Dee Gordon, Dan Vogelbach, Marco Gonzales, and the list goes on of players who have shown promise and have bought into Servais’ coaching and Dipoto’s system. It also goes to show a team can be good even if they don’t have popular names on the roster.

Rocco Baldelli

Minnesota Twins

Gotta give some credit to the manager of the least-talked about team in MLB this season. They’ve barely been talked about and they have the second-best record in MLB.

There was no gift waiting for Baldelli when he was hired, but he was given a team two years removed from a wild card game. It isn’t the same team but Baldelli has put together some effective lineups.

Jorge Polanco has awoken from slumber and the addition of Nelson Cruz are the key pieces in said order. With that, there are protective pieces throughout like Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario, and Jonathan Schoop.

Baldelli works with an interesting bullpen composition as well. What started as Trevor May and Taylor Rogers sharing save opportunities turned into former Angels closer Blake Parker. With those three, the rotation is protected with a lead going into the seventh inning.

Baldelli has shown flashes in his first month, but hopefully, he’ll be able to continue that.

Mike Schildt

St. Louis Cardinals

Schildt had already shown how successful he could be last season when he was brought on to replace Mike Matheny. The Cardinals would end up just missing the postseason down the stretch, but now with a fresh start, Schildt has been able to have full control.

Not only does he benefit having coached the team a majority of last year, but the roster turnover is rather close to what it was last season; the biggest exceptions being Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew Miller.

Schildt has plenty to compete with; having to face teams like the Cubs and Brewers. Schildt’s club has started off hot however with the surges of Marcell Ozuna and Jordan Hicks in the closer spot.

The division could be tight all year, but Schildt seems to have a strategy that works now that he has control from start to finish of the season.

Andy Green

San Diego Padres

There is two separate theories with this one; He is only being considered because he has good players all of a sudden, or because you feel guilty and because the Padres are finally winning you’re giving him consideration.

Well, yes and yes, but if a manager has good players, the team is expected to play well. Going back to Aaron Boone and the Yankees, it is hard to judge how good of a manager you are until your greatest assets are gone.

In Green’s case, Machado has not necessarily been the headliner every game. Nor has it been Hosmer or even Wil Myers.

It is the youth on this team that has driven them forward and the masterful decision making Green has made with his bullpen.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Chris Paddack are already neck and neck in the rookie of the year conversation and the bullpen, oh my goodness the bullpen, has been nothing short of spectacular. Kirby Yates is MLB’s best closer with 13 saves in 13 opportunities and a 0.60 ERA.

Green now finally has an opportunity to prove himself as a manager with the talent and his decision making, whether you want to buy into it or not.

Dave Roberts

Los Angeles Dodgers

Yeah.

I mean the Dodgers are the Dodgers and they are going to win games because they have some of the most talented players in the game.

Roberts, admittedly so, was also given an easy job to start his head-coaching career. However, as mentioned already, a manager shows his ability when his best players are not at his disposal.

Time and time again, Roberts has been without the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, and Corey Seager and he still found ways to make the team function.

This year, he hasn’t been bitten by the injury bug, but because we know how well he has been able to manage a team in times of duress, this season is just another that keeps him in the conversation.

At this point, all Roberts can hope is to defy expectations of a team that has already won six-straight division titles. So far his players seem up to the task.

Cody Bellinger has torched the opposition collecting monthly records left and right at the plate while providing defensive versatility so that Roberts can keep him in the lineup.

Even if Bellinger needs an off day, Alex Verdugo, Chris Taylor and Joc Pederson provide a nice outfield rotation and have all helped power the Dodgers roster.

Roberts continues to hold true that at the end of the day they’ll be atop the division.

Torey Lovullo

Arizona Diamondbacks

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Three NL West candidates? Well, that’s what it was in 2017, wasn’t it? When Lovullo won?

Well once again, the NL West is proving to be a gauntlet for managers, and Lovullo is doing it with another team of misfits.

No more Goldschmidt, no more AJ Pollock and no more Patrick Corbin, and yet Lovullo has found a way to make this team one of the most underrated in the National League.

This should come as no surprise, given his ability to put forth a winning team in 2017 with no expectations on him.  He’s doing it again this year with not nearly as big a names.

Adam Jones has been a glorious pickup, Christian Walker has been a fine replacement at first base, and the pitching rotation has done fine minus a few hiccups every few games.

It’s almost as if when there is no pressure on the team from expectations, they blossom to show everyone truly what they are made of.

If the Diamondbacks can stay hot, don’t be surprised if Lovullo is back in the conversation for the second time in three years.