FanSided Announces MLB Manager of the Year Awards

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In the first of FanSided’s yearly award presentations, Kirk Gibson of the Arizona Diamondbacks has been named the National League Manager of the Year. Over the past few weeks, writers from all 30 FanSided MLB sites have had the chance to cast their votes for a variety of yearly awards. NL sites voted for NL skippers, and AL sites voted for AL skippers. The articles regarding both awards and voting totals can be found on our flagship site, Call to the Pen (click here for NL and here for AL).

Kirk Gibson won in runaway fashion in the National League, while Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays edged out Tigers manager Jim Leyland in the American League. My NL ballot consisted of Kirk Gibson, Ron Toenicke, and Tony La Russa in no particular order.

Gibson is certainly a deserving recipient of the Manager of the Year Award, leading the D-Backs to their first NL West title since 2007 with a 94-68 record in his first year at the helm. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa finished fourth in the NL voting, but if the voting started today, he might be inside the top three.

Stay tuned for the upcoming announcements of the top rookies, relievers, pitchers, and players of the 2011 MLB season.

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