I’ve never really known anyone to get too excited about the Manager of the Year awards in either league, but the 2014 winners were announced on Tuesday. The awards won’t be leaving the mid-Atlantic region, as Buck Showalter of the Orioles and Matt Williams of the Nationals earned the honors. One factoid about this year’s winners – Davey Johnson was a former Manager of the Year for each club.
Showalter received 132 points and 25 first place votes to claim his third Manager of the Year award. His Orioles went 96-66, and won their first AL East title since 1997. Mike Scioscia of the Angels finished second with four first place votes and 61 points, while Ned Yost of the AL champion Royals was third with 41 points. Lloyd McClendon picked up the final first place vote and finished fourth, while Terry Francona, Joe Girardi, and Bob Melvin all also received votes this year.
Williams led the Nationals to a 96-66 record and their second NL East crown in three seasons in 2014, his first at the helm of any major league club. He received 18 first place votes and 109 points to edge out Clint Hurdle of the Pirates, who received eight first place votes and 80 points. Bruce Bochy of the World Champion Giants finished third with three first place votes and 30 points. Mike Matheny came in fourth, while Mike Redmond received the final first place vote and came in fifth. Don Mattingly, Ron Roenicke, Bud Black, and Terry Collins all also received votes.
