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1. Joe Maddon, Rays - He has become the most innovative manager in the game,
one who gets the most out of a tiny payroll. He is the best at bringing along
young players and having them grow as people, too.
2. Jim Leyland, Tigers - Probably the most respected manager in the game
right now. His track record is impeccable in terms of handling superstars and
finding the right fit for his role players. He also handles his pitching
staff and bullpen as well as anyone in the game.
3. Mike Scioscia, Angels - Just so consistent. He believes in being
aggressive on the basepaths, and he knows pitching, which is a huge advantage
for a manager.
4. Charlie Manuel, Phillies - His folksy style works. He uses stats, but he
also uses his common sense and has tremendous feel for the game. He and
Leyland are probably the last of the real old-school managers.
5. Joe Girardi, Yankees - He does a nice job managing the game’s highest
payroll. Easy? Not really. There are egos that he constantly has to massage.
He does a good job mixing his instincts as a former player with his role as
team leader.
6. Buck Showalter, Orioles - Tremendously prepared and pays attention to the
smallest details. Runs a good program. Makes teams better. When he gets more
talent, you’ll appreciate how good he is.
7. Ron Washington, Rangers - Can’t argue with his success in leading Texas
to back-to-back World Series appearances. He is very good at player
management in terms of knowing when to rest them to maximize performance.
8. Bruce Bochy, Giants - Like Scioscia, very consistent in his approach.
Players know what to expect, day in and day out. He’s a very good in-game
manager who has a great feel for the moment.
9. Ozzie Guillen, Marlins - Great motivator, he will give you a hug just as
easily as a kick in the pants. There’s no doubt who runs his team, and he
wouldn’t have it any other way.
10. Kirk Gibson, Diamondbacks - One of the rising stars. He has taken the
intensity he had as a player and transferred it in a very productive way to
the dugout. His toughness is admired in an era when players often have to be
coddled.
11. Manny Acta, Indians - Great communicator and teacher. Players under his
watch usually get better, which means they’re listening. Acta has never had
a great team to work with, but he has made the young players respond.
12. Davey Johnson, Nationals - He won a championship with the Mets in 1986,
and he has a very solid track record. He is now managing high-profile younger
players who could be the game’s next superstars.
13. Dusty Baker, Reds - Don’t think you can name a manager who understands a
player’s psyche more than Baker. For years he handled Barry Bonds and all
the hoopla surrounding him. Loyal to his players.
14. Ron Gardenhire, Twins - His teams have fallen upon tough times, but
Gardenhire remains a true professional and one of the most fundamentally
sound managers in the game.
15. Bobby Valentine, Red Sox - Hasn’t managed in the majors since 2002, but
he has a body of work, so we’ll start him out in the middle of the pack and
see where it goes. You have to be impressed with his attention to detail and
fundamentals. He is not as concerned with player comfort as much as player
performance.
16. Ron Roenicke, Brewers - His first season as a manager was a smashing
success. You can tell he has the Scioscia pedigree. It will be a more
challenging year without Prince Fielder and with the constant controversy
around Ryan Braun.
17. Eric Wedge, Mariners - A former American League Manager of the Year, he
is firm in his approach, leaving no doubt who is in charge. Lately, he has
had some challenging teams to manage, but now he seems to have one on the
upswing. We’re curious to see where those young players go under his watch.
18. Bob Melvin, Athletics - A former National League Manager of the Year, he
is very smart and very understanding of players and what they go through on a
daily basis. Oakland is a challenge from many viewpoints, with a constantly
changing roster and injuries to deal with.
19. Clint Hurdle, Pirates - Good hire by general manager Neal Huntington in
that his younger players needed direction and a strong leader. We saw Hurdle
excel with the Rockies when he had talent; they made that incredible run in
2007.
20. Don Mattingly, Dodgers - The growing pains appear to be over, as
Mattingly has become his own man. He learned under Joe Torre, and has taken
some of Torre’s qualities and added his own wrinkles. Those around him feel
he has really gotten it together.
21. Fredi Gonzalez, Braves - Some believe he will be the first manager fired
if the Braves don’t turn around from that September collapse. He has taken
some criticism for his use of the bullpen, but there is still a lot to like.
22. Bud Black, Padres - A pitching coach-turned-manager who is very
comfortable in his own skin. His performance has been such that now you don’
t think of him as a former pitching coach, but just a very good major league
manager who has to deal with challenging financial situations regarding his
roster.
23. Jim Tracy, Rockies - The Rockies are so up and down from year to year, it
’s difficult to get a read. A solid manager who doesn’t seem to change his
approach, Tracy is one of those guys you could select to manage any situation
and he wouldn’t be out of place.
24. Ned Yost, Royals - As his roster improves, Yost’s stock will continue to
rise. He is managing some pretty talented positional players. Once his
pitching staff catches up, he can manage in a more traditional way rather
than as a teacher and developer of talent.
25. Terry Collins, Mets - Like Tracy, another very solid manager who could
work anywhere. He just so happens to be managing a team that is declining and
has seen the sharpest reduction in payroll in major league history. He’s in
a no-win situation and hopefully doesn’t take the fall.
26. John Farrell, Blue Jays - Bright guy who keeps growing on the job. Like
any former pitching coach, he is catching up to managing the rest of the
team, and all reports are that he is doing well in that area. He has been
able to delegate responsibility (to his coaches), as any strong leader does.
27. Brad Mills, Astros - We all know Mills from Boston and know how organized
he was as Francona’s right-hand man for so long. This is much too low a
rating for him, but it’s hard to put him higher after a 106-loss season.
28. Mike Matheny, Cardinals - All he has to do in his first major league
managing job is replace a legend in La Russa. He does not appear overwhelmed.
29. Dale Sveum, Cubs - We all know he lives and breathes baseball, and that
dedication should get him far as he helps rebuild this organization.
30. Robin Ventura, White Sox - High marks so far for the first-time manager.
Like everyone who has ever been in his position, he will experience some
tough times before things smooth out.