Major League Wiffleball
Wiffleball photos, tips, and product reviews

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia won his second American League Manager of the Year Award. Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire finished second in the voting…again.

Both managers deserved this award, but there can only be one winner.

Scioscia led the Angels to an American League West championship, after suffering some major setbacks during the regular season. Star centerfielder Torii Hunter missed over a month in the middle of the year due to a strained groin injury, and pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a car accident at the beginning of the season. Scioscia held the team together and kept them moving forward.

Runner-up, Ron Gardenhire led the Twins to an exciting come-from-behind win of the American League Central division. The Twins trailed the Detroit Tigers for most of the year, but caught them in the final games, causing them to play head-to-head in an extra regular season game, with the Twins winning a thrilling Game 163.

Gardenhire finished in second place in AL Manager of the Year voting last year too, and it’s his fifth 2nd place finish in eight years as the Twins manager. Although he’s had some great seasons, Gardenhire has never won the Manager of the Year Award.

Both managers lost in the playoffs to the New York Yankees, who went on to win their 27th World Series. Yankees manager Joe Girardi finished third in the voting. I don’t have a photo with him, or one of him holding a wiffleball. Otherwise, I would have included that too. I’ll continue to root for Scioscia and Gardenhire until I get more wiffleball-related photos of managers.

American League Manager of the Year Voting Results