Joe Maddon named NL's top manager after guiding young Cubs to NLCS
— -- Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon won his third Manager of the Year award after guiding the Cubs to a 97-65 record and a berth in the NLCS.
Maddon got nine first-place votes for 124 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in balloting announced Tuesday.
The Cardinals' Mike Matheny finished second and the Mets' Terry Collins finished third.
Maddon, 61, expertly guided a team loaded with talent but not much experience. After hovering just above .500 for more than half the season, the Cubs took off in August and September, finishing 19-9 each month. Maddon deftly handled the promotions of top picks Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber and newly minted rookie of the year Kris Bryant by giving them all major responsibilities but keeping the pressure at a minimum and maintaining a relaxed locker room.
His best move came in handling All-Star shortstop Starlin Castro, who struggled mightily for most of the season. Castro was benched in favor of the 21-year-old Russell, then moved to second base. Whatever buttons Maddon pushed with Castro worked, as he thrived at the plate and at his new position in the final weeks of the season. The Cubs picked up their play after the delicate handling of the situation.
Maddon's reputation as a player's manager came with him from Tampa Bay, where he won his previous two manager of the year awards. In Chicago, he instituted pajama night on an overnight flight, brought zoo animals to the ballpark for players' families and stressed a "less is more" attitude about the game. He often canceled batting practice, citing it as the "most overrated" part of the game.
Maddon set the relaxed tone in spring training but also demanded attention to detail, especially when it came to fundamentals. He famously called out his team after a series of gaffes in the spring. Days later, the Cubs were playing better baseball, which carried over to the regular season.
The Cubs finished April four games over .500 but easily could have been four games under, considering Maddon's unfamiliarity with his bullpen and a lineup that didn't feature any stud rookies to open the season. That first month set the tone for the whole year and set Maddon up to win Manager of the Year in his first season as a Cub.
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