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Tracy Earns BBWAA Manager Award

Nov. 18, 2009 | 12:17 pm 4
By Tracy Ringolsby

The release from the BBWAA:

Jim Tracy, who took over the Colorado Rockies in late May when they were in last place and led them to the National League wild card, was named NL Manager of the Year in balloting by the BBWAA. It marked only the second time a manager hired in mid-season was honored. Tracy joins Jack McKeon, the 2003 winner with the Florida Marlins.

Tracy, 53, was listed first on 29 of the 32 ballots submitted by two writers in each league city and was second on two for a total of 151 points, based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system. No manager was named on every ballot.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ Tony La Russa, a four-time winner, received two first-place votes and finished second in the balloting for a record sixth time. The other first-place vote went to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joe Torre, a two-time winner in the American League. In all, eight managers gained mention.

Tracy was hired to replace Clint Hurdle as manager of the Rockies on May 29, when the club had a record of 18-28 and was 14 games out of first place. Colorado was 74-42 under Tracy and came within one game of the NL West-leading Dodgers on the final weekend of the season before losing its final two games in Los Angeles and settling for the wild card.

La Russa, the NL winner in 2002, also won three times in the AL, with the Oakland Athletics in 1988 and 1992 and with the Chicago White Sox in 1983. His other second-place finishes in the NL with the Cardinals were in 2000, 2004 and 2005 and in the AL with the A’s in 1989 and 1990.

The voting: 1st 2nd 3rd Points
Jim Tracy, Colo 29 2 0 151
Tony La Russa, St. L 2 13 6 55
Joe Torre, LA 1 7 7 33
Bruce Bochy, SF 0 5 3 18
Bobby Cox, Atl 0 3 6 21
Charlie Manuel, Phil 0 2 4 10
Fredi Gonzalez, Fl 0 0 4 4
Bud Black, SD 0 0 2 2

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4 Comments »

  • Townie said:

    Congratulations to Jim Tracy. A lot of really good managers did really nice jobs with their teams this season, so that makes this accomplishment and recognition even more meaningful.

  • Bob K. said:

    Someone didn’t even have him in his top three? Must have been an east coaster that went to bed at 9 every night. Congrats to Jim and the entire Rox organization for this well deserved honor. (Even now it’s still hard to believe when you think about what we were all feeling on June 3rd.)

  • Jerry R. said:

    Congrats Jim – you earned this award and the contract extension. You did the job.

    For one writer to not name Jim Tracy on his ballot is a joke and a farce – whoever that was is an embarrassment.

  • Tracy Ringolsby (author) said:

    Jerry R., the writer who left Tracy off the ballott was Yuka Kobayashi of Sports Nippon, Chicago Chapter.

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