Posted on August 14th, 2010 by TheSportsVirus
I know that Dusty Baker has done a heck of a job keeping the Reds in contention this late in the season and Bobby Cox could be a deserving, sentimental pick in his last year as a Hall of Fame caliber manager. But, hands down, the NL Manager of the Year is Bud Black. You don’t even have to play out the rest of the season to make your pick with this award. Outside of Black
himself and most of his players (I’m thinking some of them were realistic), who in their right mind was picking the Padres to be a playoff team during the winter? No more Jake Peavy. Adrian Gonzalez was going to be on the trading block. Jon Garland and the Hairston brothers were flying under the radar as acquisitions. On paper they looked mediocre at best and headed for another losing season. But, remember towards the end of last season when Black had the Padres surprising some contenders while playing the spoiler role? That set the wheels in motion to play winning type baseball. It’s a team that has a great rotation backed by a stellar bullpen. The defense plays well, they steal bases and they manufacture runs. There are no MVP candidates in this lineup. Yet, while everyone still believes that they will fade, they continue to rule the National League. And now with veteran reinforcements Miguel Tejada and Ryan Ludwick, San Diego is even more pennant chase worthy. It’s fun to see an underdog team prove everyone wrong. Even if they don’t win the division, Bud Black has worked wonders.
Listen to Interview with Bud Black
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Tags: Bud Black, Manager of the Year, Padres
Outstanding rookies are exploding onto the scene in all major sports. The Sports Virus, Joe
Castellano and the Doctor, Michael Duca discuss the how the new kids on the block should act as well as how they should be treated and judged. Plus, special guest, Padres broadcaster Jerry Coleman remembers his rookie year in 1949 when he finished third in the rookie of the year voting and helped the Yankees win the World Series. He gives his thoughts on first year players past and present.
If you love Jeremy as much as we do,