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MLB Awards 2015: Three finalists for AL Manager of the Year

By John Buhler

Oct 8, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister before game one of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister before game one of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 27, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor (4) during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor (4) during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

Major League Baseball announced the three finalists for the AL Manager of the Year award: the Texas Rangers’ Jeff Banister, the Houston Astros’ A.J. Hinch, and the Minnesota Twins’ Paul Molitor

The American League had so many great stories in the 2015 MLB Season, three of which were the fantastic managerial turnarounds in Houston, Minnesota, and Texas. In 2014, those three clubs combined to go 207-279 (.426 combined winning percentage) and were the three worst teams in the Junior Circuit.

Each franchise decided to go with a new manager to start the 2015 MLB Season. Jeff Banister replaced interim manager Tim Bogar who filled in for the fired Ron Washington. A.J. Hinch replaced interim manager Tom Lawless who filled in for the fired Bo Porter. Paul Molitor replaced the fired Ron Gardenhire.

All three teams had amazing turnarounds in 2015, with Bannister’s Texas Rangers winning the American League West, Hinch’s Houston Astros getting the second Wild Card spot and beating the New York Yankees in the Bronx, and Molitor’s Twins finishing over. 500 and hanging around in the AL Postseason race until the final week.

Banister, Hinch, and Molitor all did wonderfully in the first years as new managers of their respective clubs, going a combined 257-229 (.529 combine winning percentage). At the beginning of 2015, all three teams were not expected to contend for spots in the AL Postseason, but two of the three ended up playing in the American League Division Series.

With all three managers certainly deserving of the award, who ends up winning the 2015 AL Manager of the Year Award?: Jeff Banister of the Texas Rangers, A.J. Hinch of the Houston Astros, or Paul Molitor of the Minnesota Twins?

Next: The Case for Jeff Banister

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