Shildt, Baldelli are top managers

MIKE Shildt (left) of St. Louis Cardinals and Rocco Baldelli of Minnesota Twins share the Manager of the Year award. AFP

NEW YORK (AFP) — St. Louis Cardinals skipper Mike Shildt was named National League manager of the year on Tuesday as Minnesota’s Rocco Baldelli picked up the award for the American League, Major League Baseball announced.

Shildt pipped a crowded field of contenders in the National League ballots, topping the polls ahead of Milwaukee’s Craig Counsell, Atlanta’s Brian Snitker and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts in fourth.

Dave Martinez, who guided the underdog Washington Nationals to a remarkable World Series triumph, finished fifth.

Voting for the award, however, took place before the postseason got under way and Martinez’s Nationals embarked on their roller-coaster ride to the World Series.

The awards are voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, with two writers from every city casting votes based on the league covered.

Shildt meanwhile dedicated his award to players and staff in the Cardinals organisation.

“This is a team award,” he said. “I accept it on behalf of our players and staff; it’s an amazing blessing.”

Twins manager Baldelli topped the American League voting ahead of New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone, Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash, Oakland’s Bob Melvin and Houston’s A.J. Hinch.

“We had a lot of things going really well this year, and it’s because of our group,” said Baldelli, whose team led the American League Central regular season standings with 101 wins and 61 losses.