From MLB
There are ordinary challenges, ones met every day, and there are extraordinary ones -- thunderbolts that strike out of nowhere.
The Angels were leveled by a thunderbolt in the wee hours of April 9, when Nick Adenhart, a valuable young pitcher and valued young person of 22, was killed alongside friends Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson in what became a case of triple-murder charges filed against an alleged intoxicated driver.
"There are things that happen that you can prepare for," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, "and there are things that happen that you have no manual for."
Moving forward, step by step, in the most emotionally challenging of his 10 seasons as leader of the Angels, Scioscia's steady hand and soothing presence created an atmosphere that enabled his team eventually to flourish under unimagined duress.
Scioscia, whose steely eyes turned misty at moments this season, was rewarded on Wednesday with his selection as 2009 American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
"I don't look at it as a one-guy award, a manager award," Scioscia said, his Angels having won their third consecutive AL West title before falling two wins short of a World Series date with his hometown Phillies. "It's about a great effort by a whole organization. It's great for our organization to be acknowledged for this award this year. I think our organization is proud of that."
It is Scioscia's second Manager of the Year Award. He was named by the BBWAA in 2002, the Angels having claimed the franchise's first World Series title under his direction after entering the postseason as a Wild Card.
Scioscia was placed first on 15 of 28 ballots cast by two writers from each AL city. He was second on 10 and third on one for 106 points, based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system. No manager was named on every ballot.
More here-
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091115&content_id=7669428&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
1 comment:
I have mixed feelings about Tracy's selection in the NL, but this pick for Scioscia is right on target. No way, on paper, this Angels squad gets as far as they did. They played over their head all year long, and in a tough division. Plus Scioscia is just plain a nice guy.
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