[Illusion]

Considering all of the rookies Arizona started and the close games they were in, Melvin definately deserves the honor.

NEW YORK -- Eric Wedge and Bob Melvin, former backup catchers who found far more success in the dugout than on the field, were honored Wednesday as managers of the year.

Wedge became the first Cleveland manager to win the AL award, picked by a wide margin after the Indians tied Boston for the best record in baseball. Melvin won the NL prize for leading the young Arizona Diamondbacks to the top mark in the league.

Wedge received 19 of the 28 first-place ballots and got 116 points, finishing ahead of the Angels' Mike Scioscia (62 points). Joe Torre, fired by the Yankees, was next with 61 and Terry Francona of the World Series champion Red Sox got 13.

Melvin was chosen on 19 of the 30 first-place ballots and got 119 points. Philadelphia's Charlie Manuel (76), Colorado's Clint Hurdle (58) and the Cubs' Lou Piniella (25) followed.

Wedge, a no-nonsense guy with a John Wayne calendar in his office, guided the Indians to a 96-66 record. Cleveland made its first playoff appearance since 2001, then lost to the Red Sox in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series.

Melvin was chosen for his steady hand in leading a team that sometimes started six rookies and finished 90-72.

[bigboydan]

Wedge was a shoe in for that award in the AL, however I think Clint Hurdle deserved it with that pitching staff he had to manage.

[tacomax]

So, Francona wins the whole thing. With the money he has, he's not a deserving winner. Yet he gets about a fifth of the votes of Torre who, lest we forget, manages the team with the biggest payroll in baseball and the team who crashed out of the playoffs at the first hurdle. Maybe someone can explain that to me.

BTW, Wedge was the deserving winner. By a mile.

[Willie Bee]

Francona had a much better group of talent than Torre this year. Payroll means squat to a manager's ability in most ways, other than dealing with egos.