NewsVoters could show Gonzalez some love
Marlins' skipper did more with less than any manager in NL
By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com
11/18/09 1:15 AM EST
There was only one team in the big leagues that notched twice as many wins as they had millions of dollars committed to team payroll, and that was the Marlins, which had the lowest payroll in the Majors, at about $36 million, and ended up with 87 wins.In fact, there aren't many -- perhaps none -- that can do more with less than Florida did.
The team just above the Marlins in payroll, the Padres -- at close to $43 million -- finished 75-87 and 20 games out of first place in the National League West. The team right above San Diego, the Pirates, who committed about $48 million to their roster, eked out just 62 victories and finished in last place in the NL Central. The Nationals -- the team with the 27th-lowest payroll, at about $60 million -- had the worst record in the Major Leagues.
When considering that, a lot of credit should go to the Marlins' baseball-operations department. And the same kudos need to be given to the man who leads this group of bargain-bin standouts, up-and-coming prospects and Hanley Ramirez: manager Fredi Gonzalez.
On Wednesday the Baseball Writers' Association of America will announce the Manager of the Year for both leagues. Gonzalez isn't likely to win, and he may not even finish among the top vote-getters.
The favorite is Rockies skipper Jim Tracy, for obvious reasons. Tracy took over for the dismissed Clint Hurdle on May 29, when the Rockies were 18-28. From that date until the end of the regular season, Colorado went 74-42 and earned the NL Wild Card berth.
But Gonzalez, who finished third in NL Manager of the Year voting last season and was recognized as Sporting News' NL Manager of the Year, probably won't be overlooked.
Under Gonzalez's direction, the Marlins have sported winning records in each of the last two seasons and are coming off the third-most victories in franchise history. Despite playing in the NL East with the 2008 World Series champion Phillies, the high-spending Mets and the consistently competitive Braves, Gonzalez had the Marlins as close as 3 1/2 games back of first place on Aug. 11 and within reach of the Wild Card for pretty much the entire season.
Still, rumors have swirled that Gonzalez -- who is under contract through 2011 -- is on the hot seat, as owner Jeffrey Loria was reportedly disappointed with not making the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season and was looking elsewhere for a skipper.
But the Marlins put to rest any rumors on Oct. 6, when they guaranteed that Gonzalez would be back.
"Every organization regularly evaluates itself to see how it can improve," Loria said in a statement the day of the announcement. "We do this on a constant basis.
"We are pleased with a winning season. And we are disappointed we did not make the playoffs. We always want to exceed expectations. Our fans share these feelings, also."
Gonzalez, 45 and from Miami, was a longtime Minor League manager as well as a third-base coach on Bobby Cox's staff in Atlanta for four years. He became the Marlins' skipper in '07 and has compiled a 242-243 record in his three years with the club.
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
