Kevin Cash deserved to win the Manager of the Year award, but on Tuesday night, the trophy went to Bob Melvin of the Athletics instead. The top three candidates all represented something unique this season, making it a difficult race to call, and there’s no doubt the winner was worthy.
But Kevin Cash was uniquely deserving of a win, and to see him passed over feels like a missed opportunity.
It’s one thing to manage one of the most expensive rosters in baseball, built around a large contingent of All-Stars. That’s where Alex Cora found himself this year, fresh off a win with the Astros as a bench coach, and into the dugout of the Red Sox with a team tailor made for a championship.