Mike Scioscia and Jim Tracy Named MLB Managers of the Year

The Baseball Writers Association of America has revealed that its voters have named Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia as the 2009 American League Manager of the Year and they have also named Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy as the 2009 National League Manager of the Year on Wednesday. Both Scioscia and Tracy overcome adverse circumstances to lead their teams to the playoffs and their efforts were rewarded earlier today.

According to The USA Today, Scioscia received 15 of the 28 first-place votes and earned 108 points overall from the Baseball Writers Association of America. He finished ahead of Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who received 72 overall points, as well as New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi, who received 34 overall points.

The Angels franchise experienced a devastating tragedy in early April when one of the team's brightest young prospects, pitcher Nick Adenhart, was killed in a car accident where the driver in the other vehicle was intoxicated. Scioscia rallied his troops to an American League West championship for the third consecutive year and the team dedicated their accomplishment to Adenhart with a touching gesture after they clinched the division.

Tracy replaced former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle in late May and inherited an underwhelming 18-28 record. However, the Rockies went a remarkable 74-42 after he took over the team and won the National League Wild Card. Tracy, who benefited from the emergence of young stars such as Ubaldo Jimenez and Carlos Gonzalez, won the 2009 NL Manager of the Year Award by a thoroughly decisive margin over Tony La Russa of the Cardinals.