Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Thursday 14 November 2019
Shildt wins NL Manager of the Year days after mom's death

NEW YORK (AP) — Mike
Shildt began his life in base-
ball at his mom's side, tag-
ging along with her to work
at a Double-A ballpark and
picking up odd jobs around
the clubhouse.
When Shildt was recog-
nized Tuesday night for the
career that has followed,
the late Lib Shildt was the
first thing on his mind.
"My mom was remarkable,"
he said.
Less than a week after his
mother died, Shildt was
honored for piloting the St.
Louis Cardinals back into In this May 11, 2019, file photo, Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, left, looks up during the team's baseball game against
the Detroit Tigers in Minneapolis; and in this Sept. 25, 2019, file photo, St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt pauses in the dugout
the playoffs, narrowly beat- during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
ing Craig Counsell of the Associated Press
Milwaukee Brewers to win
NL Manager of the Year. theny as Cardinals manag- sources around you, the place votes and finished pitched the Astros to their
Shildt earned the award in er during the 2018 season, people who you trust, you third. Oakland's Bob Mel- second pennant in three
his first full season on the and under his steady guid- rely on them in a lot of ways. vin was fourth, followed seasons and are the favor-
job, even though Counsell ance, St. Louis has been I did that in a lot of differ- by Houston's AJ Hinch and ites for the award. Morton
received more first-place among baseball's best ent ways." The self-dubbed Cleveland's Terry Francona. left Houston for Tampa Bay
votes (13-10) from the Base- teams since. The club won Bomba Squad thrived un- ON DECK in free agency and had a
ball Writers' Association of 91 games and the NL Cen- der Baldelli, whose big All teammates a season career year.
America. Minnesota Twins tral crown this year, ending league playing career was ago, Gerrit Cole, Justin Ver- Mets ace Jacob deGrom is
manager Rocco Baldelli the franchise's three-year cut short by a rare disorder lander and Charlie Morton expected to repeat as the
won the AL prize in a tight postseason drought. The that led to frequent fatigue are finalists for the AL Cy NL Cy Young winner. He's
finish over Aaron Boone Cardinals gave Shildt a and soft tissue injuries. Young Award, which will up against the Nationals'
of the New York Yankees. contract extension through One of Baldelli's priorities be announced Wednes- Max Scherzer and Dodgers
Both received 13 first-place the 2022 season. was keeping players rested, day. Cole and Verlander lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu.q
votes, but Baldelli got more "I set my sights on being the a strategy that worked es-
second-place nods (13- best coach I could be just pecially well with his catch-
9). The 38-year-old is the like being the best player I ers. Nobody started more
youngest to win the award. could be, and the journey than 73 games behind the
Shildt teared up upon has led me here," Shildt plate for Minnesota, yet the
learning he'd been cho- said. trio of Mitch Garver, Jason
sen. The 51-year-old is the Atlanta's Brian Snitker fin- Castro and Willians Astudi-
first manager of the year ished third after winning llo combined for 48 home
who never played pro ball, the award last year. The runs, most in the majors by
but he's been around the Dodgers' Dave Roberts was any team's backstops.
game since he was a child. fourth and Nationals man- Young hitters Jorge Po-
His mom worked as an ad- ager Dave Martinez came lanco and Max Kepler had
ministrative assistant for the in fifth. Washington turned breakout seasons, Miguel
Charlotte O's in the Balti- a 19-31 start into a World Sano and Byron Buxton be-
more Orioles' system, and Series championship, but gan to meet the weighty In this March 3, 2006, file photo, World Baseball Classic series
Shildt was a regular in the voting for the award con- expectations that followed Italian team catcher Mike Piazza jokes with teammates dur-
clubhouse. cluded before the postsea- exceptional minor league ing an Italian team workout in Lakeland, Fla.
"Appreciative of the time son began. careers, Nelson Cruz kept Associated Press
and love she and my dad Baldelli and Shildt are the putting up big numbers
Hospitalized for her final to win this award in their first emerged as one of the Piazza says he will
eighth and ninth managers and a no-name bullpen
invested in me," Shildt said.
peatedly told her nurses Baldelli took over a team "We have a group of young manage Italian national
full seasons on the job.
days, Shildt's mother re-
most reliable in baseball.
how important it was that that won 78 games in 2018 players here in Minnesota,
she live until Tuesday to find and pushed them to 101 a nucleus of young guys baseball team
out if her son had won. victories and an AL Central that were really coming
"She was emotional about title. He worked tightly with into their own in a lot of By The Associated Press a European tournament
knowing it was likely she Minnesota's analytics-fo- ways," Baldelli said. "I think Hall of Fame catcher Mike in 2020 and at the 2021
wasn't going to be here," cused front office — a shift some of those guys were Piazza says he has agreed World Baseball Classic.
Shildt said. "I said, 'You from predecessor Paul Mo- ready to take the next step to become manager of Piazza was Italy’s hitting
know what? You're going litor, who won the award in their career offensively, Italy’s national baseball coach at the 2009 and
to know before I am.' in 2017 — and oversaw a and a couple of those guys team. The 51-year-old 2013 WBC tournaments.
"It still hasn't sunk in in total turnaround powered by were doing that at the Piazza, who was born in In 2016, he bought con-
and I don't know if it ever the team's major league- same time. We also com- Norristown, Pennsylva- trol of the third-tier soc-
will, ultimately, what that record 307 home runs. plemented them with some nia, is of Italian ancestry. cer club Reggiana, which
loss is going to feel like," he "There's really no playbook," quality, veteran players." He tweeted Wednesday dropped out of Serie C af-
added. Baldelli said. "You certainly Rays manager Kevin Cash
Shildt replaced Mike Ma- take advantage of the re- also earned three first- he will manage Italy at ter the 2017-18 season.q