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SPORTS Thursday 15 November 2018
Oakland's Melvin, Atlanta's Snitker voted top managers

By RONALD BLUM, AP Base-
ball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Bob Mel-
vin's job was a lot different
as a rookie manager with
Seattle in 2002, and even
when he was voted Man-
ager of the Year with Ari-
zona in 2007 and Oakland
in 2012.
"Organizations and cer-
tainly front offices are more
a part of it now, and you
have to understand that,"
Melvin said Tuesday after
winning his third manager In this Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017 file photo, Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin, left, poses for a portrait in Mesa, Ariz; and in
award. this Friday, Aug. 3, 2018 file photo, Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, right, looks on from the dugout before a baseball game
Melvin won the American against the New York Mets in New York.
League honor after leading Associated Press
the Athletics to the playoffs scout, instructor, front office of these jobs. So I'm lucky league-best from June 16 Cash was next with five firsts
despite the lowest open- assistant and coach before enough to be with an orga- on, even though Jharel and 57 points. The Rays' in-
ing-day payroll in the major he got his first big league nization that not only it's my Cotton, A.J. Puk, Sean Ma- novation of using a reliever
leagues. managing job in 2002 from hometown but from a guy naea, Kendall Graveman, as an "opener" was copied
Atlanta's Brian Snitker won Mariners general manager that I've known for quite a Brett Anderson, Andrew by other teams later in the
the National League award Pat Gillick, a future Hall of while in Billy and they do Triggs and several other season, including Oakland.
following a surprising first- Famer. Now he works for the best they can to con- starting pitchers got hurt. "Based on the fact that we
place finish, a reward for Oakland executives Billy sistently try to implement They lost to the New York had so many starters go
a 63-year-old baseball lifer Beane and Dave Forst, pro- stuff and get us better. And Yankees in the AL wild-card down and our bullpen was
who has spent 42 seasons ponents of the analytics it's my job to accept it and game. our strength, we were look-
with the Braves. He thought movement that has swept move forward." "At the beginning, we were ing for ways to potentially
back to how he returned baseball. Melvin received 18 first- at little bit taken aback get better," Melvin said.
to the minor leagues in "When I started doing this place votes, 19 seconds by the fact that we lost so "Certainly watching what
1986, 1991 and 2004 after a long time ago with Mr. and one third for 121 points many guys early on," Mel- they did over there and
stints on the staff of the big Gillick in Seattle, their job from the Baseball Writers' vin said, "but I think after the success they had was
league Braves. was to give me the players Association of America. that it was more kind of a partly one of the reasons
"Hey, I've been recycled and then it was my job to He is the eighth manager badge of honor that some- we looked at it."
three times from the major put guys in the right spots. to win three or more times one goes down, we have Snitker received 17 firsts,
leagues as a coach," he And things have changed and is one shy of the record to continue to have expec- nine seconds and one
said. "Everything that I've since then," Melvin said. "It shared by Bobby Cox and tations to win and know we third for 116 points, the only
been through I think has can be a little bit top heavy Tony La Russa. have depth in our organiza- manager picked on every
prepared me better to un- as far as where the informa- His A's went 97-65, a 22-win tion and it's next man up." NL ballot.
derstand what these guys tion comes from, from our improvement over 2017, Boston's Alex Cora was sec- Milwaukee's Craig Counsell
go through and what this front office now, and you even with a $68.6 million ond with seven firsts and was second with 11 firsts
job entails." have to be able to adapt, payroll when the season 79 points after leading the and for 99 points. Colo-
A big league catcher from or at some point in time began. They overcame Red Sox to a team-record rado's Bud Black was third
1985-94, Melvin became a you might not have one a 34-36 start to go a big 108 wins. Tampa Bay's Kevin with 41 points.q

Japan beats MLB All-Stars 6-5 to clinch exhibition series

By JIM ARMSTRONG on Kazuki Tanaka's come- of hits the opposite way
AP Sports Writer backer. and they've gotten big
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Pinch-hitter Hotaka Ya- hits. You know, there isn't
Takuya Kai hit a go-ahead makawa followed with a any way to go around it,
double off Dan Otero in two-run double. they did a nice job."
the eighth inning, capping Seiji Uebayashi singled MLB starter Junior Guerra
a comeback from a four- with two outs in the eighth allowed one run in five
run deficit that led Japan off Otero, who took the innings, a second-inning
over the MLB All-Stars 6-5 loss, and scored from first home run by Kazuma
Wednesday and clinched on Kai's double. Okamoto.
the six-game exhibition se- Winner Yu Sato struck out Japan starter Nao Higashi-
ries 4-1. two in a hitless eighth, hama gave up three runs
Down 5-1, Japan tied and Yuki Matsui worked and six hits in three innings.
the score with a four-run around Juan Soto's lead- Rhys Hoskins hit two-run
seventh against Hector off single in the ninth for homer in the second, Soto
Velazquez. the save. had an RBI single in the
Kai started the comeback "They did a nice job of third, and Carlos Santana
with an RBI single in the battling our guys and put- All Japan catcher Takuya Kai, second from right, celebrates had an RBI single in the
seventh, and Velazquez ting the ball in play," MLB with teammates after beating MLB All-Stars 6-5 in Game 5 at sixth.
threw wildly into center manager Don Mattingly their All-Stars Series baseball at Nagoya Dome in Nagoya, The final game is Thursday
field for a run-scoring error said. "They had a number central Japan, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. at the Nagoya Dome.q
Associated Press