masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgBuck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles has been named the American League’s Manager of the Year within Sporting News 2012 MLB Awards, presented by Gillette Odor Shield.

Showalter turned a 93-loss team from 2011 into a 93-win team in 2012, ending the franchise’s streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons. And he did it with a third baseman playing first base, a first baseman playing right field and a 20-year-old rookie shortstop playing third base.

“It’s quite an honor coming from my…Buck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles has been named the American League’s Manager of the Year within Sporting News 2012 MLB Awards, presented by Gillette Odor Shield.

Showalter turned a 93-loss team from 2011 into a 93-win team in 2012, ending the franchise’s streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons. And he did it with a third baseman playing first base, a first baseman playing right field and a 20-year-old rookie shortstop playing third base.

“It’s quite an honor coming from my peers, but I view this as a team award. I really do. The players, coaches and everyone involved made this possible,” Showalter says.

“We have some injuries along the way, we had some bumps in the road, but everyone does over 162 games. We never turned it into a woe-is-me situation. We played through it.”

Sporting News’ Manager of the Year award was decided on by American League managers.

Voting Results
The top vote-getters in each league:

American League (voting by only AL managers)
1. Buck Showalter: 4 votes
2. Bob Melvin: 3 votes
3. Robin Ventura: 1 vote

National League (voting by only NL managers)
1. Davey Johnson: 4 votes
2. Dusty Baker: 3 votes
3. Bruce Bochy/Ron Roenicke: 1 vote