The Braves’ Fredi Gonzalez is among three finalists for the National League Manager of the Year award, along with the Pirates’ Clint Hurdle and Dodgers’ Don Mattingly. The winner will be announced Tuesday.
The Braves were shut out of the other three NL awards – MVP, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young Award – when finalists were named Tuesday for the four Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards in each league. Many believed that Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman might be an MVP finalist and closer Craig Kimbrel might crack the top three for Cy Young.
The three MVP finalists in the NL were the Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen. The NL Cy Young finalists were starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), ex-Braves prospect Adam Wainwright (Cardinals) and rookie Jose Fernandez (Marlins).
Fernandez is favored to win the NL Rookie of the Year award over the other finalists, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Cardinals pitcher Shelby Miller. The AL and NL rookies of the year will be announced Monday, the managers Tuesday, Cy Young winners Nov. 13 and MVPs Nov. 14. The awards will be presented each day at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.
The Braves have improved in each of the Gonzalez’s three seasons as manager, going from 89 wins in 2011 to 94 wins and a Wild Card berth in 2012, and 96 wins and the NL East title in 2013. It was the first division title since 2005 for the Braves, who lost to the Dodgers in the division series.
