Ron Gardenhire, Black Baseball's Top Managers

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Ron Gardenhire didn't need his top slugger, Canada's Justin Morneau, to win his first American League manager of the year award.

The Minnesota Twins skipper picked up 16 first-place votes by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Wednesday, defeating Texas' Ron Washington 108-81 in balloting. Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon was a distant third with 44 points.

"Congrats to the best manager in bestball!" Twins centre-fielder Denard Span tweeted. "Way overdue!"

Moments later, Span tweeted an apology for misspelling "baseball."

The National League race was much tighter, with San Diego's Bud Black edging veteran Dusty Baker of the Cincinnati Reds 104-103 on the strength of 16 first-place votes to Baker's 13.

"This was a great year in the NL," said Black. "I guess this vote could've gone either way. I feel fortunate that I won. All these guys are so deserving."

Gardenhire guided the Twins to their sixth AL Central title in nine seasons, putting together a 94-win campaign as all-star first baseman Morneau of New Westminster, B.C., spent the second half sidelined with post-concussion syndrome.

"It's pretty neat to have your name mentioned up there," Gardenhire said.

The 53-year-old Gardenhire had finished runner-up in five of the previous eight years, the most by an AL manager.

He faced many challenges this season, some prior to the start of the regular campaign.

First, Twins closer Joe Nathan was lost for the season in spring training with an elbow injury that required elbow ligament replacement (Tommy John) surgery. Early in the season, all-star catcher Joe Mauer got off to a slow start, in large part because of minor injuries. And then Morneau sustained a concussion when his head met the knee of Blue Jays infielder John McDonald while he slid during a July 7 game at Toronto.

Before the injury, Morneau boasted a .345 batting average with 18 home runs and 56 runs batted in and still finished with the fourth-highest home run total on the Minnesota roster.

Twins designated hitter Jim Thome, who has played for seven major league managers, praised Gardenhire's managing style at the end of last season.

"I think he's done a great job of handling his players, and I think to be a good manager, that's key," said Thome, a veteran of 20 big-league seasons. "You have to know each personality, and he does that. I think he knows everybody from top to bottom, and he does a great job with the on-field stuff.

"It's definitely been a pleasure to play for him, that's for sure."

Washington, who started the year with a cocaine admission and ended it with Texas' first trip to the World Series, was next in the AL with 10 first-place votes. Maddon and retired Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston, who oversaw a surprising 85-win season, drew the other first-place votes.

Despite another loss to the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs this season, there are many in the Minnesota organization who feel that Gardenhire had his best year as a manager. He won his 800th career game in September.

He was patient with players such as outfielder Delmon Young and relief pitcher Jesse Crain of Toronto, who struggled at times but were key contributors along with rookie third baseman Danny Valencia (.311 in 299 at-bats, seven homers, 40 RBIs). Young had a breakout year in his fourth full season with the Twins, hitting .298 with 21 home runs and 112 RBIs.

Gardenhire joined Tom Kelly as the only managers in Twins history to win the award. Gardenhire finished second the last two years, along with 2006, '04 and '03.

The Twins have long had a reputation for having one of the closest-knit clubhouses in baseball. The feuds, bickering and infighting that can plague a team through the grind of a 162-game schedule rarely surfaces in Minnesota, something often attributed to the man in charge.

Gardenhire is as fiery and competitive as they come, as evidenced by his 53 career ejections. But in the dugout and behind the scenes, he portrays a calming, players-first mentality, which fosters a loose, easygoing clubhouse atmosphere.

Black was selected after guiding San Diego to a 15-game turnaround last season. The Padres finished 90-72 and led the Giants by 7 1/2 games on July 4. But San Diego's inability to hit, especially in key situations, proved to be its downfall and a big reason for a 10-game slump that cost them a playoff spot on the final day.

Baker, a three-time manager of the year, led the NL Central champion Reds to their first playoff spot since 1995. He was listed on 27 of the 32 ballots while Black was picked on 26.

Bruce Bochy of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants, Atlanta's retiring Bobby Cox and Philadelphia's Charlie Manuel got the other first-place votes.

This marked the third time that the NL award was decided by a single point. There was a tie for the AL honour in 1996 between Joe Torre and Johnny Oates.

Black and Bochy are the lone Padres winners for the manager award, first presented in 1983. That first year, Tom Lasorda of the Dodgers beat Houston's Bob Lillis by one point. In 1985, St. Louis's Whitey Herzog topped Cincinnati's Pete Rose by a point.

The AL Cy Young winner will be announced Thursday. Former Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies captured the NL Cy Young on Tuesday.