Wedge And Melvin Are Managers Of The Year

NEW YORK (AP) -- A couple of former backup catchers are baseball's managers of the year. Cleveland's Eric Wedge is the American League recipient, with the National League honor going to Arizona's

Wednesday, November 14th 2007, 2:46 pm

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) -- A couple of former backup catchers are baseball's managers of the year. Cleveland's Eric Wedge is the American League recipient, with the National League honor going to Arizona's Bob Melvin.

Wedge is the first Indians skipper to capture the postseason award. And he was a runaway winner, receiving 19 of 28 first-place votes from the baseball writers after his club tied Boston for the best record in baseball. The Red Sox beat his Indians in a
seven-game AL championship series. Wedge, who guided the Indians to a 96-and-66 record and their first playoff appearance since 2001, finished ahead of the Angels' Mike Scioscia and the Yankees' Joe Torre.

Melvin won the NL prize for leading the young Diamondbacks to the top mark in the league. He was chosen first on 19 of 30 ballots to easily outdistance Charlie Manuel of the Phillies and the Rockies' Clint Hurdle.

Melvin led a team that sometimes started six rookies to a 90-and-72 finish.