The nine men on the diamond will be the difference this postseason, but don’t forget about the main man in the dugout. Managers -- awkwardly forced to fit into uniforms that no longer shape their body -- will also make a difference this postseason.
The Top 5 Pitches Entering The Postseason
Not all, however, are created equal. Below are the top five managers entering October.
Yankees Fans Happy Stephen Drew Will Miss Playoffs
5. Mike Matheny
Mike Matheny is further proof that Cardinals organization as a whole is one of the better run clubs in baseball. The former catcher is 20-19 in the postseason, a record that includes one NL pennant (2013).
Nobody has piloted through more turbulence than Mike Matheny.I get it w/ Maddon,he changed culture but Matheny would get my vote for mgr/yr
— Joe Buck (@Buck) October 1, 2015
4. Joe Girardi
This is Joe Girardi’s eighth season as the Yankees skipper. The former catcher carries a respectable 813-542 record in the postseason, but has struggled in playoffs past. Entering 2015, Girardi carries a .553 winning percentage.
His one World Series title as a manager -- Alex Rodriguez’s steroid-induced 2009 playoff run -- is his saving grace inside the dugout.
People have to stop worrying about Girardi. This team is playing how most expected. #Yankees
— Rob Abruzzese (@RobAbruzzese) October 1, 2015
3. Clint Hurdle
The Pirates only knew failure in the decades before Clint Hurdle. Admittedly, they still know that now -- unable to reach NLCS in consecutive seasons -- but there has been progress. Hurdle took Pittsburgh to its first playoff appearance since 1992 in 2013.
After 21 years of misery, he’s managed to return them to the postseason in three consecutive years.
From Clint Hurdle pregame. #LETSGOBUCS pic.twitter.com/0SaimNHLqh
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 30, 2015
2. Joe Maddon
Joe Maddon doesn’t have a World Series title, but he’s already done the impossible. The 61-year-old managed the Rays to an AL pennant in 2008. As if that wasn’t enough, in his first season with the Cubs, he led them to their first playoff appearance since 2008.
It's hard to sit here in Chicago, land of Joe Maddon, and not see direct impact a new manager with a fresh approach can have ona franchise.
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) October 2, 2015
1. Bruce Bochy
There’s the industry, then there’s the standard...and after that there’s Bruce Bochy. The Giants skipper has managed a borderline dynasty since 2010, leading San Francisco to World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
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