National League Manager of the Year Award goes to Washington Nationals’ Davey Johnson-MLB Update
As per the reports, Washington Nationals’ Davey Johnson has been declared as National League Manager of the Year. Johnson was by far ahead of other contestants in terms of winning first-place votes.
The honour has come at a time when Johnson has been re-signed by the team for one more year as skipper.
During 2012 regular season, Johnson played a decisive role in taking the club into the playoffs. Right from day one, his involvement in the team and the impact of it in the form of a substantive change in performance was visible.
The roster that hosts young players needed someone like Johnson. Most of the Nationals are on a way to reach prime of their career, which means that they require guidance of a veteran in order to get through this phase.
The fact Johnson rightly provided it to them throughout the last season shows his contributions for the team.
Currently, Johnson confronts the task of leading the Nationals next year. For this, Spring Training will put a heavy responsibility on him, making him hang out with the players and tell them the areas where they need improvement.
Johnson has discussed that there could be reasons if he was not retained as skipper by the Nationals. One was of failing to ensure post-season entry of the team and the second was losing in the competition of Manager of the Year Award.
“There’s two ways I could have got fired,” Johnson said. “One, if I don’t win the pennant. Two, if I win manager of the year. I can relax until spring. I haven’t got any immediate calls from the ownership that they don’t want me back.”
Talking specifically about the award won by him, Johnson believes that collective achievements through team effort are more important for him than a stand out show by one man.
“Individual awards don’t mean a whole lot to me,” Johnson said. “But you like to see players get recognized when they do something good. Guys really didn’t overachieve.”
Johnson will be hoping that he continues his successful campaign as manager in the upcoming season.
It will be interesting to see him spearheading the Nationals during the 2013 regular season.
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