Scioscia endorses Gardenhire for Manager of the Year

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Although it was Ron Washington and the Texas Rangers who dethroned his Angels atop the American League West, the L.A. Manager Mike Scioscia said he voted for Minnesota’s Ron Gardenhire as the league’s Manager of the Year.

‘What Ron Gardenhire has done over the course of the last six or seven years there in Minnesota has been incredible,’ Scioscia said. ‘They’ve lost some very, very talented players to free agency. They keep moving forward and keep contending. Ron has a terrific grasp of fundamentals. And as far as relating to players, he’s as good as it gets.’

Last week Minnesota became the first team to clinch a division title this season, winning the Central Division crown for the sixth time in nine years under Gardenhire.

‘I think Ron Gardenhire is the Manager of the Year hands down,’ Scioscia said.

Scioscia said he hasn’t sent a note of congratulations to Washington but plans to deliver that message personally this week when the Angels visit Texas.

‘He’s done a terrific job down there. And they deserve it. They played certainly better than us,’ Scioscia said of Washington’s Rangers. ‘They had a good club and they played well.’

The division title was the Rangers’ first in 11 years.

-- Kevin Baxter