PENA FIRST ROYALS MANAGER VOTED BEST IN AL

For release Wednesday, Nov. 12; do not move on wires before 2 p.m., EST

Tony Pena, who guided the Kansas City Royals into contention in the American League Central following the first 100-loss season in franchise history, was elected AL Manager of the Year in balloting announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Pena, 46, Kansas City’s manager since May 15, 2002, led the Royals to an 83-79 record, their first winning season since 1994. The Royals won their first nine games of the season and had a seven-game lead in the division at the All-Star break. Pena kept Kansas City in contention despite having to use 29 pitchers, including a leagu e-high 15 starters, among a club-record 53 players.

Of the 28 ballots submitted by two writers in each league city, Pena was listed first on 24, second on three and third on one to total 130 points, based on a 5-3-1 tabulation system. Pena, a former catcher who spent 18 seasons in the major leagues as a player, is the first Royals manager to win the award, which the BBWAA inaugurated in 1983. He was the only manager named to every ballot.

The other four first-place votes went to the Minnesota Twins’ Ron Gardenhire, who also got seven second-place votes and three thirds for a runnerup total of 44 points. Gardenhire, who finished third in the balloting last year, led the Twins to their second consecutive AL Central title. First-year manager Ken Macha of the Oakland Athletics finished third with 26 points. In all, nine managers received votes.

The vote:

Manager Club 1st
 2nd
 3rd
 Points
TONY PENA Kansas City 24 3 1 130
RON GARDENHIRE Minnesota 4  7 3 44
KEN MACHA Oakland
7 5 26
GRADY LITTLE Boston
4 7 19
JOE TORRE NY Yankees 
2 8 14
LOU PINIELLA Tampa Bay
4 1 13
CARLOS TOSCA Toronto
1
3
ERIC WEDGE Cleveland

2 2
ALAN TRAMMELL Detroit

1 1

Previous winners:

2002 MIKE SCIOSCIA, Anaheim Angels; 2001 LOU PINIELLA, Seattle Mariners; 2000 JERRY MANUEL, Chicago White Sox; 1999 JIMY WILLIAMS, Boston Red Sox; 1998 JOE TORRE, New York Yankees; 1997 DAVEY JOHNSON, Baltimore Orioles; 1996 (Tie) JOHNNY OATES, Texas Rangers, and JOE TORRE, New York Yankees; 1995 LOU PINIELLA, Seattle Mariners; 1994 BUCK SHOWALTER, New York Yankees; 1993 GENE LAMONT, Chicago White Sox; 1992 TONY La RUSSA, Oakland Athletics; 1991 TOM KELLY, Minnesota Twins; 1990 JEFF TORBORG, Chicago White Sox; 1989 FRANK ROBINSON, Baltimore Orioles; 1988 TONY La RUSSA, Oakland Athletics; 1987 SPARKY ANDERSON, Detroit Tigers; 1986 JOHN McNAMARA, Boston Red Sox; 1985 BOBBY COX, Toronto Blue Jays; 1984 SPARKY ANDERSON, Detroit Tigers; 1983 TONY La RUSSA, Chicago White Sox.