PINIELLA WINS 3RD MANAGER AWARD, 1ST IN NL
Lou Piniella, who led the Chicago Cubs to their second consecutive National League Central title and the best record in the league, was named NL Manager of the Year in balloting by the BBWAA. It was the third Manager of the Year Award for Piniella, who won twice in the American League with the Seattle Mariners in 1995 and 2001.
Piniella, 65, was listed first on 15 of 32 ballots cast by two writers in each league city, second on eight and third on four to score 103 points, based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system. Charlie Manuel of the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies finished second for the second year in a row with 67 points, based on eight first-place votes, six seconds and nine thirds.
The Florida Marlins' Fredi Gonzalez received five first-place votes and finished third overall with 48 points. The Los Angeles Dodgers' Joe Torre, a two-time winner in the AL with the New York Yankees, got three first-place votes and ranked fourth with 45 points. The other first-place vote went to the St. Louis Cardinals' Tony La Russa. In all, eight managers gained mention but none on every ballot.
La Russa and Bobby Cox share the record for most Manager of the Year Awards with four apiece. Piniella is now tied with Dusty Baker and Jim Leyland with three each and is the fourth manager to win the award in both leagues, as have La Russa, Cox and Leyland. In addition to their NL victories, La Russa won in the AL with the Chicago White Sox in 1983 and with the Oakland Athletics in 1988 and 1992, Cox with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985 and Leyland with the Detroit Tigers in 2006.
The Cubs' 97-64 record in 2008 improved Piniella's record in his two seasons in Chicago to 182-141, but they failed to get past the first round of the playoffs either year. Voting is conducted prior to post-season play. Piniella is the third Cubs manager honored, joining Jim Frey (1984) and Don Zimmer (1989).
The vote:
| Player | Club | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
| Lou Piniella | Chicago Cubs | 15 | 8 | 4 | 103 |
| Charlie Manuel | Philadelphia Phillies | 8 | 6 | 9 | 67 |
| Fredi Gonzalez | Florida Marlins | 5 | 6 | 5 | 48 |
| Joe Torre | Los Angeles Dodgers | 3 | 8 | 6 | 45 |
| Tony La Russa | St. Louis Cardinals | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| Jerry Manuel | New York Mets | — | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| Cecil Cooper | Houston Astros | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| Dale Sveum | Milwaukee Brewers | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Previous winners:
2007 BOB MELVIN, Arizona Diamondbacks;
2006 JOE GIRARDI, Florida Marlins;
2005 BOBBY COX, Atlanta Braves;
2004 BOBBY COX, Atlanta Braves;
2003 JACK McKEON, Florida Marlins;
2002 TONY La RUSSA, St. Louis Cardinals;
2001 LARRY BOWA, Philadelphia Phillies;
2000 DUSTY BAKER, San Francisco Giants;
1999 JACK McKEON, Cincinnati Reds;
1998 LARRY DIERKER, Houston Astros;
1997 DUSTY BAKER, San Francisco Giants;
1996 BRUCE BOCHY, San Diego Padres;
1995 DON BAYLOR, Colorado Rockies;
1994 FELIPE ALOU, Montreal Expos;
1993 DUSTY BAKER, San Francisco Giants;
1992 JIM LEYLAND, Pittsburgh Pirates;
1991 BOBBY COX, Atlanta Braves;
1990 JIM LEYLAND, Pittsburgh Pirates;
1989 DON ZIMMER, Chicago Cubs;
1988 TOMMY LASORDA, Los Angeles Dodgers;
1987 BUCK ROGERS, Montreal Expos;
1986 HAL LANIER, Houston Astros;
1985 WHITEY HERZOG, St. Louis Cardinals;
1984 JIM FREY, Chicago Cubs;
1983 TOMMY LASORDA, Los Angeles Dodgers.