Collins up for BBWAA's NL Manager honor
NEW YORK -- Fresh off his World Series appearance and two-year contract extension, Mets manager Terry Collins on Tuesday enjoyed even more evidence of his mounting success. The Baseball Writers' Association of America named Collins one of three finalists for its National League Manager of the Year Award.
Collins is a finalist alongside the Cubs' Joe Maddon and Cardinals' Mike Matheny, for an award that only takes into account regular-season results.
The NL Manager of the Year Award winner will be revealed Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.
That announcement came less than a week after the Mets gave Collins, 66, a two-year extension that could make him the longest-tenured manager in franchise history. Collins also won the Sporting News' Manager of the Year Award and is a Best Manager nominee in the MLB Esurance Awards.
"The reason Terry is back as manager is not just because of the season we just had," general manager Sandy Alderson said at Collins' contract extension news conference. "Over the previous four years, without the talent base, without the resources that he ultimately had, at least for part of this season, he did an extraordinary job as well. This is an expression of our appreciation and our confidence in Terry going forward."
Under Collins' stewardship since 2011, the Mets have risen incrementally from fourth place to third, second and first over the last four seasons. They enjoyed their first winning season since 2008 this past season, going 90-72 before upending the Dodgers and Maddon's Cubs to reach the World Series, falling to the Royals in five games.
Though Collins may have to proceed next summer without his incumbent Nos. 3 and 4 hitters, Daniel Murphy and Yoenis Cespedes, he should have his top four young starting pitchers back in the fold.
"No longer are we going to sneak up on anybody," Collins said. "And I love that. I love to walk in that ballpark -- you've got to walk out there with a bit of a swagger that, you know, we're legit and this wasn't a fluke."