On the whole, there are several ways that the 2022 National League Manager of the Year award could go. Of course, That goes hand-in-hand with the performance of each manager’s respective teams. More often than not, the Manager of the Year Award goes to the manager that leads his team to far greater results than expected. Certainly, that has been the case for the past two seasons. Last year’s winner was Gabe Kapler of the San Francisco Giants. In 2020, Don Mattingly got the honor for the Miami Marlins. Kapler and Mattingly took their respective teams to surprise playoff berths in both cases.
On Thursday, April 7, 2022, the Major League Baseball season will begin with the final day of the regular season on Sunday, October 2, 2022.
Odds Analysis
Commencing with the past two years, part of handicapping the National League Manager of the Year Award is to find a surprise team. Or at least a club that is not among the power favorites. Thus, Dave Roberts will not get a lot of love for winning with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That is expected. So, which teams can offer the best value for their manager on the board? That is the question.
2022 National League Manager of the Year Top Candidates
Craig Counsell – Milwaukee Brewers
It is true that the Brewers were the surprise winners of the National League Central last season. But the Brewers are not held anywhere close to the same esteem as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. And that is where Craig Counsell comes into play.
Counsell is a local hero that grew up in the area and played for the Brewers. Since taking over in 2015, Counsell has a career winning percentage of .525. He is one of the few managers in Milwaukee history to actually have a winning record with the organization. Milwaukee is the favorite to win the National League Central again, but they are not pricey chalks. Thus, if Milwaukee is successful, Counsell will certainly be in the thick of the race.
Buck Showalter – New York Mets
The baseball media and fans, but there I repeat myself, are all over the New York Mets to win the National League East, at the very least. And that leads to new manager Buck Showalter, who has had a generally successful career that includes five playoff berths with three different franchises, including the New York Yankees.
In most cases, Showalter would not be a good choice because of the public popularity of the Mets. But the media is utterly in the tank for the Mets. Thus, if New York has a good season, Showalter will get a lot of love from the folks that make the award. Also, keep in mind that Showalter is a 3-time American League Manager of the Year awardee.
Bob Melvin – San Diego Padres
New Padres manager Bob Melvin arrives from an 11-season stint with the Oakland A’s, where he was named manager of the year twice. He also won the Manager of the Year award as the skipper of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Melvin did a remarkable job with the A’s. To illuminate, Melvin posted a win percentage of .528 for an A’s team that always operated on a shoestring budget. Oakland made the playoffs six times under Melvin.
San Diego was a hot ticket on the 2021 futures market but failed to live up to expectations. Now San Diego could emerge as a classic beaten favorite that offers enhanced wagering value to sharps. Meanwhile, Melvin takes over a much better roster than in Oakland. It could all add up for a dream season in San Diego.
BookMaker Pick: Bob Melvin – San Diego Padres
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
