Ranking the NL East: Managers

Aug 22, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals manager

watches from the dugout against the San Francisco Giants at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Ranking the managers in the NL East is a tough task because only one team really stood out – and by that I mean only one team finished above .500. The Washington Nationals sport the manager of the year, but did his questionable decisions in the NLDS hurt his ranking? And really, how much credit can you give a manager that fields a lineup with so much talent?

The other teams in the NL East do not boast as much talent, but some are better lead then others. Mike Redmond is overseeing an up and coming Miami team with a returning ace and some budding young talent. He also finished a respectable fifth in the NL manager of the year voting after only his second season with the Marlins.

The Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves had an everything must go sale during this off season, so their managers, Ryne Sandberg and Fredi Gonzalez respectively, do not have much to work with. But does lack of production on the field equate to poor management? How much should we hold a manager accountable for the talent level on the field?

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The ever floundering New York Mets seem to have a bit more talent, but are not punching at their weight. Is that due to the inept managerial skill of Terry Collins?

What I hoped to do in this ranking is give bonus points for working with what you have talent wise. I also factored in clubhouse management and overall decision making process in my rankings. Having a unified clubhouse and being a good leader is probably the best mark of a good manager, but one that is very hard to measure accurately!

So without further adieu…number five on the list of NL East managers is…

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