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Rangers' Jeff Banister Named AL Manager of the Year

Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister has been selected the AL Manager of the Year after leading the Rangers to a division title in his first season on the job.

Banister got 17 first-place votes for 112 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in balloting announced Tuesday.

Banister is the fifth manager to win in his first year.

Texas won 88 games this season -- 21 wins better than last year -- in taking the AL West and reaching the American League Division Series despite losing ace Yu Darvish for the entire season.

Houston's A.J. Hinch was second, receiving eight first-place votes and 82 points. Minnesota's Paul Molitor, another first-year manager, got two first-place votes and 33 points.

Banister becomes the third Rangers manager honored, joining Johnny Oates in 1996 and Buck Showalter in 2004.

In the National League, Joe Maddon won his third Manager of the Year award, earning his first in the NL after guiding the Chicago Cubs to their first postseason berth since 2008.

Maddon got nine first-place votes for 124 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in balloting announced Tuesday.

Maddon becomes the seventh manager to win the award three times and the seventh to earn it in both leagues. He won the AL award with Tampa Bay in 2008 and 2011.

With NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant anchoring a youthful lineup, Maddon's Cubs won 97 games, good for third-best record in the majors this year -- and third place in the Central. Chicago beat Pittsburgh in the wild-card game before losing to the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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