BALTIMORE —from WBAL TV in Baltimore…..
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has been selected as the Baseball Writers Association of America American League Manager of the Year.
Hyde, 50, guided the Orioles to a record of 101-61. Even after finishing 83-79 in 2022, no one thought the team could improve enough to top the AL East, let alone lead the entire American League.
The successful season marked a major breakthrough after a years-long rebuild in which Hyde’s Orioles struggled to record more than 50 wins in 2019 and 2021.
Hyde received 27 of 30 first place votes. The other three went to Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy.
The Orioles were one of just three teams to eclipse 100 wins in 2023. The Atlanta Braves (104-58) and Los Angeles Dodgers (100-62) were the other teams to do so.
Hyde kept the team consistent — they were never swept in a series all season long, and that streak dates back to May 2022. The Orioles also led the MLB in comeback wins with 48.
Former Orioles manager Buck Showalter won the award in 2014 after leading that team to a 96-66 record, an AL East title and a Wildcard Series win.
On Monday, Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson was unanimously voted AL Rookie of the Year.
Brandon Hyde history with Greensboro Grasshoppers and the Florida Marlins system:
Hyde managed in the Marlins organization from 2005 to 2009, heading the Greensboro Grasshoppers in 2005 and 2006, the Carolina Mudcats in 2007, the Jupiter Hammerheads in 2008 and the Jacksonville Suns in 2009 where he led the Suns to their fourth Southern League Championship in club history. He had also spent two years as the Grasshoppers’/Greensboro Bats’ hitting coach. In 2010, he was the Marlins minor league infield coordinator.
On June 23, 2010, the Marlins fired manager Fredi González, bench coach Carlos Tosca(former Greensboro Hornets manager), and hitting coach Jim Presley. Hyde was named the interim bench coach, Edwin Rodríguez(former Greensboro Grasshoppers manager) was named the interim manager, and John Mallee(former Marlins roving hitting instructor who spent plenty of time in Greensboro with the Hoppers) was named the hitting coach. On November 3, 2010, the Marlins removed the interim tags from each, and made Hyde their bench coach for the 2011 season.
When Rodríguez unexpectedly resigned on June 19, 2011, Hyde was named acting manager for that evening’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays (a 2–1 loss that brought the team’s losing streak to ten games). On June 20, Jack McKeon(long-time visitor and honored guest at all Greensboro Grasshoppers games) was named interim manager and Hyde moved back to the bench coach position.