Joe Maddon and Tony LaRussa

You have to give Rays manager Joe Maddon the AL Manager of the Year award. Hands down he gets it in my book.
The fact that he kept the Rays playing hard all season long is a credit to him and his team. It would have been easy to lose focus and play out the string but they didn't and they got rewarded in the end.
Plus, I love Maddon's kooky personality and the fact he doesn't manage "by the book." He's always willing to try something new and he will always be accountable if it doesn't work out.
Same with Tony La Russa. He kept the Cardinals, despite tons of injuries, battling to the very end and they are going to the post-season. I wouldn't give La Russa NL managerial honors. That goes to Kirk Gibson of the Diamondbacks. But La Russa gets a ton of credit for the job he did this year.