MLB names Paul Molitor and Torey Lovullo Managers of the Year

Nov 14 (The Sports Xchange) - Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor was named the American League Manager of the Year on Tuesday.

Molitor, 61, orchestrated an impressive turnaround in Minnesota that saw the Twins jump from 59-103 and a fifth-place finish in the AL Central in 2016 to 85-77 and second in the division in 2017.

Minnesota became the first team in major league history to make the playoffs after losing 100-plus games the prior season. The Twins lost to the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card game.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was named Manager of the Year for the National League.

Lovullo guided Arizona to a 93-69 record and reached the playoffs in 2017 -- the team's first postseason berth since 2011.

Lovullo (111 points) received 18 of the 30 first-place votes to easily outdistance Dave Roberts (55) of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Bud Black (43) of the Colorado Rockies.