The 5 Most Underrated Managers in Major League Baseball Heading into 2013

In Major League Baseball it’s routine to see managers excelling at their profession by exceeding fan and player expectations.

After an unlikely Oakland Athletics run in 2012, we’re sure to see a surprise team that takes center stage in 2013.

Sure, there are the greats like Madden, Showalter, Scioscia and Leyland, but what about those that fly under the radar?

Here are the top five managers in Major League Baseball heading into 2013.

5. Mike Matheny

There’s been a recent trend in MLB of desperate teams hiring ex-MLB catchers only a few years out of baseball.

Mike Matheny of the St. Louis Cardinals was one of those hires, and a successful one at that.

Matheny was given an almost identical team to St. Louis’ 2011 World Series roster, but it was missing one extremely key component in Albert Pujols.

With no discredit to Tony La Russa, Matheny ended his 2012 regular-season campaign just two wins less than his predecessor, taking the Cardinals on an unlikely postseason run to Game 7 of the NLCS.

The Cardinals also finished the season with a 3.71 team ERA and 765 runs scored, both improvements over La Russa’s 2011 squad.

The future is bright for this organization as Matheny and his Cardinals look to make another postseason run in 2013.

4. Eric Wedge

Seattle Mariners manager Eric Wedge is in for a long season.

With Oakland taking the division in 2012 and Los Angeles and Texas looking strong, Wedge is going to need to find a way to keep his team competitive.

Believe it or not, I was actually impressed with what Wedge was able to accomplish last season in an extremely competitive offensive division.

Given literally no significant offensive weapons and a relatively low payroll, Wedge, a former catcher, kept his pitching at pace with the rest of the division.

I still expect the Mariners to make some moves this offseason to help their offense and add at least one more starting pitcher.

Seattle will be competing with Oakland for third place in the AL West next season.

3. Kirk Gibson

Kirk Gibson is known for his magical walk-off home run in the 1988 World Series, but he’s transforming his image into one of a successful MLB manager.

Expectations for the Arizona Diamondbacks over the last couple of years have not been high, but Gibson has managed to squeeze success out of a team that, on paper, really shouldn’t be winning.

In 2011, the NL West transformed from one of the easiest divisions in MLB to one of the most competitive.

The Diamondbacks, who really lacked any big-name pitchers at the time, would post a 3.80 ERA and score 735 runs, good enough for fourth most in the National League in Gibson’s first full season as manager.

They ended their 2011 campaign with 94 wins and a division title.

With trade rumors swirling around All-Star center fielder Justin Upton in 2012 and underachieving pitching, distractions stifled the Diamondbacks as they posted just 81 wins, ending in third in the NL West.

With some young guns in the rotation and the addition of Brandon McCarthy, Gibson’s Diamondbacks could threaten the Giants and Dodgers playoff chances.

2. John Gibbons

No team has had a better offseason than the Toronto Blue Jays up to this point, and their best move may have been their managerial hire.

John Gibbons’ only experience as an MLB manager was from 2004 to 2008 for the Jays. In five seasons with Toronto, Gibbons compiled a .500 record.

Through his years as the Jays manager, Gibbons was faced with combating the high-powered offenses of the Yankees and Red Sox, as well as the improving Devil Rays franchise.

Accomplishments in his tenure include leading Toronto to a second-place AL East finish at an 87-75 record.

Gibbons has defined his coaching style with a balance of formidable offense and defense, a perfect match for the outstanding talent Toronto acquired this offseason.

Look for Gibbons to lead his Jays to an AL East title and a make a deep playoff run in 2013.

1. Bud Black

Bud Black is the most underrated manager in baseball for one reason: what he’s managed to do with so little.

On paper, this is a team that not only should end in last in the NL West, but compete for the worst record in baseball.

Yet, for what they fielded, the Padres posted a respectable 76-86 record to end the season.

Also, the San Diego Padres have some serious momentum heading into next year after posting a 42-33 record after the All-Star break.

Black, a former pitcher, has done wonders with sub-par pitchers over the years. Last season San Diego had a team ERA of 4.01 with some really average pitching.

While they won’t have enough to keep pace with Los Angeles or San Francisco, the Padres should be competitive enough to take third in the NL West next season.