ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Kevin Cash's 2020 season has been defined for now — and likely for a long time — by his decision to take Blake Snell out of Game 6 of the World Series and the Rays eventually losing.
But the decisions, conversations, evaluations and all the other work Cash did in leading the Rays to the postseason was quite memorable, as well, and for that he was recognized Tuesday as the American League Manager of the Year.
Cash had much to manage, steering the Rays not only through the pandemic-delayed and abbreviated season and related protocols, but also a slew of injuries that sidelined a majority of their pitching staff and playing (and winning) more close games than any team in the majors while posting an American League best 40-20 record.
Cash finished with 126 points and 22 first-place votes in voting by 30 members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America before the start of the playoffs. Rick Renteria, who was let go after the season by the White Sox, was second. Toronto's Charlie Montoyo, the longtime Rays minor-league manager and major-league coach was third.
"I think Kevin is one of the best managers in the game, if not the best manager in the game," MLB Network analyst Dan O'Dowd said in advance of the award. "Forget about the World Series right now and let's talk about the big picture — his team was 40-20, best record in the American League, second best record overall."
Managing the Rays is more challenging than leading other teams in any season, given how they don't have a set lineup, make liberal changes during games, use relievers based on the leverage of situations rather than in formal roles and are aggressive in pulling starting pitchers in addition to using openers, which leads to more pitching moves.
And 2020 was all of that for Cash, who used 60 different lineups in the 60 games and had a major-league record-tying 12 different pitchers record saves while using 12 starters (who got through six innings in only nine games). Also, having more than half their games decided by one or two runs, going a majors-best 23-10 (14-5 in one-run games.)
O'Dowd lauded the way Cash handles all those factors and communicates with the players.
"The way he manages the culture of that organization and the information flow that comes from the front office to the field staff," O'Dowd said, "to get the players to buy into that, to buy into a team concept, to sacrifice their own individual numbers and stats for the betterment of the group, I don't think people have understanding of how challenging that is, and how unbelievable this guy has navigated those waters."
The Rays entered 2020 with grand expectations after improving from 90 wins in 2018 to 96 last year and their first playoff berth since 2013 under Joe Maddon, taking Houston to a fifth and final game in the Division Series.
Cash led the team through the mid-March coronavirus shutdown, eventually into Spring 2.0 camp in July, but acknowledged he still doubted if the season would be played due to the extensive protocols that were required.
"More than anything else that really impressed me, not that he hasn't been good at creating a good environment in the past, but given all the uncertainty and the additional things he was up against as a manager of a club in 2020, he really just made everybody feel that there was a level of safety and togetherness that really continued to resonate throughout the season," pitching coach Kyle Snyder said.
"He's not a real vocal guy in terms of meetings, but there were a couple times where it really stood out to me, and he empowered the staff to essentially do the same."
The bigger challenge, Cash said, was the string of injuries through the first month of play that saw the Rays lose seven relievers from their planned opening day bullpen and two of their five starters, plus their top backup.
"The injuries in the beginning were awful," Cash said. "That was the toughest thing."
Another stress point was the Sept. 1 incident with the Yankees, when Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball at the head of Mike Brosseau. Though Cash's memorable postgame response seemed to galvanize his players, calling out the "poor" judgment, coaching and teaching by the Yankees — and threateningly noting, "I've got a whole damn stable full of guys that throw 98 miles an hour" — there were more issues to deal with internally the next day.
"The Yankees thing was pretty consuming," Cash said. "I give the staff and players a lot of credit for sticking together through that, because those moments can be pretty tough in a clubhouse."
Cash got them through that also, as the Rays won the AL East for the first since 2010 and third time in their 23-season history, made back-to-back playoff appearances for just the second time and posted a .667 winning percentage that over a full season would have translated to 108 wins.
Cash, 42, took over the Rays in 2015, having never managed at any level. The Tampa native's .522 winning percentage (454-416) is the best of the five managers in franchise history and, with six seasons on the job, he is the third-longest-tenured manager with his current team. Cash finished third the past two years in the BBWAA manager of the year voting; Maddon won the award twice with the Rays in 2008 and 2011.
