Hinch reaches top of managerial rankings

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A.J. HINCHLearned to balance

By Nick Cafardo

Globe Staff

Usually at this time, we rank the big league managers. It’s a fun exercise that draws opinions and criticisms no matter how we rank them. Some managers take offense, and sometimes they’ll say, “Hey, thanks for the love.’’

I seek the opinions of about 20 major league executives, coaches, managers, and scouts, just to get a feel for whom they like and don’t like. But the final rankings are my own. It’s based not only on their success the previous season, but also their career performance.

You won’t see much in the way of criticism here as I respect the job and what it entails, having been around managers since 1984 as a full-time baseball writer. I also understand the ever-changing role of the modern major league manager and the collaboration with front offices.

As usual, the less experienced or first-time managers are at the bottom of the list, since there’s no history to draw upon.

Here we go:

1. A.J. Hinch, Houston — Hinch was No. 14 on our list last year, but in 2017 he had what we would call a perfect season for a manager. It was reminiscent of John Farrell in 2013, when everything went right for the Red Sox in clubhouse chemistry. The young Astros finally came of age in 2017, with strategic veteran additions such as Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran making a difference. Hinch, who had an unsuccessful tenure in Arizona, where he seemed to be all about analytics, learned the balance that was needed for success. He’s also an eloquent spokesman for the team on a daily basis. Tremendous job.

2. Terry Francona, Cleveland — The Indians probably didn’t get as far as we thought, but Houston was a team of destiny. This might be a little bit of bias on my part, but there may not be a better all-around manager in the game. He’s won two titles, got to the World Series against the Cubs in 2016, and almost won that one. When it comes to managers, he’s got “it.’’

3. Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs — Consistently in our top five, and why not? Maddon’s methods can be unorthodox, but he gets the most out of his players, keeps things loose in the clubhouse, and is the ultimate communicator. He reads personalities on a team as well as anyone in the game.

4. Bruce Bochy, San Francisco — Another perennial top-five choice, Bochy, who has won three World Series titles and is headed to the Hall of Fame, had one of the worst seasons of his managerial career in 2017. Yet you have full faith in him that the Giants will rebound. Those who were around him last season said Bochy didn’t change his stripes and remained consistent in his style.

5. Torey Lovullo, Arizona — All he did in his first full season of managing was win National League Manager of the Year. Lovullo benefitted from injured players who returned to health, such as A.J. Pollock and Zack Greinke, and GM Mike Hazen helped with his acquisition of J.D Martinez, but Lovullo did what he does best and that is create a positive culture in the clubhouse with a hands-on approach to communication with players.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo (17) greets Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) prior to game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series, Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

6. Buck Showalter, Baltimore — Every season is a challenge in Baltimore for both Showalter and GM Dan Duquette as ownership never seems to give the men in charge enough resources to acquire what they need most — front-line pitching. Showalter continues to put players in the best position to succeed and his emphasis on playing the game the right way leads to wins. Another manager with a tremendous track record and pedigree.

7. Bud Black, Colorado — Black scored a 10 in his return to managing as he whipped the Rockies into shape on the field, getting his pitchers in the right mind-set at hitter-friendly Coors Field. Really a top strategist, and his in-game managing has improved leaps and bounds since his San Diego days. He’s truly become one of the best.

8. Bob Melvin, Oakland — A two-time Manager of the Year (one in each league), you respect the way Melvin gets the most out of a fluid roster each year. He has one of the toughest jobs in baseball. He’s been asked to rebuild, tear down, and everything in between, and has kept his sanity with an even-keeled approach to the job.

9. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers — Roberts has a lot of talent on his roster, but he also has to manage Yasiel Puig, one of the most volatile players in the game. Roberts has done it well. The World Series loss to Houston was disappointing and he was questioned about his pitching decisions, but Roberts’s personality is contagious and you can see it in the way the Dodgers play the game.

10. Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles Angels — In the final year of his contract, Scioscia seems to have a team that can finally contend. Another manager with an outstanding résumé and pedigree who does it his way. We will watch closely how he handles Shohei Ohtani and how he works him in as a starting pitcher and positional player (likely at DH). This will be a huge challenge.

11. Ned Yost, Kansas City — Yost helped take the Royals to the top and now he has to manage them in their rebuild. Yost remains a steadying influence on his players. He did a great job getting Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Lorenzo Cain to the next level. Now he must do that with a younger group of players.

12. Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh — One of the great motivators in the game. He manages through positive reinforcement, but like Showalter demands the game be played the right way. He has a big challenge ahead without Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole.

13. Paul Molitor, Minnesota — Molitor proved beyond a doubt that he’s the man to lead the Twins in the long term. He might have won AL Manager of the Year if not for Hinch. Now he’s tested to lead the Twins to a deeper playoff level.

14. Craig Counsell, Milwaukee — He’s got everybody’s attention now. He’s no longer the manager presiding over a bad team. Much like Molitor, he’s got that steady, coolheaded manner about him that players respond to and feel comfortable with. You could tell that by the way the Brewers played and former Red Sox Travis Shaw really came into his own last season.

15. Mike Matheny, St. Louis — The Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs last year, but that’s certainly not a reflection on Matheny. He’s established his own style in the post-Tony La Russa era in St. Louis and has his own way of doing things.

16. Jeff Banister, Texas — It was a tough year for the Rangers and Banister had his challenges, especially with his pitching staff and with veteran leader Adrian Beltre missing so much time. He’s a positive-reinforcement type who does a creative job in finding solutions.

17. John Gibbons, Toronto — “Gibby’’ is a survivor, for sure. His team was absolutely dreadful last season after showing so much promise in 2016. The Jays have an ever-changing narrative and Gibbons has kept his head. He’s great with younger players and allowing them to grow is one of Gibbons’s strong suits.

18. Don Mattingly, Miami — Good luck. Mattingly will lead a team that could lose 110 games. He went from having one of the best outfields in baseball — a 59-homer guy in Giancarlo Stanton and two great players in Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich — to having a team you won’t recognize. Is Mattingly up for what could be a long rebuild, and will Derek Jeter stick with him?

19. Scott Servais, Seattle — “Pretty solid all around’’ is how one MLB executive described Servais’s first season in Seattle. He definitely uses analytics to his advantage in the way he creates lineups and defensive alignments. Definitely the epitome of the modern manager.

20. Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay — He manages in a small-market environment. Cash knows pitching and that’s the bread and butter of this organization. He’s also good at following the analytics of the game and mixing and matching his lineups. He really relates to the players. It’s always been tough to evaluate him in that setting.

21. Bryan Price, Cincinnati — Reds management has stuck with him and identified him as a guy who will get the rebuild going. It’s always tough to manage a team like this because they’re waiting for a better day. Players who have come from this setting have spoken highly of how Price understands what it’s like playing in Cincinnati.

22. Rick Renteria, Chicago White Sox — Renteria really did a nice job managing a young team last season, with the White Sox’ rebuild continuing into 2018 and beyond. Renteria will likely be the long-term answer as those who know him hope he will reap the rewards when the team is ready to contend again.

23. Brian Snitker, Atlanta — A hard-working organizational man, Snitker survived to manage the Braves for at least one more year as new GM Alex Anthopoulos evaluates what he has. We’ll see if Snitker makes it to the upswing. He’s done a very good job breaking in young players.

24. Andy Green, San Diego — The consensus is that Green is a keeper as the Padres slowly but surely try to get themselves above water in the NL West. Players have responded well to Green, who seems to have a patient way with younger players and will now begin to integrate veterans into the mix, especially if the Padres sign Hosmer.

25. Ron Gardenhire, Detroit — Gardenhire was one of the best in the game during his long tenure with the Twins. He’s been out of that role for a few years and battled prostate cancer. He spent last season as Lovullo’s bench coach in Arizona. We expect Gardenhire to help the young Tigers into their transition from perennial contender to rebuilding team. This is going to take awhile in Detroit.

26. Alex Cora, Boston — Fresh off a World Series championship with the Astros as Hinch’s bench coach, Cora will be asked to take the Red Sox back to the World Series, at least past their two straight divisional titles and early exits in the playoffs. The Red Sox wanted a fresh approach, much as they got when they hired Francona to replace Grady Little.

27. Aaron Boone, New York Yankees — He comes from an outstanding baseball family and had a nice career as a third baseman. Boone’s positive nature and understanding of all things Yankees should bode well for him. He also has a loaded roster and farm system, which will likely ensure success.

28. Gabe Kapler, Philadelphia — We know about Kapler’s tremendous energy and enthusiasm for the game from his days with the Red Sox. He will attempt to whip the Phillies into shape and get them ready for what should be a big spending spree next offseason, when the Phillies will spend on top players in the next step of their rebuild.

29. Dave Martinez, Washington — He’s been mentored by Maddon all these years so he has wisdom, but he likely will instill his own style into the Nationals. He will inherit a talented roster. Much like Cora with the Red Sox, Martinez needs to lead the Nats to the next level after a history of disappointing playoff exits.

30. Mickey Callaway, New York Mets — Callaway follows in the footsteps of Farrell, Black, and Price as pitching coaches turned managers. Callaway learned under Francona, has a tremendous personality, and brings the Indians’ method that works as well as any in baseball.

Apropos of nothing

1. There was so much talk about how much the Red Sox missed David Ortiz, especially by Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts. And while we agree it was a big void, the bottom line suggests otherwise. The Red Sox won 93 games and bowed out in the Division Series with Ortiz in 2016. They won 93 games and bowed out in the Division Series without him in 2017. Maybe the clubhouse was looser and problems were solved quicker when Ortiz was around. Maybe the players had “more fun,’’ as Betts and Bogaerts both alluded to. The Red Sox made up for Ortiz’s absence by pitching better in 2017. And they may improve this season with a healthy David Price.

2. How many Harvard guys did it take to beat Marlins righty Dan Straily in arbitration? There was Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill, Marlins vice president and general counsel Ashwin Krishnan, and sports attorney Gregg Clifton who presented the team’s oral argument to a three-man panel of arbitrators. Clifton beat DellinBetances on behalf of the Yankees last year.

3. The tug of war between the Red Sox and Scott Boras over J.D. Martinez seems to come down to comparing him to either Justin Upton (five years, $106 million) or Yoenis Cespedes (four years, $110 million). Upton’s average annual value is $21.2 million, Cespedes’s $27.5 million. Do we sense a compromise coming?

4. John Farrell made a lasting impression on Phillies GM Matt Klentak during the managerial interview process. Farrell’s candidacy lasted until the end, Klentak said. The Phillies didn’t discuss a different role for Farrell, though he remains close to Kapler and that could lead to something.

5. The first thing I said to Nationals GM Mike Rizzo when I saw him the other day was, “What do you have up your sleeve?’’ Rizzo is known for doing big things and right now he’s been quiet. “We don’t have to do anything, but if there’s something out there that makes sense, we won’t be afraid to do it.’’ Like Jake Arrieta or Alex Cobb or Martinez? Stay tuned.

6. I think the Alex Anthopoulos era in Atlanta is going to be very successful. Anthopoulos did a great job with the Blue Jays, then went to the Dodgers, where he oversaw some great talent acquisitions.

7. I want to see two of my favorite players get major league jobs: Koji Uehara and Ichiro Suzuki. Yes, they are on the other side of 40, but they can still do the job.

Extra innings

From the Bill Chuck files: “Since 1930, the lowest ERA for any pitcher with 2,000-plus IP belongs to Hoyt Wilhelm (2.52), followed by Whitey Ford (2.75), Sandy Koufax (2.76), and Jim Palmer, Andy Messersmith, and Tom Seaver (all at 2.86). Clayton Kershaw enters the 2018 season with 1.935.0 IP and a 2.36 ERA.’’ Also, “The Nationals led the majors with 107 games in which starters threw 100-plus pitches; next were the Red Sox starters with 104 games. The Dodgers had just 24 100-plus-pitch starts, the fewest in the majors.’’ . . . Happy birthday, John Valentin (51), Bruce Kison (68), and Syd O’Brien (74).

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickcafardo. Material from interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.