Black edges Baker by one for top NL skipper

Black won the award by one point over second-place finisher Dusty Baker of the Reds. It was the third time in the history of the vote that one point separated the winner from the runner-up.

Black guided the Padres to a 90-win season,nfl jerseys for cheap a 15-game improvement from 2009, as well as a second-place finish in the NL West -- behind the San Francisco Giants, who went on to win the World Series.

Black earned 104 points and was listed first on 16Chicago Bears Jersey ballots to Baker's 13 first-place votes. Interestingly enough, Baker actually appeared on one more ballot than Black.

BBWAA ballots for Manager of the Year, and other postseason awards, are turned in at the end of the regular season.

"The numbers speak for themselves," said Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley on why he thought Black was deserving of the award. "We were picked to finish last in our division and we won 90 games."

The Padres, two years removed from a 99-loss season,Dallas Cowboys Jersey led the NL West nearly the entire season. San Diego also nearly made the postseason with the second-lowest payroll ($38 million) in the Major Leagues, ahead of only Pittsburgh.

"I'm not sure we overachieved," Black said on Wednesday. "When you look at the year we had ... we played sound baseball. It's an indication of how our guys played. We did a lot of great things on the field. Our players and our coaches did a lot to get us where we got during the course of the season."

In his fourth season as manager of the Padres, Black earned rave reviews from his players and general manager this season for the way he handled a team mixed with players short on Major League service time and veterans, as well as his demeanor and preparedness.

"He has confidence and respect for our Oakland Raiders Jerseyentire team, no matter age or how long we've been in the big leagues," said Padres pitcher Mat Latos, who completed his first full Major League season in 2010.

"He's not a guy who yells, but he still can get his point across. Bud's laid back, but the discipline is still there. He relates to everyone. Maybe that's something other managers don't do."

In July, the Padres awarded Black a three-year New York Jets Jerseycontract extension through 2013 with club options for 2014 and 2015.

"With Buddy ... he just doesn't overreact," Padres second baseman David Eckstein said during the regular season. "He's always encouraging guys. Players aren't fearful of making mistakes. That's been huge for this club.

"That's huge, especially in the situationGreen Bay Packers Jersey we've been in here with so many young guys. He believes in those guys. There are some managers who don't tolerate rookie mistakes."

Third baseman Chase Headley said he always felt like he had the support of Black, even during times of struggle.

"He's a tremendous players' manager. You feel like he always has your back," Headley said. "You always feel like he's being open and honest with you, and will explain to you why he's making a move or why you're not playing. He welcomes that. Players respect that a lot."

The Padres were derailed by a 10-game losing streakMiami Dolphins Jersey that spanned late August and into early September, as the Giants shaved 5 1/2 games off San Diego's lead in the NL West, cutting deeply into what was a 6 1/2-game lead.

San Diego won the first two games of their final regular-season series from the Giants, but San Francisco won the division and eliminated the Padres from playoff consideration with a victory on the final day of the regular season.

"Even during that 10-game losing streak, it was all about consistency. We didn't make a point of talking about losing streaks or winning streaks. It was all about being consistent," Balsley said. "I think that we rebounded pretty well from the losing streak. We were still in the hunt. If you can go through that and stay close ... that says a lot about your skipper."