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How can you beat a manager who went from worst to first in one year? You can't, which is why Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon was a near-unanimous choice as the winner of the American League Manager of the Year Award. Maddon got 27 of 28 first-place votes, the other going to Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire.

Below, check out the top candidates. Then look at the choices of ESPN baseball analysts and contributors, both individually and collectively. Whom would you choose?

THE TOP CANDIDATES

JOE MADDON, TAMPA BAY RAYS

The Rays had never even had a winning season until 2008, when Maddon led them to 97 wins (31 more than 2007) and the AL East title over the Red Sox. Enough said.

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

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MIKE SCIOSCIA, LOS ANGELES ANGELS

His Angels fell well short in the playoffs, but Scioscia showed his deft managerial style during the regular season, leading the Halos to the AL's best record.

Photo by AP Photo/Chris Carlson

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RON GARDENHIRE, MINNESOTA TWINS

The Twins lost Johan Santana and Torii Hunter last offseason, yet Gardenhire directed the Twins to a second-place finish, losing out to the White Sox in Game No. 163.

Photo by AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

ESPN'S AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR PICKS
Jorge Arangure Jr. ESPN The Magazine Joe Maddon Rays	Howard Bryant ESPN.com Joe Maddon Rays	Jim Caple ESPN.com/Page 2 Joe Maddon Rays	Jerry Crasnick ESPN.com Joe Maddon Rays
Peter Gammons ESPN Joe Maddon Rays	Pedro Gomez ESPN Joe Maddon Rays	Orel Hershiser ESPN Joe Maddon Rays	Eric Karabell ESPN.com Fantasy Joe Maddon Rays
Jonah Keri ESPN.com/Page 2 Joe Maddon Rays	Bob Klapisch ESPN.com contributor Joe Maddon Rays	John Kruk ESPN Joe Maddon Rays	Tim Kurkjian ESPN The Magazine Joe Maddon Rays
Keith Law ESPN.com/Scouts Inc. Joe Maddon Rays	Sean McAdam ESPN.com contributor Joe Maddon Rays	Amy Nelson ESPN.com Joe Maddon Rays	Rob Neyer ESPN.com Joe Maddon Rays
Buster Olney ESPN The Magazine Joe Maddon Rays	Peter Pascarelli ESPN/Baseball Today Joe Maddon Rays	Steve Phillips ESPN Joe Maddon Rays	Karl Ravech ESPN Joe Maddon Rays
Phil Rogers ESPN.com contributor Joe Maddon Rays	Enrique Rojas ESPNdeportes.com Joe Maddon Rays	John Shea ESPN.com contributor Joe Maddon Rays	Chris Singleton ESPN Joe Maddon Rays
Larry Stone ESPN.com contributor Joe Maddon Rays	Jayson Stark ESPN.com Joe Maddon Rays	Gene Wojciechowski ESPN.com Joe Maddon Rays
ESPN's choice (unanimous): Joe Maddon (27)