(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-11-15 09:47

NEW YORK - Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge and Arizona Diamondbacks chief Bob Melvin were named as winners of the American and National League Manager of the Year awards on Wednesday.

Wedge and Melvin became the first managers of their respective teams to win the honour decided in voting by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, which has presented the award since 1983.

Wedge led the Indians to the postseason for the first time in six years by steering them to a 96-66 record and the American League Central Division title.

Melvin, whose club floundered to a 76-86 mark in 2006, guided the Diamondbacks to a 90-72 record and the West Division crown in the National League.

The Indians claimed the Central crown by eight games over 2006 American League champion Detroit Tigers and had to overcome an arduous mid-season schedule after losing a batch of early season games due to spring snows in Cleveland.

"We had to really work hard," Wedge told reporters on a conference call, referring to the schedule strain. "The way our staff handled that and the way our players did was a separator for us in terms of the success we had."

Melvin said winning the West was a difficult task given the depth of competition in the division where Arizona battled Colorado and San Diego to the finish, with the Los Angeles Dodgers also posting an above .500 record.

COMPETITIVE GAMES

"Every game that we play within our division is very competitive," Melvin told reporters. "Across the board our division is one of the best divisions in baseball."

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, whose team won the West, was runner-up in the American League, one point ahead of Joe Torre, who led the injury-hit New York Yankees to the wildcard in 2006.

In the National League, Charlie Manuel of the East champion Philadelphia Phillies finished second in the voting ahead of Rockies manager Clint Hurdle.

Wedge and Melvin are both former major league catchers, as were Scioscia and Torre.

The Cleveland manager said that was more than coincidence.

"The catcher has to be aware and knowledgeable of every aspect of the game -- the offensive side, defensive side, the pitching," Wedge said.

"He has to really work hard to make sure his personality pushes the club in the right direction. There's more a catcher has to be involved with than any other player on the team.

"Maybe that makes the transition (to managing) more natural. That position demands a great deal of passion and respect for the game."