Mill Pond’s Andrew Karsten, Andrew Doran of Twin Branch Take Home 2023 Manager of the Year Awards

Throughout the week, we will be announcing the winners of each regular season award voted on by all eighteen Managers. A player/Manager received 3 points for a 1st place vote, 2 points for a 2nd place vote, and 1 point for a 3rd place vote. Today we will announce the American and National League Manager of the Year Award winners.

Starting off in the American League it was Mill Pond Pink Pandas skipper Andrew Karsten who received the most votes to take home the award.

It was an incredibly deserving award for Karsten who helped lead the Pink Pandas to a breakthrough season. After putting together their first winning season in their 2nd year in 2022, Karsten and the rest of the Pink Pandas expectations grew.

They put together a fantastic 3rd season as they finished 2023 with a 19-11 en route to earning the #2 seed in the American League Playoffs.

This young and talented squad had the Maple City Magic on the brink of elimination in the ALDS as this tells you that the Pink Pandas officially need to be viewed as serious threats to win a pennant year in and year out.

With a loaded roster full of young talent along with a top of the line ballpark in Walter Metts Field, the expectations will only continue to grow for the Pink Pandas players and fans alike.

Moving over to the National League side it was the Twin Branch Billy Goats skipper Andrew Doran who took home honors.

This is now back to back National League Manager of the Year Awards for the Twin Branch skipper after leading the Billy Goats to a 24-6 record en route to earning the top seed in the National League. This was the first time in the last six seasons that a team other than Granger has won the National League regular season title.

Doran did a fantastic job managing the ship all season long as he was the only manager in the league to utilize a true three man pitching rotation. Doran would rotate himself, Kadin Abegg, and Jake Lawrence on the bump as they kept hitters guessing all season long.

By winning this year’s NL honors, Doran becomes just the 6th Manager in ORWBL history to win the award on multiple of occasions, joining Alex Friedman, Koby Keck, Eric Johnson, Zach Rehlander, and Aidan Cotter.

Awards week continues tomorrow as we will announce the winners of the 2023 American and National League Cy Young Awards. Below are the full results for the American and National League Manager of the Year Awards.

American League Manager of the Year Award Full Results:

1st: Andrew Karsten: 40 (Pink Pandas)

2nd: Austin Traxler: 25 (Bombers)

3rd: Ryan Galiher: 14 (Truffle Butter)

4th: Alex Friedman: 13 (Magic)

5th: Matador Smith: 5 (Godfathers)

Austin Howell: 3 (Cyclones)

Ethan Bumgardner: 3 (Wildcards)

Zach Rehlander: 2 (Wildcards)

Brycen Strauch: 2 (Beers)

National League Manager of the Year Award Full Results:

1st: Andrew Doran: 41 (Billy Goats)