Mike Scioscia, who guided the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to their third consecutive American League West title, was elected the AL Manager of the Year in balloting by the BBWAA. It was the second time Scioscia won the award. He was also honored in the Angels’ championship season of 2002.

Scioscia’s job in 2009 included keeping the Angels focused following the April 9 death of pitcher Nick Adenhart, who was killed in an automobile crash. They finished the regular season with a 97-65 record for their fifth division title in the past six years, the most of any club during that stretch.

Scioscia, 50, was listed first on 15 of 28 ballots cast by two writers from each league city, second on 10 and third on one to score 106 points, based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system. No manager was named on every ballot.

The Minnesota Twins’ Ron Gardenhire received six first-place votes and was the runner-up for the second straight year and fifth time overall, with a total of 72 points. The New York Yankees’ Joe Girardi, the 2006 winner in the National League with the Florida Marlins, was first on four ballots and placed third. The Seattle Mariners’ Ken Wakamatsu got two first-place votes and the Texas Rangers’ Ron Washington one.

Gardenhire’s fifth second-place finish is the most for an AL manager, breaking a tie he had been in with Art Howe. Gardenhire, also the runner-up in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008, still trails four-time Manager of the Year winner Tony La Russa for the most second-place finishes. La Russa ran second today in the NL balloting for the sixth time overall. La Russa was also second in the NL voting in 2000, 2004 and 2005 with the St. Louis Cardinals and in 1989 and 1990 in the AL with the Oakland Athletics.

The voting:

2009 AL Manager of the Year