Top Five MLB Managers of All Time

The manager is crucial to the long-term success of a baseball team. The manager has to put together the right lineup each day, as well as motivate the team over a long and grueling season. It is definitely true that the players must get the job done on the field, but even the best players need a solid manager at the helm to achieve greatness as a team. Let's take a look at the five best managers in the history of Major League Baseball.

Top Five Managers in MLB History

5. Bobby Cox- Bobby Cox won't be around much longer, since he plans to retire after the 2010 season. He is currently the fourth winningest manager in baseball history and won a World Series in 1995. The Braves have been at the top of the National League East on an annual basis because of Bobby Cox and his managerial skills. It seems he just has the right touch to get the best out of every player that comes his way.

4. Tony LaRussa- LaRussa is still managing now, and he could very well end up higher on this list before he is finished. LaRussa ranks third in total wins in the history of baseball, and he has won a World Series title in both the American and National Leagues. Going into the 2010 season LaRussa had won 2,552 games in his managerial career, while losing just 2,217. LaRussa's teams are always strong fundamentally.

3. Connie Mack- Mack sits atop the all-time standings with 3,776 wins as a Major League Baseball manager. He also won five World Series titles, including three out of four between 1910 and 1913. Mack was known for his generosity and seemed to have just the right touch to get the players motivated for the biggest games each year.

2. Casey Stengel- Stengel was the leader when the Yankees had their amazing run from 1949-1953 where they won five straight World Series Championships. He has won the most world series games of any manager at 37 games. Stengel was always famous for clever quotes and sayings that made everyone stop and think. In fact, his quotes have been noted on many sites even today. Stengel and the Yankees were a true dynasty.

1. Joe McCarthy- McCarthy won seven World Series Championships and has the highest winning percentage ever at 61.5%. McCarthy was a well-respected man who coached the likes of Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio. He was a terrific manager of talent and he was great at bringing teams together. McCarthy got his teams to win consistently, and that is all you can ask of a manager.

Sources:

BaseballReference.com "Joe McCarthy Managerial Record"

Brainy Quotes "Casey Stengel Quotes"