Manuel Top AL Manager

Jerry Manuel of the Chicago White Sox was a runaway winner Wednesday in voting for the American League manager of the year after leading his team to the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

Manuel, who guided the White Sox to a 95-67 record and the AL Central title, received 25 first-place votes and three seconds for 134 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

Art Howe of the Oakland A’s, whose team won the AL West title, was second for the second consecutive season. The Angels’ Mike Scioscia was fourth.

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The San Diego Padres made a new contract offer to free agent Tony Gwynn for less than half of what he’d gotten if the team had picked up his $6-million option for 2001. . . . Pitchers Rick Reed of the New York Mets, Cal Eldred of the White Sox and Kent Mercker of the Angels filed for free agency, bringing the free-agent total to 128. . . . The New York Yankees postponed their attempt to negotiate a multiyear television contract, instead agreeing to a $52-million, one-year deal with a branch of the International Management Group. . . . If the luxury tax had remained this year, it would have cost the Yankees at least $7.4 million more to win the World Series. The three-time champions would have had to pay $7,419,921 in luxury tax under the rules in effect for the 1999 season, according to figures distributed to general managers at their meetings in Amelia Island, Fla. The Dodgers would have paid $4,259,176. . . . The White Sox were picked as baseball’s organization of the year and Walt Jocketty of the St. Louis Cardinals was named general manager of the year by Baseball America. . . . Omar Vizquel and Barry Bonds singled in runs in the seventh inning, helping a team of major league all-stars to a 5-1 victory over Japan’s all-stars at Osaka, Japan. . . . Left-hander Ron Villone was traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Colorado Rockies for two minor-league pitchers to be named. . . . Shortstop Ricky Gutierrez’s $3.4-million option for next season was exercised by the Chicago Cubs.