Bud Black told them to shove their one year contract offer so the Nationals have hired Dusty Baker. Seriously, what idiot thought Black wasn't going to be insulted by a one year offer?
I always thought Dusty Baker was an idiot when it came to being a "mgr". But, I also thought Collins was/is an idiot mgr and both guys made it to the WS. lol
Always been a fan of Baker. Over 1,600 career wins in 20 years, I think he's a good choice for the young Nats.
Nats are a ready-made team - just the right type for Baker, or just about any other MGR who has been around the track a few times. I have to believe Baker will have a winning record with them all things being equal. The reason why I'm not such a big Dusty Baker fan is his post season managerial career. This when mgrs have to crunch the numbers and their moves and decisions are magnified and have a more direct effect on their team's chances of winning or losing post season series and aside from a couple of changes here and there in the starting lineup it usually comes down to his pitching/bullpen decisions. This is where a mgr can mostly make or break his team's chances and Baker has had a bunch of dubious pitching changes which backfired on him in post season series. His 19-26 (.422%) post season record is bad and he personally made a couple of questionable pitching changes in his only WS (vs Angels) which helped sink his team. There have been only 3 out of 20 mgrs who have managed for at least 20 years without winning a WS. Gene Mauch Jimmy Dykes Dusty Baker
Dykes really? Unlike Mauch & Dykes at least Baker had a taste of the WS. He's a solid veteran mgr & will be a better fit with that young team then Black would have.
IMO, Baker is the perfect fit for an under-achieving Team, like these Nats. Dusty should in short course, get these guys back on track...... Now if only they'd trade Werth, who's not Worth his weight and baggage....! 1,280 Lifetime Hits, and 1,242 Strike Outs.....but No Team is going to take on His $21 Mil for the next 2 Seasons.....
