| Dusty Baker | ||
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| Outfielder, Manager | ||
| Born: June 15 1949 | ||
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| September 7, 1968 for the Atlanta Braves |
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| Final game | ||
| October 4, 1986 for the Oakland Athletics |
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| Career statistics | ||
| AVG | .278 | |
| HR | 242 | |
| RBI | 1,013 | |
| Teams | ||
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As Player
As Manager
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| Career highlights and awards | ||
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Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker, Jr. (born June 15 1949 in Riverside, California) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball and the current manager of the Cincinnati Reds.[1] He previously led the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs, winning the 2002 National League pennant with the Giants.
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Playing career
Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1967 amateur draft out of Del Campo High School near Sacramento, CA, Dusty Baker began his professional baseball career as an outfielder for the Braves in 1968. After spending sixteen full seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as a short tenure with the San Francisco Giants, and Oakland Athletics, Baker finished his prosperous career as a player with .278 batting average, 242 home runs, and 1,013 runs batted in. Furthermore, a few of Baker’s accomplishments as a player include playing for the National League All-Star team in 1981 and 1982, winning three League Championship series in 1977, 1978, and 1981. Baker ultimately won a World Series title in 1981 with the Dodgers. Baker also earned a spot as a footnote in history. On April 8, 1974, Baker was on deck when Hank Aaron hit home run 715 to pass Babe Ruth in career home runs. (He said he hit a double "That nobody saw and nobody cared" in that at-bat.) Baker played his final season in 1986.
Managerial career
San Francisco Giants
Baker's coaching career, ironically, started with his former Dodger arch-rival: the San Francisco Giants. Baker began his coaching career as a first base coach for the San Francisco Giants in 1988, and then spent the following four years (1989-1992) as the hitting coach, and finally became the manager in 1993, replacing the departing Roger Craig. In his very first year as Giants manager, he won the N.L. Manager of the Year award, leading the team to a 103-59 record, which was the second-best record in baseball that year (behind the 104-58 Atlanta Braves), and 31 games better than their 72-90 finish the previous year. His Giants went on to win division titles in 1997 and again in 2000; Baker would win Manager of the Year honors in both of those years as well. In 2002, his Giants gained the Wild-Card berth and from there advanced to the World Series, where they lost in seven games to the Anaheim Angels. It was during his San Francisco tenure that the term "Dustiny" was coined by the late former Giants pitcher Rod Beck. Despite Baker’s success in San Francisco, the Giants let him leave to manage the Chicago Cubs and hired Felipe Alou to replace him.
Chicago Cubs
Baker made a major impact with the Cubs in his first season as manager for the ball club. With the help of an impressive pitching staff and big gun batters such as Sammy Sosa and Moisés Alou, the Chicago Cubs were able to claim their first divisional title in over a decade. Baker instantly became an icon in the Chicago sports scene, as a plethora of Cubs fans could be seen sporting “In Dusty We Trusty!” shirts. However, the Cubs’ hopes for winning a World Series title were cut short during the 2003 National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins. While angered Cubs fans denounced the defeat as a mere series of unfortunate “mishaps,” the Marlins would go on to claim the 2003 World Series title. Still crushed by defeat, numerous Cubs began to wear humorous T-shirts, which featured the spoonerism, “Muck the Farlins!”. Following the 2003 season, Baker and the Cubs failed to see another playoff berth. In 2004 in baseball, the team was involved in a heated wild card chase with the Houston Astros, but fell out of contention near the season’s end. In the subsequent season, the Cubs lost several of their key players, most notably ace pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, to injuries. The team finished the season with a 79-83 record, marking the first time in three years that the Cubs finished with a losing record. The Cubs’ performance declined in the next season, as they fell to 66-96, and finished last in the entire National League.[1] Baker was scrutinized for the Cubs’ declining productivity. Many fans and commentators blamed his consistent tendency to overuse pitchers for ending the careers of Wood and particularly Prior. [2] While the Cubs’ organization stated that Baker would remain the team’s manager throughout the 2006 season, they did not renew his contract. They allowed Baker to address the media in a press-conference in early October, where he officially announced his departure. The Cubs turned to Lou Piniella to replace Baker for the 2007 Chicago Cubs season. Under Piniella, the Cubs made it to the National League Division Series, but fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three game sweep.
Cincinnati Reds
On October 13, 2007, Baker was hired as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, replacing interim manager Pete Mackanin. He also is the first African American manager in Reds history.
Broadcasting career
Despite stating that he was interested in landing another managerial position for the 2007 season, Baker found no organizations willing to give him that opportunity. He was reported to have been a candidate for the San Diego Padres managerial opening.[3] He served as an ESPN analyst during the 2006 MLB Postseason and and served in a similar role during the 2007 regular season.[4]
Personal life
Baker was an active member of the United States Marine Corps Reserves from 1969 through 1975.[2] Baker has a wife, Melissa, and two children named Natosha and Darren. Darren was famously rescued from being run over at home plate by JT Snow during the 2002 World Series[3].
Managerial records
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| SF | 1993 | 103 | 59 | .636 | 2nd in NL West | - | - | - | - |
| SF | 1994 | 55 | 60 | .478 | 2nd in NL West | - | - | - | - |
| SF | 1995 | 67 | 77 | .465 | 4th in NL West | - | - | - | - |
| SF | 1996 | 68 | 94 | .420 | 4th in NL West | - | - | - | - |
| SF | 1997 | 90 | 72 | .556 | 1st in NL West | 0 | 3 | .000 | Lost in NLDS |
| SF | 1998 | 89 | 74 | .546 | 2nd in NL West | - | - | - | - |
| SF | 1999 | 86 | 76 | .531 | 2nd in NL West | - | - | - | - |
| SF | 2000 | 97 | 65 | .599 | 1st in NL West | 1 | 3 | .250 | Lost in NLDS |
| SF | 2001 | 90 | 72 | .556 | 2nd in NL West | - | - | - | - |
| SF | 2002 | 95 | 66 | .590 | 2nd in NL West | 10 | 6 | .625 | Lost in World Series |
| CHC | 2003 | 88 | 74 | .543 | 1st in NL Central | 6 | 6 | .500 | Lost in NLCS |
| CHC | 2004 | 89 | 73 | .549 | 3rd in NL Central | - | - | - | - |
| CHC | 2005 | 79 | 83 | .488 | 4th in NL Central | - | - | - | - |
| CHC | 2005 | 66 | 96 | .407 | 6th in NL Central | - | - | - | - |
See also
- Top 500 home run hitters of all time
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- Los Angeles Dodgers all-time roster
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2006
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2008
Notes
- ^ "Reds give Dusty Baker a three-year deal". Retrieved on 2007-10-14.
- ^ Speakers Platform
- ^ "Baker's son gets unexpected ride from home plate", 2002-10-25. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (as player)
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (as manager)
- Dusty's Awards
- Image of Darren Baker at home plate during the 2002 World Series
- Image of Darren Baker at home plate during the 2002 World Series
| Accomplishments | ||||||||||||||||||
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New York Giants (1885-1957) |
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Chicago White Stockings (1870-1889) |
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| Schmelz • Loftus • Comiskey • Ewing • Allen • McPhee • Bancroft • Kelley • Hanlon • Ganzel • Griffith • O'Day • Tinker • Herzog • Wingo • Mathewson • Groh • Moran • Hendricks • Howley • Bush • O'Farrell • Shotton • Dressen • Wallace • McKechnie • Gowdy • Neun • Walters • Sewell • Hornsby • Tebbetts • Dykes • Smith • Hutchinson • Sisler • Heffner • Bristol • Anderson • McNamara • Nixon • Rapp • Rose • Helms • Piniella • Pérez • Johnson • Knight • McKeon • Boone • Miley • Narron • Mackanin • Baker |
| Current Major League Baseball managers | ||
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| AMERICAN LEAGUE | ||
| EAST DIVISION
47 Trembley (Baltimore) |
CENTRAL DIVISION
13 Guillén (Chi. White Sox) |
WEST DIVISION
14 Scioscia (L.A. Angels) |
| NATIONAL LEAGUE | ||
| EAST DIVISION
6 Cox (Atlanta) |
CENTRAL DIVISION
41 Piniella (Chi. Cubs) |
WEST DIVISION
3 Melvin (Arizona) |
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| 6 Steve Garvey | 7 Steve Yeager | 8 Reggie Smith | 10 Ron Cey | 12 Dusty Baker | 14 Mike Scioscia | 15 Davey Lopes | 16 Rick Monday | 18 Bill Russell | 21 Jay Johnstone | 28 Pedro Guerrero | 30 Derrel Thomas | 34 Fernando Valenzuela | 35 Bob Welch | 37 Bobby Castillo | 38 Dave Goltz | 41 Jerry Reuss | 44 Ken Landreaux | 46 Burt Hooton | 48 Dave Stewart | 49 Tom Niedenfuer | 51 Terry Forster | 52 Steve Sax | 57 Steve Howe Manager 2 Tommy Lasorda |
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| Hosts | Karl Ravech (Lead Host, 1996-present) · Chris Berman (Host, 1990-present) · Steve Berthiaume (Host, 2003-2005, 2007-present) · Gary Miller (Lead Host, 1990-1995 · Dave Marash (Host, 1990) · Rich Eisen (Host, 1996-2002) · Brian Kenny (Host, 2003) · Chris Myers (1991-1995) · Scott Reiss (Host, 2006) |
| Analysts | Orestes Destrade (Analyst, 2005-present) · Orel Hershiser (Analyst, 2006-present) · John Kruk (Lead Analyst, 2004-present) · Eduardo Perez (Analyst, 2007-present) · Steve Phillips (Lead Analyst, 2005-present) · Fernando Viña (Analyst, 2007-present) · Eric Young (Analyst, 2007-present) · Dusty Baker (Analyst, 2007) · Larry Bowa (Analyst, 2005) · Jeff Brantley (Analyst, 2002-2006) · Dave Campbell (Lead Analyst, 1990-2004) · Rob Dibble (Analyst, 1998-2004) · Ray Knight (Analyst, 1998-2003) · Mike Macfarlane (Analyst, 1999) · Tino Martinez (Analyst, 2006) · Brian McRae (Analyst, 2000-2005) · Harold Reynolds (Lead Analyst, 1996-2006) · Bill Robinson (Analyst, 1990-1991) · Buck Showalter (Lead Analyst, 2001-2002) · Rick Sutcliffe (Analyst, 2002-2003) · Bobby Valentine (Lead Analyst, 2003) |
| Reporters | Peter Gammons (Lead Reporter, 1990-present) · Tim Kurkjian (Reporter, 1998-present) · Buster Olney (Reporter, 2003-present) · Jayson Stark (2000-present) |
| Correspondents | Pedro Gomez (2004-present) · Bob Holtzman (2004-present) |
| See also: Major League Baseball on ESPN | |
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2 Alex González | 3 Ken Griffey, Jr. | 4 Brandon Phillips | 6 Ryan Freel | 7 Juan Castro | 17 Javier Valentín | 19 Joey Votto | 21 Scott Hatteberg | 25 David Weathers | 26 David Ross | 27 Jeff Keppinger | 28 Edwin Encarnación | 29 Mike Stanton | 30 Norris Hopper | 31 Matt Belisle | 34 Homer Bailey | 36 Edinson Volquez | 37 Bobby Livingston | 38 Gary Majewski | 39 Aaron Harang | 40 Jon Coutlangus | 44 Adam Dunn | 45 Bill Bray | 48 Francisco Cordero | 51 Jared Burton | 56 Todd Coffey | 58 Marcus McBeth | 61 Bronson Arroyo | 63 Chris Dickerson | 65 Ryan Hanigan | 66 Paul Janish | 67 Richie Gardner | 73 Tyler Pelland | 74 Ramón Ramírez | 79 Alexander Smit | -- Jeff Fiorentino -- Craig Tatum | -- Daryl Thompson | -- Sergio Valenzuela |
