9:52pm: Black’s second interview will also take place on Monday, ESPN’s Jim Bowden tweets.
2:53pm: Dusty Baker and Bud Black will indeed receive second interviews for the Nationals’ managerial vacancy and, at this point, it appears that one of the two will get the job, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes.  “Barring something strange happening,” Heyman writes that it will be one of the two experienced candidates since they are the only finalists remaining.
Baker will interview on Monday while Black’s interview will also take place early this week. Â Heyman notes that GM Mike Rizzo has a preference for experienced managers, though he made an exception in the case of Matt Williams.
In 1362 career games as a manager, all with the Padres, Black totaled a record of 649-713 despite routinely having to work with one of baseball’s lowest payrolls. A pitching coach prior to his work as a manager, he drew praise for his work with many of San Diego’s young arms over the course of his career in the dugout.
As the manager of the Reds, Baker led the club to a 509-463 record and three playoff berths across six seasons. Â The 66-year-old is also a three-time NL Manager of the Year and led the 2002 Giants to the National League pennant. Â In total, Baker owns a 1671-1504 record as manager of the Giants, Cubs, and Reds.
The Nats conducted a wide-ranging search for the position with names such as Ron Gardenhire, Giants coach Ron Wotus, Dodgers coach Tim Wallach, Alex Cora, and Diamondbacks minor-league manager Phil Nevin among those linked to the opening.  Ex-Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly was conspicuously absent from their search and it doesn’t appear that Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. garnered consideration despite his stated interest in the job.
Might want to double check Baker’s career win percentage.
.526 winning %
Dusty Baker coming in to get a team ‘over the hump’ in the playoffs… i’ve heard this story before more than once… it never seems to have a happy ending….
Cincy, sure over the hump after Dusty left. How many times did they make to playoffs the 10-15 yrs b4 Dusty?? Only Once, but 3 out of five yrs he was there. Hate all you want, But Numbers don’t lie
For my money there’s no one more qualified and not only a great guy but he’s a baseball encyclopedia, my concerns are his health. And though not my place, after heart issues and a mild stroke a few years ago, it makes me wonder at 67 in June if it may be too much, but who am I to bring that up!
no, numbers don’t… and it’s the big fat 0 in the WS wins column that stands out most of all. Dusty didn’t build that team in Cinci, he was brought in afterwards to make them champions… and he didn’t.
Same was true of the Cubs, and in all his time with the Giants, 1 WS appearance…. not wins, appearances.
Dusty wasn’t good enough to win a championship 10 years ago and the game’s become even more complicated since then. If the Nats want to avoid another september melt down, Dusty’s ego certainly won’t help stabilize that clubhouse, especially if he’s getting outmanaged on a nightly basis.
And so, in your mind, Bud Black, who hasnt won a thing, should be the manager of the Nats?…is that about right?
Well at least they got 2 no hitters out of Scherzer before Baker comes to town.
As big a fan I am of Dusty Baker, at 66, I don’t get it. Maybe that’s a rediculous statement but if in fact it’s down to Bud and Dusty, it’s going to be Bud.
649-713
1671-1504
Irrelevant. San Diego had some horrible teams. And Dusty had some heart issues and a mild stroke in ’12 or ’13.
A factor one would think.
Bud Black is one of the most respected managers by analytics and Dusty Baker is not.
Strange to see a single organization consider them the top 2 candidates.
For the sake of their pitchers’ arms, I hope they hire Bud Black.
In a separate CBSSports article, Jon Heyman admits he doesn’t know if the Padres have had second interviews with anyone except Gardenhire. This article about the Nats (based on a Washington Post article) should probably have the same Heyman disclaimer. Bud Black is my second choice after Ron Wotus, so I’d be pleased with either. At this point, though, I’ll go for “it ain’t signed, ’til it’s signed.”
Sofield got a 2nd interview, Mon.
Pitching coaches generally do not make good managers. Dusty does not ruin pitchers. That claim has no basis in fact. Baker is a good manager. He is a good fit with the Nats.
I agree, all this BS about Baker ruining arms, is garbage. Mark Prior works for the Padres, now…and was interviewed on sports radio here in SD when Preller hired him. And he did away with this notion that Dusty ruined him and his career. So, please…lets stop that lie. After Gardenhire, there is no more qualified managerial candidate, than Dusty Baker…end of discussion.
Uh, excuse me…give credit, where its due. Baker didnt just “lead the Giants to the NL pennant”…they actually won it. And he “led them”, to the WS in 02.