In a lengthy interview with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Dusty Baker lends some of his thoughts on managing, the state of the game, labor relations, racism and a number of other topics. Some of the highlights are his explanation as to what he meant by “Dusty don’t like walks”, his thoughts on the racist Trea Turner tweets, and most notably, and his relative disinterest in returning to a management position at any point down the line. Baker feels as though the fans and Chicago ownership turned on him at the end of his tenure there, and he also felt as though he couldn’t make the fans in Cincinnati happy, claiming that even when he won, his “mode of thinking” was criticized. The interview lends some great insight into Baker’s career and his personality.
A pair of other management-related notes…
- In a scathing critique of his players, manager Don Mattingly called the Marlins’ latest loss “unacceptable” while accusing his team of “playing scared.” Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald has the full details on Mattingly’s outburst, which seems extreme on the surface but is understandable considering the sloppy play of his players during last night’s 8-2 loss to the Nationals. Spencer lists Jarlin Garcia’s errant pickoff throw, Magneuris Sierra’s lazy chase-down of a Bryce Harper single that he allowed to become a double, and a pathetic offensive showing against Max Scherzer. “You just can’t play like that here. When you’re playing non-aggressive and always being on your heels, it’s just not a way to play. And it’s one of the things we won’t keep watching.”
- While the GM-manager tandem of Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter has been a reasonably successful staple of the Orioles franchise for a number of years, Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports believes it unlikely that ownership will keep both for the 2019 season. Heyman further speculates that Duquette is the likelier of the two to stick around beyond this year, citing the sheer number of dollars Duquette saved the club with this season’s deadline trades (and the fifteen players acquired). That means Heyman sees the end of the Buck Showalter era as a likelihood this coming winter.
He deserves another chance at managing, and I hope he gets it. (And takes any managing opportunity)
No doubt!!
Not until he learns how to properly manage a bullpen. Cost him his job in Washington DC.
I’d rather have him than Martinez. At least Baker was able to get them to the Division Series.
Yes, it was because of Dusty that the Nats made it to their two division series and not because no one in their division put up a fight the last two seasons except sorta the Mets in 2016.
Nationals would do well to bring in Buck to manage if he becomes available.
Unfortunately, Rizzo seems to have a problem with experienced managers. Matt Williams and now Dave Martinez seem to be unable to deal with 1) veteran players / control of the clubhouse, as well as 2) the handling of pitchers – especially pitching changes / the bullpen. Give Buck that roster and the Nationals win (given a decent roster, Buck will outmanage 25 other managers during the game…..with next to nothing to work with, he exposed Aaron Boone this year……then again, Cash of the Rays and others did as well).
As for Dusty, he too is terrible at managing pitching and running a game. Worse yet, he creates an ‘US against the world” mentality with his teams – “the world” includes umpires, media covering the team, and extends to some players on the team as well as front office people. Dusty leaves his teams in total disarray when he is fired. Rizzo did well to limit the damage by getting him out after one season. (But again, bringing a rookie manager into that situation was a mistake.)
Wait, do you remember 2016 AL wildcard game when the Jays walked off the game in extras, while Showalter left Britton (by far the best reliever in the game at that time) in the bullpen? Don’t know if he’ll out manage to many others.
Buck won’t work for minimum wage. When it comes to managers, the Nats always cheap out. Even Baker was underpaid. Given the history of the 3 mentioned, the combined 0 rings suggest maybe it’s time to give the next generation the chance.
Just go away Baker!!!
He was a fine RF for the LA Dodgers in the 70’s, that’s a fact and remember him very well. The entire OF for them was good in fact, but being a good OF and pretty smart one doesn’t translate into being a good manager.
Red Sox Joe Morgan was VERY good, yet rarely here about him being canned after less than 3 yr and he was brilliant during late 80’s to ’90.
I don’t recall Joe Morgan being anything special after an initial hot streak on taking over the team. IMHO, only Dick Williams, Tito and hopefully Alex Cora should be considered “special Sox managers” the last 50 years. Ralph Houk had he managed the team in his prime could also have been in the duscussion. Other managers including Kasko, Johnson, Zimmer, Hobson, Morgan and Farrell were again in my view, decent to far worse. I deliberately left Bobby V. off the list because while his tenure was an overall disaster, in many respects he was following the orders he was signed under. Just far too way over the top…
Hobson was a disaster. Farrell is just a flat-out bad manager
Agreed. Morgan was let go to bring in Hobson, a favorite of ownership then and the FO and it was a disaster of Valentine levels. He really had no clue. Morgan was not only popular, but was very fundamental driven. I knew him well during the 70’s when he managed the old Bristol AA Sox and came to winter haven every spring. He took time and worked with anyone who was willing and had many funny quirks about him that was hilarious, yet worked.
I hope San Diego is one of them. Andy Green is so vanilla, no fire, no excitement.
Padres need to pull at Chicago Cubs/Philadelphia Phillies move and thank Andy Green for his services but then tell him he is no longer needed.
When you start dropping money on guys like Hosmer and if all indications are correct, being being players this offseason, then you need to bring in someone who has done this before.
Girardi would be the perfect choice in my option. Knowing him, he would probably prefer the Angels job purely because they are already equipped with the best player in the game and a GM he knows. Secondly, the Cardinals job if the choose not to bring back the interm guy, which they have been playing really well under.
Wish the edit button was still alive, a lot of mini spelling errors. Apologies
Padres need to pull a*
Girardi would be a perfect choice in my opinion*
No worries, I enjoyed reading it.
Not trying to be an ass, I was interested in what you had to say, but I couldn’t figure out what you meant to say here- “being being players this offseason”
That phrase is used to describe how active the Padres plan to be this offseason. Normally they don’t spend money via free agency. Hosmer was the first time the organization has spent like that. On the trade side, The Padres have always been sellers, the question always is “Who did we give up now?” Not what it hopes to be which is, “Oh wow! Who did we get?”.
Since the Padres have accumulated so much talent. The bad side of that shows it’s head in late November when you must protect guys who have been with your organization for 5 plus years without being promoted to the 40 man roster. The Padres have a few of them, and rather than just allow them to be drafted by another club for free in the Rule V draft in December, the Padres are rumored to want to look to package some of those guys to acquire a young ace, or third baseman, Or both.
Don’t feel bad bleacherbum. The writer, in this article, has an extra “and ” in a sentence. He also misuses “disinterested” (which means unbiased) when he meant “uninterested”.
It’s there if you go from fb but I hate doing that
I would love for asumus to come home to San Diego
He is young but he has some experience
He is local, I think Ausmus lives in North County, San Diego. Very close to Hoffman. Former catcher, he will get another shot.
Could see him at least getting an interview if they decide to eat the money left on Green’s deal by letting him go early.
This year we were supposed to see some improvements. Last year we had the 3 Rule V guys that we carried all year, along with guys like Jabari Blash getting routine playing time.
This year was supposed to get better not worse. If the Padres finish 14-22 they will lose 100 games. Worse than last year. The organization needs to consider if he is still the guy or not.
No you don’t. I supported Brad during his Tigers tenure but the contrast with Ron Gardenhire is stark. This year’s much less talented team plays harder and with more discipline. Brad’s not good with the press and doesn’t seem to motivate his players. He manages a decent game and doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his bullpen management. He’d be a nice bench coach but not manager.
Okay cool, thanks for the feedback. Like red rooster alluded to below, “Andy Green was extended before the season to 2021” going to be hard to fire him with that much left on the deal. Padres would have to eat 2 years.
3 years excuse me* 2019, 20’, 21’. I don’t know what his AAV is but the Padres have never been known to waste money. Paying Green to go away 3 years early hasn’t ever been a part of the small market teams DNA.
Problem about last year they over did it
They technically have improved this year but they lost better rotation pieces
Doesn’t help that lamet went down
Villy cannot field
Hand blew at least 7 games
“When you start dropping money on guys like Hosmer”
+1 just for saying this.
Right?
I mean once you spend like that, it means you are ready to compete. Whether it is 2019 or 2020, the minute the ink dried on that contract 8 months ago, it signaled to Padres fans that the rebuild is almost over and that pieces like this will be filtered into the system when the right opportunities come around.
Andy Green couldn’t even push Dave Roberts back last year when Dave shoved him at PETCO. Both managers were ejected but it kind of just showed you who he is. Another moment when Rizzo took out Hedges at the plate and every media outlet in San Diego swore retaliation was coming but, oh guess what? It’s Andy Green’s club, so nothing happened. Luis Perdomo his Arenando and then proceeds to run like man that just escaped from prison with a dog running behind him. That’s the team Preller wants? So SOFT.
Get some character and personality in here. Girardi would be great, I think Ron Washington would also be fantastic, worked with Preller in Texas, been to the World Series as a manager, worked as the third base coach on that Money Ball A’s club, and now on a very successful young Atlanta Braves staff. Made mistakes personally, but still a baseball lifer.
1. Girardi
2. Washington
3. Derosa
I have believed that Washington should be given another shot at managing for a while now.
Say it ain’t so Joe…Ron is a spent household joke and needs to stay confined to his wife/ex wife’s basement in shredded leather and ball gag.
Who would have thought that that a beard and mullet and no actual baseball talent wouldn’t work out?
Green extended through 2021. Not going anywhere anytime soon, unfortunately.
Don’t get me wrong, I think he is extremely intellectual and a smart baseball man but he isn’t a manager. Padres ought to look to slide him to the front office or something in the attempt to get a more appealing Manager. 2021 is when this team is supposed to be firing on a cylinders. Don’t know if I quite see that in 2.5 years being completely honest with this Manager.
If any team, gives Baker another shot of managing, it shouldn’t look toward playoffs
Washington most likely won’t make the playoffs, after making it last year. They were the division favorites!
Dusty Baker>>>Dave Martinez
I think he meant shouldn’t look to win in the playoffs. Dusty becomes like a fart in the wind come playoff time
My point was some teams take making the playoffs for granted (Nats) Dusty won first back-to-back division titles in Nas’ franchise history. Sadly, lost in the last game round 1 playoffs
And Superdave Martinez isn’t exactly lighting the universe on fire with his prowess at this point.
Sometimes the biggest role a manager fills is the scapegoat. Who do you blame when problems resurface with another guy ?
Just because Dusty was more successful than his predecessor doesn’t automatically mean he was a good manager.
So does that mean Dave Martinez is a bad manager? Pick one.
Martinez is a first year manager. Baker has a long and storied history of being a poor manager in the playoffs. Big difference.
Every manager gets criticized as if they aren’t human beings. Even if their time is in first place, doesn’t matter. Fans will still call for their team to fire their manager.
Team, not time
Not gonna happen but the Mets could really use Buck Showalter
Don’t think Callaway gets year 2?
A set of Callaway golf clubs may not be much worse than Mickey Callaway.
Callaway golf clubs are awesome!!
Dusty had a lot more supporters in Cincinnati than he thinks. There were a lot of real fans who hated the fact he was fired. I’m sure he got a little satisfaction of watching Brian Pryce become one of the worst managers ever, even though he was Dusty’s pitching coach. Dusty’s a good dude and a great manager of players. He’s 69 yrs old. I hope he retires and enjoys life.
I don’t think it was Dusty’s fault that the Nats lost in 2017. If he kept Scherzer in the pen, and ran out some average reliever in an average Washington Pen, he would be criticized for not putting in his best asset. If he put in Doolittle or another high quality reliever, and they gave the Nationals quality innings, he would ultimately still need somebody to bring in the later game and that could easily be someone who blows the game. He would be criticized.
Nats bats also went ice cold. It’s plagued them in previous playoff runs.
Also, Dave Martinez is an awful Manager.
Please get Cardinal job,
There is no job with the Cardinals. The long experienced Cardinal manager Mike Shildt is all but hired.
Mattingly’s statements sound like those of a man who’s already cleared out his desk. I could see him getting fired and replaced with Girardi, sitting out a year and gambling Boone gets the ax in the Bronx …
Don’t get me wrong I like Dusty. Dusty is a player’s manager. He’s good in the clubhouse, most of his players like him, like playing for him, and he has a great personality that both the media and the fans in general like. But I had issues with his use of the bullpen and his player’s approach at the plate. You won’t see his team’s grinding out ABs, making the pitcher work, and taking a lot of walks. What you will see is what I consider an over-aggressive approach; a lot of first pitch swinging, with an all or nothing result. The only players he’ll encourage to draw walks are players with speed.
And why in the wide world sports would he stubbornly bat Werth, with his 83 OPS+, 2nd throughout the playoffs, and bat Rendon with his 139 OPS+, 6th? I’ll never understand that. I think despite the fact that he managed some very talented teams there’s a reason why he never won a WS title.
Dusty loves his veterans. That’s my only assumption to why he placed Werth higher in the order than Rendon.
With the Miami Marlins, I’m not sure how anyone can light up a team that isn’t going anywhere. They aren’t motivated to work it because, well, what’s the motivation? Curious how Miami handles this.
Other then the Cardinals what other team needs a new manager?
Angels, maybe Reds if they don’t stick with Riggleman.
If the Reds don’t stick with Riggleman, I’d be shocked. Same if Cardinals don’t stick with Shildt.
I would lo,e to see Benjie Molina as manager for the Angels.
The Cardinals don’t need a new manager. He is already in place. But I am seeing Mike Matheny with the Orioles next season but since he is already being paid through 2020 – maybe not……lol
Washington is a bad manager-he cost Texas a World Series -wouldn’t want him to be my manager
He didn’t cost them anything. They were 1 strike from winning it with their closer on the mound. And 1 strike away 1 inning later.
That’s like saying the Buffalo Bills sucked for going to 4 straight Super Bowls and losing them all. Making it to the World Series is the hardest thing to do in the sport. 2 of the 30 teams make it every year, give the man credit.
One thing about Ron Washington’s squads are that they can mash. Watching those Texas teams with Michael Young in the middle of the lineup with Josh Hamilton in his prime were super fun.
I could see his style playing well with how teams are leaning more towards “players” managers now. With analytics having such an impact on the game, GM’s aren’t bringing in the older coaches who managed by strict punishments and with iron fists. The game hinges on player/coach relationships and the ability to care for a player and give him what he needs, days off, Position preferences, things that need communication to help the team.
Don’t forget 2012. That may have been the more complete team than 2010 and 2011. The implosion the last two weeks of the year had people talking about Washington being exposed.
Washington will always have a hard time shaking off the stigma that he should have a World Series ring with those Texas teams. One could argue they got hot at the right time two years in a row and went further than expected. But 2012 was an overlooked disappointment for the Rangers.
Cruz coulda caught that ball
How did Washington cost the Rangers the World Series?
Washington should of replaced Cruz with a better defender to start the 9th. He also should of seen that Cruz was playing way too shallow after 2 were out, because Cruz wanted to be part of the celebration. At that point he still could of sent in a better defender.
No Manager “gets” you to the Divisional Series .
I’m hoping that we’re finally coming to the end of Mattingly having a managerial position. I still dont know how hes had a job for so long, and then how he got a 2nd job here. Gabe Kapler is no longer available, but I’ll pretty much take anyone over Mattingly, who I never wanted to see in the first place
Showalter would be amazing, but that wont happen. I hope it’s not Girardi too.
Mattingly is not a modern day manager and i’m worried for marlins fans cause idk if Jeter will see this. He’s gotta go asap