People Crying About Dusty Baker Astros Hire Should Look at the Alternative
By Brendan Balsamo
On Tuesday afternoon, the Houston Astros and owner Jim Crane reportedly completed their search for a new manager after AJ Hinch was fired in the wake of the MLB investigation into the franchise's implementation of electronic sign-stealing during their 2017 World Series season. Houston is reportedly close to hiring Dusty Baker, which has been met by mixed reviews.
For those that believe that signing Baker was the wrong move, just take a look at all the alternate routes that could have been taken by the organization.
Dusty Baker's last job was managing the Washington Nationals, who not only beat the Astros in the World Series this year, but share a spring training facility with them.
— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) January 28, 2020
West Palm Beach, where all the stories are at.
The Astros' most likely alternative to Baker was probably Buck Showalter. Showalter and Baker are of a similar ilk, yet Dusty has proven to be much more adept and successful leading a team mid-crisis.
Just think of how Baker handled the Barry Bonds' steroid speculation during the San Francisco Giants successful early 2000's run. Not to mention, Baker dealt with a literal dugout fight between Bonds and Jeff Kent in 2002, still leading that Giants team to 95 wins and a playoff appearance.
Meanwhile, the most pressing question Showalter has had to answer was why he used Ubaldo Jimenez instead of Zach Britton in the 2016 AL Wild Card Game during his managing stint with the Baltimore Orioles.
The biggest reason Dusty Baker will be GREAT for the Astros in 2020: If anyone knows how to handle a team under ridiculous scrutiny everywhere they go, it's Dusty.
— John P. Lopez (@LopezOnSports) January 28, 2020
See the Bonds HR chase. The '80s Pittsburgh drug trials.
Baker hasn't had much postseason success, but Showalter has had even less. Baker at least has a pennant, and Showalter's postseason winning percentage is under .400.
All the other managers involved in this discussion were either young and coming off their first managerial stints, or had never managed at all. Brad Ausmus inherited talented squads with the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels and sent them into the ground, and after a solid first two seasons in Arlington, Jeff Banister's lack of connection with his players sank that ship as well.
I have been a Dusty Baker proponent for years. He's a Bobby Cox-style manager in my opinion. Strategic more than tactical. Feel free to argue moves he makes day to day, but players for his teams usually perform well and players like playing for him.
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) January 28, 2020
Say what you want about Baker's tenures with the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals, but with the organization in a seemingly downward spiral, Crane and the Astros would be making the right choice.