The Cincinnati Reds have hired former Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants pilot Dusty Baker to their new manager. Baker was given a three-year contract to replace Pete Mackanin who took over when Jerry Narron was fired midway through the season.
The Reds are the first team to fill a managerial hole with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals still looking and the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees still unsure about what route they want to take.
Baker, who worked for ESPN this past season, last managed in 2006 with Chicago. In his fourth and final season in the Second City, the Cubs finished last in the NL Central. Lou Piniella replaced him this season and the Cubs won the division title.
Baker took over the Cubs in 2003 and had the club five outs from going to the World Series when Steve Bartman interfered with Moises Alou on foul ball down the left field line in Wrigley. That turned the tide and the Cubs lost that game and the next one to Florida who beat New York for the championship.
Baker followed up in 2004 with another winning season even though they didn’t make the playoffs. It was Chicago’s first back-to-back winning years in more than three decades. After two losing seasons Baker’s contract expired and Piniella was hired.
Prior to coming to the Cubs, Baker managed the San Francisco Giants for ten seasons and led them to the 2002 National League pennant. The Giants lost to the Anaheim Angels in seven games in the World Series. With the Giants, Baker won two division titles and got the World Series as a wild card. Baker won 103 games in his first season as Giants skipper in 1993 and won 90 or more games four other times and twice Baker led squads have won 89 games in a season.
In addition to managing Baker was a fine major league player having played 19 seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s and he hit .278 with 242 HR’s and 1013 RBI.
His career managerial record is 1162-1041 for a .527 winning percentage.
