I know emotions are still raw and a lot of y'all are still angry with him. I was very frustrated with him at times and was even yelling at my TV the last two weeks on more than one occasion over a Baker decision. Let's take a moment though to appreciate the career and legacy of a baseball legend. Dusty Baker came into baseball at 19 in 1967 as a rookie on the Atlanta Braves. He grew up in California and originally didn't want to play in the South because of discrimination and at a time when legal segregration had ended. It was fitting that he ended his career and finally got his World Series trophy as a manager with another Southern Team in Houston. Dusty's career had spanned from the end of the Old South to winning it all with a city and team that was diverse and full of immigrants. His story isn't just a baseball story but an American story. In between the Braves and the Astros he won a World Series as a player with the Dodgers and had several successful managerial stints with the Giants, Reds, Cubs, and Nationals. He came to the Astros in 2020 in the wake of the trash can scandal and to a team that appeared dispirited and in doubt. He was hired because he was widely respected throughout baseball but also because he was a players coach. He took a team and players that were full of doubt and roundly despised to three winning seasons, with four ALCS appearances, two World Series, and one World Series championship. As fans many of us were often frustrated by some of his decisions but it was obvious how much the players loved him. Unfortunately couldn't get him another World Series as manager but on to a well deserved retirement!
I don’t start threads myself but was wondering and hoping this thread would be started. Glad he got a ring, glad we got another. I didn’t agree with everything he did and I’m not going to speculate his intentions managing but he’s a good dude and he’s given himself and his life to the game of baseball. That’s more than I’ve done and most-likely anyone here has ever done for the game. Thanks for the run and I wish nothing but good things for the guy……
I don’t give an ish what anyone says about Dusty. He was running things when the Astros won chip #2 and I will forever be grateful. Dude took over in a dark time for the franchise and handled it as best as anyone could. He always had the players backs and I can appreciate that. Thanks, Dusty. All my best.
He kind of did throw Yordan (contradicting his statements about his health to the media), Yainer (implying he was not ready to play) and Chas (for not being a 'big boy') under the bus...
I always remember the 2nd title, thanks Dusty. But he left the door open which means if Oakland, soon to be Las Vegas A's offered him the managerial position, he will take it.
His guys he definitely had their backs. He did not have the teams back, that would imply the entire team
