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Dusty Baker Appreciation Thread

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by rocketsjudoka, Oct 26, 2023.

  1. Rvo384

    Rvo384 Member

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    The Chandler Rome article, came out way before Dusty said anything about big boy. Who do you think went to Rome? Why was Chas’ brother trashing Dusty on Twitter at that same time?
     
  2. Rvo384

    Rvo384 Member

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    The Chandler Rome article, came out way before Dusty said anything about big boy. Who do you think went to Rome? Why was Chas’ brother trashing Dusty on Twitter?
     
  3. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    A great piece on Dusty Baker from ABC 13
    https://abc13.com/dusty-baker-retires-houston-astros-jim-crane-sign-stealing-scandal/13977541/
    Dusty Baker was the 'only guy who could' help Astros amid scandal, team owner says

    HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Dusty Baker wasn't part of the Astros' plans, and they weren't part of his. But as has been the story of the 74-year-old's life, there's potential in a pivot.

    "Most of my plans don't work out," Baker admitted Thursday during a press conference, announcing his retirement from managing after 26 seasons. "I didn't want to play baseball. I wanted to play basketball. I didn't want to go to the Marines. I didn't want to coach. You have to pray on it and ask for direction. If you trust that direction and the message you get, you'll get going in the right direction."

    The Astros needed to go in a different direction early in 2020 despite a franchise-record 107 wins in the previous season. Manager AJ Hinch was fired in the wake of a cheating scandal, and Baker, who had been out of the game since being fired by the Washington Nationals in 2017, was available to owner Jim Crane.

    "You were a great example for everyone," Crane said to Baker on Thursday. "We love you, and we'll miss you. You came in and helped us when we needed some help. You did a great job. You were the only guy who could do that."

    Baker didn't win right away, struggling to a 29-31 record during the 2020 regular season. However, that postseason, he led the Astros to the first of four straight trips to the American League Championship Series.

    Even though the wins would come later, Baker sure seemed to win over the team immediately.

    Baker had their backs in brouhahas, like against Joe Kelly and the Dodgers in 2020, and as recently as last week against the Rangers in the ALCS. He stood up for his players at every chance, whether it was taking criticism from opposing fans or fastballs from opposing pitchers.

    Baker was the perfect manager at the perfect time for our city. But what did our city do for him?

    "It gave me an opportunity to be a champion, although I always felt like a champion," Baker admitted. "At that time, it looked like I wasn't going to get another opportunity. I had just interviewed for the Philadelphia job before that, and they gave it to Joe Girardi. My son told me maybe the Lord didn't want me to have that job. Houston gave me an opportunity to meet some great players to try to influence some players' lives and their families. They influenced mine."

    As Baker officially ended one notable chapter in his illustrious career, one that will soon make him the first Black manager ever inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he said Thursday he feels an obligation to do more around the game with his next one.

    "All the people you've met - it's not up to you to take with you and possess what they give you," Baker said of the knowledge he's gained through a half-century in the game as a player and manager. "It's up to you to pass it on to someone else. The knowledge and wisdom given to me isn't mine to hideaway with. I'm a teacher, and a teacher teaches and a coach coaches. I haven't made up my mind yet on what I'm going to do, but I'm going to go home to talk to my daughter, who thinks she's my mother, and spend some time with my grandkids and let the Lord tell me where to go and what to do with my life. I still feel like I haven't done what I'm supposed to do in life, so I believe the Lord has some great things ahead for me."

    Baker posted a 320-226 record with the Astros, leading them to the playoffs each of his four seasons and winning the pennant twice.

    "It was probably the quickest four years I ever spent in my life," Baker said. "But that's what happens when you're winning. When you're losing, three or four years can feel like a decade."
     
  4. Houstunna

    Houstunna The Most Unbiased Fan
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    Glad he got his championship.
     
  5. jim1961

    jim1961 Member

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    Good has no meaning without a specific context. And even then, the conclusion is usually a subjective one.
    Intent to be good can be observed though. Despite the biases of those observing, its usually not that hard to distinguish from wrong or bad intent.
     
  6. mikol13

    mikol13 Protector of the Realm
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    So, Dusty drove me crazy and it is time to move on but do you guys realize it was the greatest run ever in Astros history?
     
    PuzzledFan likes this.
  7. astrosrule

    astrosrule Member

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    what does that have to do with dusty? he just happened to be the guy that was there, dozens of people could've done what he did
     
  8. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

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    Maybe because anyone who has 1 tenth of 1% of baseball knowledge understood how stupid Dusty sitting Chas even 20% of the time was manager malpractice ?

    And it had to be stopped somehow - never did
     
  9. desihooper

    desihooper Contributing Member
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    4 ALCS appearances
    3 AL West Division Titles
    2 AL Championships
    1 World Championship
    0 Fs given

    Congrats on a great run and an awesome way to cap your career with a championship.

    Hope the next hire can win a title (or more) as well!!
     
    rockbox likes this.
  10. InTheGroove

    InTheGroove Member

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    2 pages deep.... impressive

    edit: *captivating, *inspiring....
     
  11. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard

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    Don't underestimate how many were Julks Only Fans ...
     
    Wulaw Horn and everyday eddie like this.
  12. InTheGroove

    InTheGroove Member

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    ^^^ he was good when we needed someone new to be good
     
  13. Rock Block

    Rock Block Sorta here sometimes
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    As for the ALCS, Chas, Diaz etc weren’t saving us. We won the division, we got the week off, faced MIN, it all lined up like we would’ve wanted but our pitching imploded. I’m not saying this now that we’re out but we weren’t beating TX with the pitching that showed up in 6 and 7 and don’t even get me started on no-show Tucker. Holy **** he was non-existent.
     
  14. Marshall Bryant

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    He didn't destroy us immediately - Good Job.
     
    raining threes likes this.
  15. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    He was more good than bad. He won us a championship. He was the right man for the job. Now it's time to move on.
     
    Houstunna and raining threes like this.
  16. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    I don’t get this argument that anyone could’ve managed the Astros to two WS appearances with one championship yet also blame Dusty for the losses. If anyone could’ve done it then anyone else would’ve been responsible for the losses.

    It’s like Dusty gets no credit when the Astros win yet it’s all his fault when they lose.
     
    Astrofan59 and Rvo384 like this.
  17. Marshall Bryant

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    And yet the exact same argument is being used to say A J Hinch wasn't really a great manager with the exact same results. It does make sense that either both or neither is true.
     
    Stephen66 and everyday eddie like this.
  18. Rvo384

    Rvo384 Member

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    You can look at Dusty and his record of everywhere he has been before the Astros. He was a great manager. Now Hinch’s record?
     
  19. Rvo384

    Rvo384 Member

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    You can look at Dusty and his record of everywhere he has been before the Astros. He was a great manager. Now Hinch’s record?
     
  20. Houstunna

    Houstunna The Most Unbiased Fan
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