Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker, Jr. (born June 15, 1949 in
Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside is the largest city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California, and is approximately 60 miles east of Los Angeles, and 12 miles southwest of San Bernardino. Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County, and is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River...
) is a former
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
and the current
managerIn baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager ; this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They are members of the Central Division of the National League....
. He previously led the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
and
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago , the Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the...
, winning the
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
pennant with the Giants.
Drafted by the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
in the 1967 amateur draft out of
Del Campo High SchoolDel Campo High School, a member of the San Juan Unified School District, is a public high school in Fair Oaks, California.-Academic curriculum:...
near
Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital of the U.S. state of California, and the county seat of Sacramento County. Located along the Sacramento River and just south of the American River's confluence in California's expansive Central Valley. With a 2007 estimated population of 460,242, it is the seventh-largest...
, Dusty Baker began his professional
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
career as an
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Braves in . After spending sixteen full seasons with the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
,
Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, California, USA. The team is in the Western Division of the National League. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming the Brooklyn...
, as well short tenures with both the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
, and
Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the Oakland Coliseum....
, Baker finished his prosperous career as a player with .278 batting average, 242 home runs, and 1,013 runs batted in.
Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker, Jr. (born June 15, 1949 in
Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside is the largest city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California, and is approximately 60 miles east of Los Angeles, and 12 miles southwest of San Bernardino. Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County, and is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River...
) is a former
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
and the current
managerIn baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager ; this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They are members of the Central Division of the National League....
. He previously led the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
and
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago , the Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the...
, winning the
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
pennant with the Giants.
Playing career
Drafted by the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
in the 1967 amateur draft out of
Del Campo High SchoolDel Campo High School, a member of the San Juan Unified School District, is a public high school in Fair Oaks, California.-Academic curriculum:...
near
Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital of the U.S. state of California, and the county seat of Sacramento County. Located along the Sacramento River and just south of the American River's confluence in California's expansive Central Valley. With a 2007 estimated population of 460,242, it is the seventh-largest...
, Dusty Baker began his professional
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
career as an
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Braves in . After spending sixteen full seasons with the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
,
Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, California, USA. The team is in the Western Division of the National League. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming the Brooklyn...
, as well short tenures with both the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
, and
Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the Oakland Coliseum....
, Baker finished his prosperous career as a player with .278 batting average, 242 home runs, and 1,013 runs batted in. Furthermore, a few of Baker’s accomplishments as a player include playing for the
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
All-StarThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team in and , winning three League Championship series in
1977The National League Championship Series was a best-of-five matchup between the Western Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Eastern Division champion Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers beat the Phillies three games to one and went on lose the 1977 World Series to the New York...
,
1978The National League Championship Series was a best-of-five matchup for the second straight year between the Western Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Eastern Division champion Philadelphia Phillies...
, and
1981The National League Championship Series was a best-of-five series between the first-half Western Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the second-half Eastern Division champion Montreal Expos...
. Baker ultimately won a
World SeriesThe Commissioner's Trophy is presented each year by the Commissioner of Baseball to the Major League Baseball team that wins the World Series. Recent trophy designs contain flags representing each team in North America's top two leagues, the National League and the American League...
title in
1981The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years. The Dodgers won the Series in six games for their first title since 1965, and their first victory over the Yankees since 1963.The Dodgers are the last team to...
with the Dodgers. When hit his 30th homer on the last day of the 1977 season, it enable the
Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, California, USA. The team is in the Western Division of the National League. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming the Brooklyn...
to become the first team ever to have four 30 home run hitters (
Reggie SmithCarl Reginald Smith is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, coach and front office executive. During a 17-year big league career , Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314 home runs and batted .287. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. In his prime, he had one of the strongest...
,
Ron CeyRonald Charles Cey is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...
, and
Steve GarveySteven Patrick Garvey is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, and current Southern California businessman. Garvey was a one time NL MVP, 10 time All Star, and holds the National League record for consecutive games played .-Playing career:Born in Tampa, FL to parents who had recently...
were the others) in one season. Baker also earned a spot as a footnote in history. On April 8, 1974, Baker was on deck when Hank Aaron hit home run 715 to pass
Babe RuthGeorge Herman Ruth, Jr. , also popularly known as "Babe" Ruth, "The Bambino", and "The Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from –...
in career home runs. (He said he hit a double "That nobody saw and nobody cared" in that at-bat.) Baker played his final season in 1986.
San Francisco Giants
Baker's coaching career, ironically, started with his former Dodger arch-rival: the San Francisco Giants. Baker began his coaching career as a first base coach for the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
in , and then spent the following four years (1989–1992) as the hitting coach, and finally became the manager in , replacing the departing
Roger CraigRoger Craig may refer to:*Roger Craig *Roger Craig *Roger Craig Smith, American voice actor...
. In his very first year as Giants manager, he won the N.L. Manager of the Year award, leading the team to a 103–59 record, which was the second-best record in baseball that year (behind the 104–58
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
), and 31 games better than their 72–90 finish the previous year. His Giants went on to win division titles in 1997 and again in 2000; Baker would win Manager of the Year honors in both of those years as well. In 2002, his Giants gained the Wild-Card berth and from there advanced to the
World SeriesThe World Series was the 98th edition of the Fall Classic, held from October 19–27, 2002. The series featured the American League champion Anaheim Angels defeating the National League champion San Francisco Giants, 4–3, to win the franchise's first ever World Series.The series was notable as being...
, where they lost in seven games to the
Anaheim AngelsThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The Angels have been based in Angel Stadium of Anaheim since 1966...
who were managed by his former Dodger teammate,
Mike SciosciaMichael Lorri Scioscia is a former catcher and current Major League Baseball manager. He is often referred to by the nickname Sosh. He is an alumnus of Penn State University....
. It was during his San Francisco tenure that the term "Dustiny" was coined by the late former Giants pitcher
Rod BeckRodney Roy Beck was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres...
. Despite Baker’s success in San Francisco, the Giants let him leave to manage the Chicago Cubs and hired Felipe Alou to replace him.
Chicago Cubs
Baker made a major impact with the Cubs in his first season as manager for the ball club. With the help of an impressive pitching staff and big gun batters such as
Sammy SosaSamuel Peralta Sosa is a retired Major League Baseball right fielder.Sosa's Major League career began when he broke in with the Texas Rangers in . After a stint with the Chicago White Sox, Sosa became a member of the Chicago Cubs in 1992 and subsequently became one of the league's best hitters...
and
Moisés AlouMoisés Rojas Alou is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. His father Felipe, who managed Moises with the Expos from 1992 to 1996 and the Giants from 2005 to 2006, as well as uncles Matty and Jesús, and cousin Mel Rojas, all had long careers in Major League Baseball...
, the Chicago Cubs were able to claim their first divisional title in over a
decadeA decade is a period of ten years. The word is derived from the late Latin decas, from Greek decas, from deca. The other words for spans of years also come from Latin: lustrum , century , millennium . The term usually refers to a period of ten years starting at a multiple of ten...
. However, the Cubs’ hopes for winning a
World SeriesThe World Series has been the annual championship series of the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada since 1903, concluding the postseason of Major League Baseball...
title were cut short during the
2003 National League Championship SeriesThe National League Championship Series was a Major League Baseball playoff series played from October 7 to October 15 to determine the champion of the National League, between the Central Division champion Chicago Cubs and the wild-card qualifying Florida Marlins. The Cubs, by virtue of being a...
against the
Florida MarlinsThe Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. The Marlins would go on to claim the
2003 World SeriesThe 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
.
Following the 2003 season, Baker and the Cubs failed to see another playoff berth. In , the team was involved in a heated wild card chase with the
Houston AstrosThe Houston Astros is a major league baseball team located in Houston, Texas. The Astros are a member of the Central Division. From 2000 to the present, the Astros have played their home games at Minute Maid Park . The Astros joined MLB under the name Colt .45s along with the New York Mets in...
, but fell out of contention near the season’s end. In the subsequent season, the Cubs lost several of their key players, most notably ace pitchers
Mark PriorMark William Prior is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher free agent. His career has been notably muddled with injuries after a promising start which had the sports media calling him a future superstar...
and
Kerry WoodKerry Lee Wood is an American Major League Baseball closer for the Cleveland Indians. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in each of four seasons between 1998 and 2003, with a high of 266 in ....
, to injuries. The team finished the season with a 79–83 record, marking the first time in three years that the Cubs finished with a losing record. The Cubs’ performance declined in the next season, as they fell to 66-96, and finished last in the entire
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
.
While the Cubs’ organization stated that Baker would remain the team’s manager throughout the 2006 season, they did not renew his contract. They allowed Baker to address the media in a press-conference in early October, where he officially announced his departure. The Cubs turned to
Lou PiniellaLouis Victor Piniella is the current manager of the Chicago Cubs and a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
to replace Baker for the
2007 Chicago Cubs seasonThe Chicago Cubs' 2007 season began with the Cubs trying to rebound after a season in which they finished last in their division for the first time since .-Offseason:...
. Under Piniella, the Cubs made it to the National League Division Series, but fell to the
Arizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
in a three game sweep.
Cincinnati Reds
On October 13, 2007, Baker was hired as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, replacing interim manager
Pete MackaninPeter Mackanin, Jr. is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball who most recently served as the acting manager of the Cincinnati Reds, having replaced Jerry Narron in 2007 before being replaced at season's end by Dusty Baker...
. He also is the first
African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. In the United States, the terms are generally used for Americans with at least partial Sub-Saharan African ancestry...
manager in Reds history.
During the fall of 2008, Baker was hired as interim coach of the Hard 90 Baseball Academy 10 and under team, while their manager was on bereavement. They were handed a loss by the LBA Legends, coached by manager Tyren Sillanpaa.
Criticism
Baker, an old-school baseball traditionalist, was scrutinized for the Cubs’ declining productivity. To sabermetricians, many of his methods were puzzling, such as his tendency to put players with a poor on-base percentage, such as
Neifi PerezNeifi Neftali Pérez is a Major League baseball player who most recently played for the Detroit Tigers and is currently a free agent. He has played with the Colorado Rockies , Kansas City Royals , San Francisco Giants , and the Chicago Cubs...
,
Jose MaciasJosé Prado Macías Salazar is a Major League Baseball player who is currently a free agent. Macias has played for the Detroit Tigers , Montreal Expos , and Chicago Cubs . Macias is known as being a utility player, as he has played third base, shortstop, second base, and all three outfield positions...
,
Corey PattersonDonald Corey Patterson is a Major League Baseball center fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. He is the older brother of Oakland Athletics outfielder Eric Patterson.-High school:...
,
Willy TaverasWilly Taveras is a center fielder for the Cincinnati Reds. He bats and throws right-handed.-Houston Astros:Taveras played in 10 games at the end of the Astros season, mostly as a pinch runner....
and Jerry Hairston Jr. at or near the top of his lineups. Baker rejected (and still rejects) the importance of on-base percentage, arguing that extra baserunners simply "clog up the bases" unless they can run well. This flies in the face of statistically-oriented baseball strategy and has made Baker a frequent target among the sabermetric community. Additionally, many fans, commentators, and writers blamed his consistent tendency to overuse young pitchers for damaging the career of
Kerry WoodKerry Lee Wood is an American Major League Baseball closer for the Cleveland Indians. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in each of four seasons between 1998 and 2003, with a high of 266 in ....
and derailing the career of
Mark PriorMark William Prior is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher free agent. His career has been notably muddled with injuries after a promising start which had the sports media calling him a future superstar...
. Baker was widely known as a "player's manager," attempting to mollify his athletes rather than focusing on team output above personal interests, and favoring his favorite players regardless of their statistical output.
In 2003, Baker was the subject of some controversy when he stated that "black and Hispanic players are better suited to playing in the sun and heat than white players." Dusty, defending his beliefs, later said, "What I meant is that blacks and Latinos take the heat better than most whites, and whites take the cold better than most blacks and Latinos. That's it, pure and simple. Nothing deeper than that."
Broadcasting career
He served as an
ESPNESPN is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day....
analyst during the 2006 MLB Postseason and served in a similar role during the
2007 seasonThe 2007 Major League Baseball season was the 107th since the initial co-existence of the American and National Leagues. It began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium...
.
Personal life
Baker was a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserves from 1969 through 1975. Baker has a wife, Melissa, and two children named Natosha and Darren. Darren was famously rescued from being run over at home plate by
J. T. SnowJack Thomas "J. T." Snow, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. He played all but two games in his career as a first baseman, and played nine of his 13½ seasons with the San Francisco Giants...
during the
2002 World SeriesThe World Series was the 98th edition of the Fall Classic, held from October 19–27, 2002. The series featured the American League champion Anaheim Angels defeating the National League champion San Francisco Giants, 4–3, to win the franchise's first ever World Series.The series was notable as being...
.
Managerial records
- Updated on October 4, 2009
| Team | |Regular Season | San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
|
1993 |
162 |
103 |
59 |
.636 |
2nd in NL West |
|---|
| 1994 |
115 |
55 |
60 |
.478 |
2nd in NL West |
| 1995 |
144 |
67 |
77 |
.465 |
4th in NL West |
| 1996 |
162 |
68 |
94 |
.420 |
4th in NL West |
| 1997 |
162 |
90 |
72 |
.556 |
1st in NL West |
0 |
3 |
.000 |
Lost in NLDS |
| 1998 |
163 |
89 |
74 |
.546 |
2nd in NL West |
| 1999 |
162 |
86 |
76 |
.531 |
2nd in NL West |
| 2000 |
162 |
97 |
65 |
.599 |
1st in NL West |
1 |
3 |
.250 |
Lost in NLDS |
| 2001 |
162 |
90 |
72 |
.556 |
2nd in NL West |
| 2002 |
161 |
95 |
66 |
.590 |
2nd in NL West |
10 |
6 |
.625 |
Lost in World Series |
| SF Total |
1,555 |
840 |
715 |
.540 |
2 Division Championships
1 Wild Card |
11 |
12 |
.478 |
|
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago , the Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the...
|
2003 |
162 |
88 |
74 |
.543 |
1st in NL Central |
6 |
6 |
.500 |
Lost in NLCS |
| 2004 |
162 |
89 |
73 |
.549 |
3rd in NL Central |
| 2005 |
162 |
79 |
83 |
.488 |
4th in NL Central |
| 2006 |
162 |
66 |
96 |
.407 |
6th in NL Central |
| CHC Total |
648 |
322 |
326 |
.497 |
1 Division Championship |
6 |
6 |
.500 |
|
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They are members of the Central Division of the National League....
|
2008 |
162 |
74 |
88 |
.457 |
5th in NL Central |
| 2009 |
162 |
78 |
84 |
.481 |
4th in NL Central |
| CIN Total |
324 |
152 |
172 |
.457 |
|
0 |
0 |
.000 |
- |
| Total |
2,689 |
1,314 |
1,213 |
.520 |
3 Division Championships
1 Wild Card |
17 |
18 |
.486 |
|
See also
External links