Dusty Baker

Dusty Baker

Dusty Baker Jr. is an American Major League Baseball manager who currently manages the Houston Astros. He previously managed the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. As a player, he had a 19-year career as a hard-hitting outfielder, primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. He helped the Dodgers to pennants in 1977 and 1978 and to the World Series championship in 1981.

About Dusty Baker in brief

Summary Dusty BakerDusty Baker Jr. is an American Major League Baseball manager who currently manages the Houston Astros. He previously managed the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. Baker was inducted into the Sac-Joaquin Section’s Hall of Fame class in 2010 for his play at Del Campo High School near Sacramento, California. As a player, he had a 19-year career as a hard-hitting outfielder, primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. He helped the Dodgers to pennants in 1977 and 1978 and to the World Series championship in 1981. Many believe that Baker played an integral part in the first ever high five, which occurred between Baker and Dodgers teammate Glenn Burke on October 2, 1977, at Dodger Stadium. Baker is noted for his love of toothpicks every game and was once quoted saying, “Toothpicks are an excellent source of protein.” He is also known for removing Russ Ortiz during Game 6 of the 2002 World Series despite the Giants winning the game 6–5. Baker would later win titles in 1997 and 2000 with the Giants, winning the NL Manager of the Year award in both of those years. In his first year with the Astros, Baker became the first MLB manager to lead five different teams to the playoffs. He has also managed the Washington Nationals, the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds. He is the son of former Giants pitcher Johnnie B. Baker, who played for the team in the 1950s and 1960s.

Baker has a son, Johnnie Baker III, who also played in the Major League baseball for the New York Mets and the Oakland A’s. He also has a daughter, Sarah Baker, and a son-in-law, who plays for the San Diego Padres. He currently lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and two daughters. He was awarded the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player award in 1977 for his performance in the Dodgers’ 1981 World Series win. Baker also won the NL All-Star team in 1981 and 1982, and won three League Championship series in 1977, 1978, and 1981. He finished his playing career in 1986 with a. 278 batting average, 242 home runs, and 1,013 runs batted in. His coaching career started as a first base coach for theSan Francisco Giants in 1988, and then he spent the following four years as the hitting coach, and finally became the manager in 1993, replacing the departing Roger Craig. In 2002, he led the Giants to a 103–59 record, which was the second-best record in baseball that year and 31 games better than their 72–90 finish the previous year. His Giants went on to win the division title again in 2000 and again in 2001. In 2010, he was named to the MLB All-star team for the first time in his managerial career. Baker’s former Dodger teammate, Mike Scioscia, is now the Angels manager, who managed the Anaheim Angels, who were managed by Baker.