Public criticism is a nuisance every notable professional athlete and coach has to deal with in some way or another. In the case of former Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker, it was reason to retire (or at least one of the reasons).
ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 18: Manager Dusty Baker #12 of the Houston Astros looks on during Game 3 of the ALCS between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. during an appearance on TNT's"The Steam Room" podcast with Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson
"We had a lot of success here, Ernie and Charles, and then the last couple of months here weren't very pleasant, because we weren't 10 games ahead," Baker said."You spoil people. They think you're supposed to win this every year running away and it's not like that. Every year's different.
Baker joined the Astros in 2020, at a time when the franchise certainly needed someone like him. The managerial vacancy opened due to the firing of A.J. Hinch in the aftermath of the cheating scandal that rocked baseball and tainted the Astros' reputation, not to mention their 2017 title. The team needed a manager that could give it an appearance of integrity, and Baker fit the bill.
That match certainly seemed to work out for both parties. Under Baker, the Astros posted a 320-226 regular season record, reached the ALCS all four seasons and won the World Series in 2022. Meanwhile, the Astros gave Baker a chance to get back into baseball two seasons after the Washington Nationals let him go and an organization with enough talent to consistently compete for the World Series.
Of course, Baker's reputation for being the last true old school manager, fair or not, was a contrast with the previously stats-obsessed Astros, and maybe that was reflected in the questions and criticism he received as manager. Part of being a manager is fielding questions nearly every day, both before and after the games, and few, if any, of them enjoy that part of the job.
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