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Related: About this forumDusty Baker taking Giants front-office role after retiring as a manager, per report
Dusty Baker taking Giants front-office role after retiring as a manager, per reportBaker, 74, called it a career as a manager following the 2023 ALCS with the Astros
Longtime big-league manager Dusty Baker is expected to rejoin the San Francisco Giants front office as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, according to MLB.com. An official announcement from the club is anticipated to be made later this week.
Baker, 74, retired from managing after the Houston Astros were eliminated from the postseason last October in the ALCS. While that put the bow on a 26-year career in the dugout, Baker suggested at the time he would still be up for a different role with an organization. Indeed, he even indicated that he would've kept managing for several more years were it not for what he felt was unfair scrutiny from "bloggers and tweeters."
"Every year's different," Baker said during a podcast appearance. "There was a whole bunch of criticism from 30-year-olds and bloggers and tweeters that I'm not doing this and I don't know that and I told my wife, 'You know, I'm kind of tired of this and tired of the scrutiny and if I could go manage and show up at say 6:30 for a 7 o'clock game and leave 30 minutes after the game, don't do the (pregame and postgame interviews), I could manage for another four or five years.' You know what I mean? After a while, you just get tired of answering questions."
Baker's new role should allow him to avoid the public-facing duties required by his managerial post while keeping him close to the game.
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/dusty-baker-taking-giants-front-office-role-after-retiring-as-a-manager-per-report/
A little birdie told me the Giants hired him at the request of the Washington Nationals; Dusty's son, Darren Baker plays for the Washington Nationals triple A farm team, the Rochester Red Wings, and they don't want Dusty Baker Helicopter coaching from the stands.
GP6971
(33,403 posts)I always liked him even when he was with the Astros.
rubbersole
(8,697 posts)His managerial career speaks for itself. When you're hired to help repair a team's image and then win at the highest level...
brush
(58,022 posts)"We're talkin' baseball!
Kluszewski, Campanella
Talkin' baseball!
The Man and Bobby Feller
The Scooter, the Barber, and the Newc
They knew 'em all from Boston to Dubuque
Especially Willie, Mickey, and the Duke."
Have a good post-managerial career, Dusty.
Brother Buzz
(38,026 posts)tasked to keep a promise
Dusty Baker was drafted right out of high school, but his parents balked, insisting Dusty (still a minor) go to college. Hank Aaron visited his parents and promised his mother he'd keep him on the straight and narrow. He kept his promise and he and Dusty became lifelong friends.
usonian
(14,600 posts)Bo Mel has hired former Giants for his staff, and when F. P. Santangelo had a show on KNBR, which is shuffling everything lately, he said that Dusty was just great to the players, personally and professionally.
Now, if they could just get a top starter or two, and a couple of big time hitters .... Hmmmmm ...
So, two pitchers are going to start mid-season?
I really want Farhan to stop picking up players from post-op. It hasn't worked out well.
But staff moves have been good. Good for Dusty.