Baker learns Nats want more than playoffs, they want World Series
Dusty Baker is done as manager of the Washington Nationals after two seasons, two National League East baseball titles and zero playoff series victories.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said he told Baker the news via telephone Friday morning. Baker’s two-year deal with the club is expiring.
“Our expectations have grown,” Rizzo said during a conference call with reporters. “Winning a lot of regular-season games and winning divisions are not enough. Our goal is to win a world championship and, to that end, we made the decision late last night.”
Rizzo declined to say why he believes Baker can’t help reach that goal.
The GM also wouldn’t offer any specifics about what sort of manager he will be looking for as a replacement. The Nationals will be hiring their sixth manager in a 10-season span.
Rizzo called the split from Baker “a pure baseball decision” and said it was not about an inability to reach a new deal with the skipper.
“This had absolutely nothing to do with negotiations, dollars,” Rizzo said. “It was not a negotiation with Dusty.”
The contracts for the members of Baker’s coaching staff also are done.
Baker’s teams have now lost 10 consecutive games with a chance to advance in the post-season. His career post-season record as a manager is 23-32.
Despite a host of injuries to key players, including 2015 NL MVP Bryce Harper, the Nationals went 97-65 this season, finishing 20 games out in front in their division.
In all, the 68-year-old has spent 22 seasons as a big league manager, accumulating more than 1,800 regular-season wins with the San Francisco Giants, Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Nationals. Baker also was a player in the majors for 19 years.