THE DUSTY BAKER EXPERIENCE
Back in the World Series, there’s plenty to root for with unconventional Astros manager
Dusty Baker is back in the World Series for another shot at an elusive title.
His Houston Astros are prohibitive favorites against the Philadelphia Phillies in the 118th World Series, which begins Friday at Minute Maid Park, and the toothpick-chewing, 73-year-old Baker once again will be in the spotlight.
In the final year of his contract, this could be Baker’s final shot at capping a managerial career that has defied convention. He has taken five franchises to the postseason yet probably has spent more time on the hot seat than any manager since Billy Martin.
Here are seven reminders of why Baker is someone you can root for, even if you have a difficult time liking the Astros.
The winningest manager of all time without a championship, Baker on Friday will become the oldest World Series manager, passing Jack McKeon, who was 72 years, 329 days when managing the Florida Marlins in Game 1 of the 2003 World Series against the New York Yankees.
Baker has had a few heartbreaking finishes. His 2002 San Francisco Giants lost the World Series to the Anaheim Angels in seven games after blowing
1. King of heartbreak:
a late lead in Game 6 with a 3-2 series advantage. His 2003 Chicago Cubs lost the National League Championship Series to the Marlins in seven games after blowing an eighth-inning lead in Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead. And last year his Astros lost the World Series in six games to the Atlanta Braves.
2. Co-invented the highfive: Facing Astros great J.R. Richard on the final day of the 1977 regular season, Baker needed one home run to join Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith and Ron Cey as the first foursome with 30-plus homers each in a season.
Baker homered in the sixth inning and was greeted at the plate by teammate Glenn Burke, who held his right hand over his head for Baker to slap. It was the beginning of the high-five.
The two repeated the act near the dugout after Baker’s grand slam against the Phillies in Game 2 of the 1977 NLCS. According to “Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke,” a Los Angeles Times photo of that high-five was often mistaken as a shot of the original.
3. Hung out with Jimi Hendrix:
In a recent Rolling Stone profile, Baker replayed the oft-told story of him smoking a joint with Hendrix in San Francisco.
“We were outside Carol Doda’s, which was a strip club we weren’t old enough to go in,” Baker said. “Plus, I better not be caught dead in there. Come on.
“So we were standing right there and saw Jimi standing outside on funky Broadway. (My friends) said, ‘Hey, man, offer Jimi a joint.’ So I did it, and then my friends came over and that’s how we met Jimi. I never saw him again after that.”
4. Feud with Tony La Russa:
The feud mellowed with age and presumably ended when La Russa stepped down because of health issues at the end of a disappointing Chicago White Sox season. But it was at its peak in the summer of 2003, when Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood knocked down St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matt Morris a couple of times on high, inside fastballs.
“The Cardinals back then with Tony, they never did much wrong (but believed) most people were doing wrong to them,” Baker later said. “Know what I mean?”
Baker and La Russa shouted obscenities at each
other from the dugouts, and Morris ripped Baker.
“Really, if he thinks (the fight) has been on so far, he’s got a whole decade full of us coming,” Baker said of Morris. “This is just the beginning. They’ve been beating up on us for a long time, from my understanding, so the best thing for him to do is just leave us alone. Just play your game and be quiet.”
The Cardinals went on to win the World Series under La Russa in 2006 and 2011.
“Boy, was I wrong,” Baker said years later.
5. Mood-music managing:
During 2003 spring training, Baker told the Tribune’s Terry Armour he liked every kind of music except country, and he brought CDs to camp of Whitney Houston, Tupac, Missy Elliott, Sting, Ludacris, Ja Rule, John Lee Hooker, Morcheeba, St Germain, Santana, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Shaggy, Mutabaruka, Nelly, Uncle
Kracker and 50 Cent. One of his songs on replay was Tupac’s “Better Dayz.”
“If I need to slow down on the highway, I listen to jazz,” Baker said. “I listen to certain things if I need to be aggressive, certain things when I need to think.”
Baker noted his wife, Melissa, turns down his music in their truck.
“That’s the only thing she does that bothers me,” he said. “I told her, ‘Didn’t you ever see that movie with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker where Tucker tells Jackie Chan, ‘Never touch a black man’s radio’?”
While working for ESPN during the 2007 World Series before starting his next gig as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Baker ran into a group of Reds fans at a Denver bar and promised them one thing: more Tupac at Great American Ballpark.
6. Uncle Dusty: Baker’s status as a player’s manager is well-chronicled, whether it’s bringing them food or turning them on to music.
“As a manager, I love Dusty,” Astros ace Justin Verlander said in August. “He’s such a good communicator. He’s a very kind person and obviously has a wealth of baseball information. I enjoy talking with him and playing for him.”
I once asked Baker what’s the biggest misperception about him. He said it’s the widely held theory he is “too easy” on his players and avoids disciplining anyone.
“Go ask my daughter, my wife, my nephews, my players, understand?” he said. “I’m firm but fair. I was raised strictly. They say you end up being like your parents. Go ask the people who knew me. Go ask my godchildren who gets in their face in my own family structure. If someone is acting bad, it’s ‘I’m going to go tell Uncle Dusty.’ They know I’ll jack ‘em up in a minute.”
7. A wise guy’s wise guy:
When Cubs reliever Antonio Alfonseca was ejected from a Cubs-Cardinals game for bumping an umpire, Baker called it “assault with a deadly belly.” He nicknamed the interview room in the bowels of Wrigley Field “The Dungeon.” Upon arriving in Chicago he told the media, “My name is Dusty, not Messiah.”
After the 2003 season, he spent most of the next three years in Chicago hearing his job status was in jeopardy. Asked in 2006 why his Cubs players couldn’t ignore the distraction of a manager constantly on the hot seat, he replied: “I don’t know. Maybe the same reason why you can’t stop writing it.”
Better days would come, and now Baker is back for one more shot.