Larussa considers Baker future Hall of Famer
CHICAGO — For all the time Dusty Baker and Tony La Russa have spent as enemies in opposing dugouts, including in this Astros-white Sox American League Division Series, La Russa still considers Baker a future Hall of Famer.
In his 24th year as a manager and second leading the Astros, Baker finished this regular season just 13 games shy of reaching 2,000 career managerial wins and is the only manager to win five division titles with five different teams. He has not, however, won a World Series as a manager.
Sunday before Game 3 of the ALDS, La Russa — who has three World Series wins as a manager and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 — said the lack of a World Series title shouldn’t overshadow Baker’s resumé.
“I think he has the credentials already,” La Russa said. “It’s no secret I’m great friends with Jim Leyland. There are managers in the Hall of Fame with one world championship, and Jim has one. I’m a Hall of Famer, so I guess I’ve got some credibility. Maybe they don’t all agree, but I think a lifetime of success with the number of wins he has and the championships he has, I think he has the credentials already.”
He continued, “And I also think just like with Joe Torre, you can’t discount the kind of playing career he had and the fact that he stayed in and continues to coach and any team he coaches for, players love playing for him. Sounds like a Hall of Famer to me. I don’t want to advance his case here in the series, but I feel that way now.”
As a player, Baker won the 1981 World Series and that season’s Gold Glove award with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His prolific playing career spanned 19 years and also included an NLCS MVP award with the 1977 Dodgers and two Silver Slugger awards.
Baker has the Astros in the playoffs for the fifth straight season, including the last two with him as manager. He is one of six managers to reach the
postseason six times.
He brushed off questions about his Hall of Fame aspirations on Sunday, though he acknowledged that La Russa has often told him, “See you in Cooperstown.”
“That was kind of Tony to say,” Baker said. “He actually said those things to me in the past and recently, but that’s something that I don’t really think about too much other than the task at hand, which is winning and also going as far as we can go in winning the world championship and everything will take care of itself. And so, you know, I don’t know if you knew
me as a player, as a person, but now is not the time to be thinking about self.”
Baker’s buddy to throw NLDS pitch
While Baker is managing the Astros in the American League playoffs, Houston area resident Ralph Garr will be occupied Monday with the National League Division Series between the Braves and Brewers.
Garr, the 1974 National League batting champion and a longtime Braves scout, will deliver the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the
Brewer-braves series at Truist Field. The best of five series is tied at a game apiece.
Garr, who was Baker’s teammate in Atlanta from 1968 through 1975, is a frequent guest of the Astros manager at Minute Maid Park home games. He was honored by the Braves earlier this year with the inaugural Ralph Garr-bill Lucas HBCU Baseball Classic in Gwinnett, Ga.
Families allowed to join players
Baseball’s slow return to normalcy left the Astros’ charter flight to Chicago
full of significant others, spouses and children. After spending so much of 2020 secluded from family, most were allowed to accompany Houston’s players and coaches for the continuation of the American League Division Series.
“Last year was tough being in the hotel and I didn’t have my wife there,” said closer Ryan Pressly, who has his newborn son Wyatt along for the trip. “Having them here this year and in the hotel rooms and we get to go do stuff, it kind of takes your mind off of baseball for a little bit, but it’s definitely great to have them here.”