John Shea: Acquisition of Doolittle from A’s gives Nationals some relief.
WASHINGTON — Sean Doolittle looked perplexed. He knew it was a good bet he’d be traded but still wasn’t prepared when it actually happened, when he and Ryan Madson were shipped to the Nationals.
In the A’s clubhouse, Madson noticed Doolittle wasn’t his easygoing self. Unlike Doolittle, who had spent his entire career in the A’s organization, Madson was heading to his fourth team.
So Madson approached his bullpen mate. “Are you OK?” They spoke, and Madson reaffirmed to him the virtues of moving from last place to first place, to a team that needed him down the stretch and in the playoffs, to a team that wasn’t just better in the standings but with its facilities.
“I knew it was going to be more emotional for him,” Madson said. “But with his intellectual ability, all I needed was to give him a little nod. I wanted to show him that I knew where he was at and to tell him, ‘You’re going to love it.’ ” Madson was right. The former A’s relievers are major pieces in a bullpen that was desperate for an upgrade. Manager Dusty Baker’s lineup and rotation were first-rate, but the bullpen had the highest ERA in the majors and lacked a legitimate closer.
That’s what Doolittle has been, converting all eight of his save opportunities, and the hard-throwing Madson has been spotless in the setup role, a nice complement to All-Star closer Brandon Kintzler, who was acquired from Minnesota two weeks later and tries to induce weak contact and double-play grounders.
“I’m really happy,” Doolittle said. “It was awesome for me having (Madson) here because he kept me really centered. My emotions were all over the place, and he has such a calming presence about him. That really helped me.”
Baker could have given the closer’s role to Kintzler, who saved 28 games for the Twins, but until further notice it belongs to Doolittle, who had three saves in Oakland while serving as a setup man to Santiago Casilla.
“It’s a role I always wanted,” said Doolittle, whose only significant time as a closer came when he saved 22 games in 2014. “Every reliever wants to throw well enough to be put in high-leverage situations where the team and manager can count on you.
“The other two guys could easily do the job.”
Why did Baker select Doolittle?
“How long has Kintzler been closing? How long has Doolittle been closing,” said Baker, noting Kintzler is relatively new to the ninth-inning business.
Conversations with A’s manager Bob Melvin as well as Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who had seen plenty of all three relievers in the American League, also entered into Baker’s decision-making.
Baker said all are interchangeable, and mixing and matching isn’t required because all have had success getting both right-handers and left-handers out.
“The real good teams, we had that. In San Francisco, we had that,” said Baker, citing his first year managing with the 1993 Giants.
That was the 103-win season in which Rod Beck closed, Mike Jackson and lefty Kevin Rogers set up, ex-closers Jeff Brantley and Dave Righetti provided depth and 10-game winner Dave Burba served as the long man.
“It was a six-inning game,” Baker said. “Like Yogi Berra said, ‘You don’t got a good bullpen, you don’t got nothing.’ ”
Baker’s new bullpen worked to perfection in Thursday’s 3-2 win over the Marlins. Kintzler pitched the seventh, Madson the eighth and Doolittle the ninth, all shutout innings.
For someone whose prosperous managing career has one big void — a World Series title — Baker is far better equipped to get deep into October than he was before the two trades.
“Even in Oakland, I always viewed (Doolittle) as a closer, and I told him that,” Madson said. “I’m so happy for him, for this opportunity. It’s made me better, and I know it’s made him better.”
Baker-Bochy bond: Baker and the Giants’ Bruce Bochy have been managing against each other since Bochy took over the Padres in 1995, two years after Baker began running the Giants.
“I don’t think he has any fear,” Baker said of Bochy. “He knows what he’s doing. He has some brains in that big, old head he’s got. He’s a smart man.”
Bochy on Baker: “Dusty and I have gone against each other for quite a while. We’re good friends. We’re been around a long time. I have tremendous respect for Dusty.”
This is the 22nd season for both managers. Bochy’s run has been consecutive. Baker took 2007, 2014 and 2015 off.
As it turns out, Bochy and Baker have the same number of wins after Washington’s 3-1 win over San Francisco on Saturday at Nationals Park. Bochy is 1,835-1,828 (.501) while Baker is 1,835-1,616 (.532).
Bochy and Baker have the most wins among active managers, 14th place all-time to tie them with Lou Piniella. Every manager with more wins except Gene Mauch (1,902) is in the Hall of Fame.
Bochy’s big advantage over Baker is the three World Series championships.
“We were in the same division for a number of years,” Baker said. “I’m real close to Bruce. When I lost my job in Cincinnati, he was the first one to call and wanted to know what happened because we just got to the playoffs. I called him when I found out he had some minor heart problems this summer. We duck hunt with the same friends up in Northern California.
“So Bruce and I go way, way back. I’ve got nothing but respect for Bruce. We’ve been battling a long time.”