Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Nationals‘ managerial opening is of great interest to Dusty Baker. The Cincinnati Reds released Baker at the end of the season despite his taking the team to the playoffs in three of the four seasons he was the manager.
Baker’s agent has contacted Nationals GM Mike Rizzo asking him for a meeting as soon as possible. Baker is making it clear to anyone who is paying attention that he wants the Washington job.
Related: Washington Nationals Rumors: Does Cal Ripken, Jr. Already Have Manager’s Job?
His resume is very impressive, as the 64-year old baseball lifer is one of the most accomplished managers in MLB. He owns a .526 winning percentage over 20 seasons as a big-league manager, and his 1,671 wins rank 16th all-time. Baker has made the playoffs with three different teams.
He took the San Francisco Giants to the 2002 World Series, where they lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Angels. The following year in 2003, he won a division title with the Chicago Cubs. Baker is a winner and despite the Reds saying that it was a mutual parting of the ways, the former skipper made it clear to the media that he would return to baseball as a manager in 2014.
His age of 64 might be an issue for the Nationals, who would like a younger manager. As you may recall, Davey Johnson was 70 when he retired at the end of the season. However, one can not overlook the fact that Baker is a winner as a manager and he is very good with young, talented teams.
Having Baker take over the Nationals will be the choice of Washington’s management, but it will be hard not to take a long, hard look at him. He is the best of the experienced managers presently out of work.
Rant Sports columnist James Williams is a seven time Emmy Award winning producer, director and writer. Follow him on Twitter @Wordmandc and add him to your Google circles.
