Jim Crane’s Best Decision
No one knows for sure if Dusty would have been allowed to come back for another season. We only know that he wanted to go out on his own terms, and did exactly that. “I am excited to see what God has planned for the rest of my life,” Baker stated in his usual calm and thoughtful voice, announcing his retirement as the Astros manager. That forward-looking and optimistic view has served him well in his four-year tenure as the Astros beloved skipper. He was the right man at the right time for the Astros and left a legacy that we may never see again.
We may never know the extent of what all happened in that infamous 2017 sign-stealing and trash-banging scheme that resulted in the Astros being fined, losing draft picks, and suspensions to the managers and coaches. Who knew what would come next? Jim Crane knew he needed a veteran manager who could handle all the pressure that would come with the job. It was the cool cat from California who was tough, seasoned, and smart enough to handle a desperate situation.
Only two wins away from four consecutive pennants and trips to the World Series, having lost a game seven in 2020 and 2023 baker’s record in Houston is astounding. He was the best man for the job in taking over an organization that was disgraced and reeling after the 2017 cheating scandal came to light in late 2019.
He left an indelible mark on his players and the city that respected him, and never shied away from controversy when he felt he was right. An example was his standing by his field general and catcher Martin Maldonado, who batted less than 200 because he brought the defense and catching skills that his pitchers wanted and needed.
Dusty Baker was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1967, and despite his hesitancy due to the civil unrest in the South and his father trying to keep him from playing was persuaded by Hank Aaron to join the team. He later went to the Los Angeles Dodgers where he was a star and won a World Series. As a winemaker he has dedicated a Hammerin’Hank Cabernet from his Baker Family Wine. He was credited with the “high five’ celebratory hand slap but in his typical humble manner deferred to the guy who high-fived him as the creator.
He thanked Houston for being ‘treated with truth and honesty’ since he arrived here. That Dusty is the least we could do.