Reds Insider: It's official

Sunday, October 14, 2007

It's official

Rob Butcher just texted the following: Reds name Dusty Baker manager. Noon press conference tomorrow.

28 Comments:

at 12:16 PM

Anonymous said...

Dusty seems like a competent manager, so did Mackanin but Dusty has a long track record. I wonder if they sped up the signing so they could move on to Mazzone for pitching coach?

at 1:23 PM

Anonymous said...

Though Dusty wasn't my first choice I respect Bob's right to give him the job and I wish him well. Jason Schmidt did ascend to another level under him, perhaps Homer can as well.

at 1:57 PM

ScottMNC said...

Good luck to Dusty Baker. Dusty was a great player in L.A., back when the Dodgers and Reds were fierce rivals in the old N.L. West. Now he is charged with bringing the Reds back to being a perennial contender. It is ironic, but I am all for him as long as he wears a Reds uniform.

As far as I'm concerned, and in spite of the doubts that I expressed in earlier posts on this blog, I hope that Dusty is remembered for being one of the greatest Reds managers of all time. I will also say that it was very encouraging to read what Jeff Brantley and Rich Aurilia had to say about playing for him.

at 2:20 PM

Anonymous said...

My concerns -

Dusty was great in San Fran and Dusty was an instant hit in Chicago, but when the love fest ended in Cubdom, Dusty basically mailed it in for a half season.

Didn't Dusty ride Prior and Wood to the extent that their careers are ruined? The Reds can not afford any mistakes with their young pitching talent (Bailey, Cueto, etc)

Isn't Dusty an extremely veteran loyal manager? The Reds need to follow the Rockies, DBack model and get the most out of their younger players - Bruce, Votto, Hamilton, Keppinger, Hopper, Encarnacion, etc (i expect some of these guys to be moved or others moved to make space for them and it's going to be the critical personel decisions that are going to be more important that Dusty in the end).

at 3:40 PM

Hiney said...

Very out-of-touch decision by old man Castellini, the decision making process with this franchise clearly is at issue now.

Of all the candidates that could be sourced for a new manager, clearly the warts on Dusty Baker are known. Can't handle a pitching staff, really close-minded on developing on developing players, not a teacher...

Why not give Mackanin a chance, or Girardi, or a slate of younger managers to prove themselves with us. By god, we know what we're getting with Dusty...and it's not going to help.

Hello McFly?!?!

at 4:01 PM

Anonymous said...

Bob Brenly was interested. All he's done is won a World Series. Did the Reds even talk to him?

at 4:21 PM

Anonymous said...

John,

Do you think there is a chance they'll make a play for Mazzone as a pitching coach? I know he didn't have much success in Baltimore but he didn't have the raw you talents the Reds have. He did pretty well in Atlanta.

at 4:40 PM

Anonymous said...

All hope is lost for this team. How can you say you are trying to improve the team when you only interview 1 or 2 guys? I am officially ending my 6 year consecutive opening day streak. The last thing this team needs is a "players manager."

at 5:45 PM

Anonymous said...

1. We don't know how many people were interviewed.

2. Giraldi may have said no.

3. We hired a name guy that had success.

4. We went outside the organization.

5. Who actually knows the he can't coach younger players.

6. Maybe Prior and Wood were destined for injury and the coach had nothing to do with it.

7. We finally got out of the mode of hiring the iterim.

8. Don't complain now. At least wait until next July.

at 5:47 PM

Anonymous said...

I don't care one way or the other. Its not Pete McKrivsky, thats a good thing.

But its not official until Mr Redlegs opens his trap.

Perhaps a pool should be started, who gets fired first, Wayne Krivsky, Melvin Lewis or Dusty Baker.

at 6:21 PM

Anonymous said...

It didn't occur to me till someone mentioned Baker's playing days with the Dodgers, but, yea...he's the enemy!! Going back to the old LA/Reds rivalry in the 70s, the Dodgers were the only team with a starting 8 as memorable as the Reds. Yeager, Garvey, Lopes, Cey, Russell, Smith, Monday, BAKER! The enemy!
We probably would have been just as mad if they hired Russell or Lopes, the only others of that line up with managerial experience. (Actually, I think Yeager did some managing in the minors.)

at 6:45 PM

Anonymous said...

Baker was fired by the Cubs after they finished an NL-worst 66-96 in 2006.

Look for a 66-96 finish for the Reds in 2008.

at 6:55 PM

Anonymous said...

As for those so-called fans who have decided they are fans no longer...what a joke! Think about it....
----Tony Perez for Woody Fryman
----Rose, Gullett, Morgan and Norman leave as free agents
----Anderson fired
----losing the 79 playoffs
----the 81 "best record in baseball"/miss congeniality prize
----Wagner trades Griffey, Foster and Knight and lets Collins go free agent
----101 losses in 82
----last place in 82-83
----Vern Rapp
----The Giamati witchhunt that forced Rose out of baseball and the pointless continuation of his exhile while the still growing steroids embarrassment continues to make baseball records trivial
----Leatherpants as GM
----Paul O'neill for Roberto Kelly
----Norman Charlton for the flaming nutjob that was
Kevin Mitchell
----the gutless firing of Tony Perez
----Willie Greene...again and again and again
----Deion Sanders...also again and again and again
----Losing the 95 playoffs because McElroy and Hernandez were so unreliable out of the bullpen, Johnson decided to pitch Jackson evry game (and people insist Davey Johnson was a great manager! Yea right)
----Uncle Carl
----Losing to the Mets in 99
----Bob Boone
----Danny Graves as a starter and evrything else that went wrong in 03
----Dan O'brien and Eric Milton's homers allowed
----Austin Kearns, et al for Gary Majewski, et al
----Dick Pole and the worst team ERA ever
All of these things were worse than Baker getting hired. If you can live thru all those things, you can live thru this. Shut up and eat your coney

at 7:51 PM

Anonymous said...

Here are the pitch counts for Mark Prior in September of 2003 (he turned 23 years old that month)

131
129
109
124
131
133

Prior has averaged 82 innings per year for the last 4 years since then.

at 8:27 PM

Anonymous said...

Actually losing Kearns for Bray will be a great deal if Bray steps up next year.

I am torn on Baker now. We all know by now how the Cubs finished under him with Prior and Woods careers being washed up. What baker needs is a strong pitching coach and for the players to take control so they end up being the next Levi Jones of Cincy sports.

We will see come July what Baker really can do to this team because if the Reds are out of it, Dunn or Junior will be traded and the famous Cub phrase of 'Wait until next year' will heard once again.

So, have fun and eat that $3-4 coney...

Adrian

at 11:32 PM

Anonymous said...

I'm all for giving Dusty the respect and support that he deserves. I've read some of the archives from Chicago and sports webpages and while it can't be denied that it appeared he did phone in the last half of his last season with Chicago, his previous record just can't be ignored.
I thought there was another concern regarding Prior and Wood. I understand they had actual problems with their pitching mechanics that never got corrected (and I was under the impression that is the pitching coach's job) and that has led to the season after season of ailments they've had.
I would like to think that Dusty understands the criticism being launched his way and that we will also move Dick Pole out of his position and bring in a decent pitching coach. From reading the blogs all season, I agree with most of the bloggers in that Cowboy would make a great coach, but he likes broadcasting too much to leave it. I would also consider Tom Browning...or where is Jose Rijo these days? We've had a lot of great pitchers with this club and I'm sure one of them would like the job.
Wouldn't it be a riot if someone with the fire of Dibble came back? Wasn't it Pinella v. Dibble in the infamous locker room wrestling match? Imagine Dibble v. crummy reliever in the same situation?
Let's face it - LaRussa wasn't a good fit. Torre is being strung along by the blowhard Steinbrenner for weeks (maybe to keep the insane owner's name in the paper for a longer period of time.) Girardi - what's with the lovefest? What has he done? Dusty is a huge name and a winning coach - case closed.

at 11:50 PM

Anonymous said...

I'm not going to badmouth Dusty, he's got a great record and I hope we have success with him, but did the Reds even look at anyone else? There are some good Ohioans I would have liked to see the Reds give a chance. Jim Tracy and Bob Brenly. Brenly won a title in his first full season with Arizona, I'd say he's worth a look.

at 1:33 AM

Anonymous said...

I've been saying for a while, get Ted Power as the pitching coach. The pitcher know him already and it might even appease the fans who are up in arms about Baker to have a hometown hero on the staff.
I'd rather have Power than Mazzone. Like I said, Pole was considered one of the best pitching coaches and look where that got us. Reputation isn't evrything. Mazzone might be just as big a disaster

at 4:49 AM

Anonymous said...

Good morning! it is just me the old idiot, moron, lier, etc. that was going to stop buying tickets for me and my employees to go see the Reds and instead go to Cleveland and watch the Indians, because I felt that the hiring of Mr. Baker was just another step in the wrong direction for this once proud organization. I "the fair weather fan" have spent thousands of dollars over the years supporting the Reds. I actually went to my first game in 1946 and have loved this team since. I think the stress I am personally going through along with the last 7 years of losing may have clouded my judgement. After reading the things people I respect very much said about Mr. Baker (John Fay, Jeff Brantly, Ken Griffey Sr,. etc.) I have reconsidered and I will continue to support the Reds, but I still fear they have made a big mistake. I have selfish reasons for wanting the Reds to win soon. You see I have a terminal illness and the doctors tell me I don't have alot of years left. I just want to see a winner again before I die and I am afraid that may not happen with the current management and ownership of the Reds. I sincerely hope I am wrong. If I somehow offeneded some of you, I am sorry. I am not sure what you got out of calling me names, but I hope it brought you some kind of happiness. I do think it is sad that some folks feel the need to call others names when they disagree with them instead of just having intelligent banter back and forth about our disagreements. I think it is just a sign of the times we are living in. Again, I am sorry if I hurt some of your feelings because I expressed mine. I need to get off of here and get ready to go to the office and open up. Thank you John for letting me express my feelings, may you and all the folks that contribute to this blog have a wonderful day.

Thomas

at 8:58 AM

Anonymous said...

ADMS... don't go using common sense, you might upset the apple cart.
Woods & Prior had TERRIBLE mechanics and were injuries waiting to happen.
I love reading the comments from the so called "experts" here. Sure... bring in Girardi. He has never coached awinning team. Bring in Larussa, he drove the Cardinals into the ground. How about Torre? He had the biggest payrol in sports and couldn't win with them, what makes you fools think he could win here with our dinky payroll?

Baker is a PROVEN winner, and you fools want to gripe about him being hired? Do you people complain just to hear yourselves make noise?
I've been a fan for 43 years, and with the exceptio of Pinella and Johnson.. we haven't had a decent manager here since Sparky.

Shut up you whiners and give the man a chance.

at 9:00 AM

Brick said...

I think it's funny that everyone's criticizing Baker's record with the Cubs. The Cubs have been horrible for 100 years with the exception of a few. One of those few was under Baker. He's managed a long time and has had success. Sparky could come back and it wouldn't matter if the Reds don't address the issues in the bullpen.

at 9:33 AM

Anonymous said...

I think hiring Dusty Baker is a great choice.

First, he will not be a yes-man to Krivsky. This is clearly a Castellini choice -- Baker will not be batting Conine 4th or making those stupid baseball decisions. This guy played baseball -- & was a good player -- he knows the game.

Second, I think this hiring suggests that the Reds may increase payroll. I do not believe that Dusty Baker would come to this team without a commitment to win.

Nothing against Mackannin -- but I think the Reds wanted someone from the outside in an effort to inject a winning attitude into this organization. The Reds wanted to shake things up -- good for them.

Given that, it was either Baker or Brenly -- and Baker, despite not having actually won a WS, has a great track record of winning seasons.

I think Baker is a great choice. Those of you who are negative -- give it a chance -- be negative if the Reds lose -- but I think the hiring of Baker definitely signals an effort by the Reds to win.

-Stanley

at 11:02 AM

Anonymous said...

I just hope it's in Dusty's contract to ban him from chewing those damn toothpicks while on camera. He looks like trailer trash when he's doing that.

at 11:32 AM

Anonymous said...

This is a hard move to accept... Living here in San Jose, CA I have followed Dusty Baker during his days as a Giants' manager. I really do not like this Reds' move to hire Baker. Many of the negative things people have been saying about Dusty are true (sticking with vets, players' manager, keeping starters in too long, etc). It really is difficult being a Reds fan when decisions like this are made along with the players signed because of being in a small market. I will still root for the team - but the future doesn't look good.

I have been watching the Oakland As do well with a small market for years (with exception to last year). Fielding a good team is possible - with a good farm system.

at 11:42 AM

Anonymous said...

ROR-

Baker can chew toothpicks, wear pink bow ties -- who cares!!!???
If the Reds win, all will be well.

My guess is that Baker has a lot more money than you -- so comments about trailer trash if he decides to chew toothpicks -- SO WHAT! Plus, Baker was a great baseball player -- you think it cooler if he spit tobacco???

at 1:26 PM

Anonymous said...

For you ignorati who don't yet "get" the import of the Baker hiring, just wait until Joe Torre is wearing a Cardinals uniform. The Reds obviously can't do much right. From drafting non-pitchers first and second to hiring an overpaid mediocre manager for three years, this is an organization that cannot and will not compete with St. Louis, Chicago, and Milwaukee any more in 2008-11 as it did in 2007.

at 1:31 PM

Anonymous said...

It's sad to hear cowboy effusive over Baker's hiring. Cunningham likes Baker too. What a joke! Hope all you Baker fans will come back next October and tell us how you liked the 90 losses in 2008.

at 2:25 PM

Anonymous said...

"Maybe Prior and Wood were destined for injury". I have never heard of a player "destined" for injury. Only management that ruined the player's arm. Think: Gary Nolan of the Reds.

Previous Posts

Sunday, October 14, 2007

It's official

28 Comments: