Baker, Reds agree to three-year deal

**Batpuff** · 10-14-2007, 12:02 AM

Dusty Baker has agreed to a three-year deal to manage the Cincinnati Reds, beginning with the upcoming season, ESPN has learned.
Baker, a former Cubs and Giants manager and current ESPN analyst, will continue to work with ESPN through this season's League Championship Series and World Series.
Baker is expected to be introduced at a news conference in Cincinnati on Monday.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3062658

**alfus21** · 10-14-2007, 01:00 AM

Worst hire ever. Why the hell wouldn't they wait to see what unfolds before making such a hasty decision?

GB1 · 10-14-2007, 02:23 PM

As a Cubs fan I would like to offer my condolences to all the Reds fans. Prepare to see pathetic fundamental baseball: laughable baserunning, no one hitting the cutoff man, & nonsensical piching staff management.

**More Cowbell** · 10-14-2007, 04:03 PM

alfus21 Wrote:Worst hire ever. Why the hell wouldn't they wait to see what unfolds before making such a hasty decision?

I agree Alfus. With all the candidates who would be available, they grab for a guy who got fired from his last job in Chicago, after guiding the Cubs to the worst record in the league!

I hope I'm wrong, but it seems like the Reds made a big mistake.

Bengal Cat · 10-14-2007, 04:48 PM

Terrible news. What does Baker bring to the table for them? Managers like him are a dime a dozen. Here the Reds front office had a chance to make some strides and hire a manager that could change the mentality. But this is as good as they could do? I tell you who needs to be outraged......the fans that live in Cincy. These people are paying for Great American Ballpark, plus Paul Brown Stadium and look what they are getting.

**jammin' jamey** · 10-15-2007, 11:53 AM

More Cowbell Wrote:I agree Alfus. With all the candidates who would be available, they grab for a guy who got fired from his last job in Chicago, after guiding the Cubs to the worst record in the league!

I hope I'm wrong, but it seems like the Reds made a big mistake.

Totally...Why hire now? You have the Yankees job in limbo, Bob Brenly (WS Winning Manager available). Heck, Mackanin didn't do a terrible job considering the lineup he ran out the last two weeks of the season.

Terrible move. Hope I'm proven wrong.

**TidesHoss32** · 10-15-2007, 11:57 AM

They could have offered the job to all of the GOOD candidates, and gotten turned down by all of them, and still hired Baker..I dont get it. Jeez, this is a move my Pirates would have made, lol..at least we dont have to worry about them hiring Dusty Baker.

**Ring'Em Up** · 10-15-2007, 12:53 PM

I know I will prob get my head warmed up by most of you over this, but I kinda like the hire. Maybe the Reds knew they had no intentions of going after Jockety and thus in turn pretty much ruled out there shot at LaRussa. And, I wonder if they thought that IF Torre leaves NY, (which I think he will still be there), would he really even consider coming to Cincy and want to have all the trouble of trying to build a contender, when he has pretty much had some of the elite players in MLB given to him to work with year end-year out in NY. And I jus am not a Brenly man.
Dont forget, guys, Dusty did lead a SF team to within one inning of a World Series Title in 2002, with not what I would call a superstar roster or pitching.

ps. i do like GB1's post, tho. good one Smile

Pink Flamingo · 10-15-2007, 04:15 PM

GB1 Wrote:As a Cubs fan I would like to offer my condolences to all the Reds fans. Prepare to see pathetic fundamental baseball: laughable baserunning, no one hitting the cutoff man, & nonsensical piching staff management.

I like the hire at least they went out and got a manager that has a little history with success. As far as the quote above, have you ben watching the reds the last ,oh, say 8 years? We see this anyways!

**-STAT-** · 10-15-2007, 04:36 PM

I really don't agree with this hire at all. Bless their hearts.

**jammin' jamey** · 10-15-2007, 04:46 PM

Ring'Em Up Wrote: I know I will prob get my head warmed up by most of you over this, but I kinda like the hire. Maybe the Reds knew they had no intentions of going after Jockety and thus in turn pretty much ruled out there shot at LaRussa.

After calming down and settling in, I agree, the move could've been worse. It's hard to argue with they guys resume. Baker's won 90 or more games 5 times in 14 years. The Reds as a franchise have won 90 games 5 times in the past 29 years Rolleyes

. Baker has also won 1,100 games. Players respect him. Every manager has their faults and Baker has his though - pitching staff problems being the biggy.

As for Jocketty, he's not turned down a Reds job yet. According to the Dayton Daily News, Jocketty may accept a position in the Reds front office, such as CEO of the team and he would be a step above GM Wayne Krivsky.

**Ring'Em Up** · 10-15-2007, 06:07 PM

That sounds like it would be great for the Reds. i havent really been keeping up with whole jockety deal, I was jus basing on the fact that I thought most everyone was really happy the job Krivsky had done and didnt think there was no way he would be on the oust. Somehow working them both into the operations as Jamey said, would be real nice.
As for Dusty's rep with pitchers, you are right on. Even Kornheiser just mentioned his liking to keep young pitchers in the game wayyyyyyy too long. And if he can see into it, it surely mus be obvious.

**More Cowbell** · 10-16-2007, 02:25 AM

Pink Flamingo Wrote:I like the hire at least they went out and got a manager that has a little history with success. As far as the quote above, have you ben watching the reds the last ,oh, say 8 years? We see this anyways!

HA! So true, even under Mr. "I stress the fundamentals" Jerry Narron! Rolleyes

jammin' jamey Wrote:As for Jocketty, he's not turned down a Reds job yet. According to the Dayton Daily News, Jocketty may accept a position in the Reds front office, such as CEO of the team and he would be a step above GM Wayne Krivsky.

JJ, I really hope the Reds get Jocketty into the fold in some capacity. I have always had a lot of respect for the way he built his teams in St. Louis, and the Reds would certainly be better off having him on their side. I also like that Krivsky will not be leaving, either. I think that he has overall made more good moves than bad, and to have Jocketty and Krivsky making decisions together is a win-win in my book.

**jammin' jamey** · 10-16-2007, 12:22 PM

More Cowbell Wrote:JJ, I really hope the Reds get Jocketty into the fold in some capacity. I have always had a lot of respect for the way he built his teams in St. Louis, and the Reds would certainly be better off having him on their side. I also like that Krivsky will not be leaving, either. I think that he has overall made more good moves than bad, and to have Jocketty and Krivsky making decisions together is a win-win in my book.

GNR sang about it..."all we need is a little patience."

It's hard having patience as a Reds fan. But look at UK football: didn't fire Brooks, made some adjustments by bringing in a new QB coach and Joker Phillips, things changed. Patience.

**Playboy5** · 10-16-2007, 08:55 PM

HORRIBLE and don't make ANY sense to me whatsoever! Why didn't they wait to see what happened to Torre??????????

**MVP2** · 10-16-2007, 09:26 PM

I also thought they should have waited to see who all was out there such as if the Yankees would have got rid of Torre.Then again could it get any worse in Cincy? We havnt made the playoffs in forever and Hes already signed so there is nothing we can do bout it now. I hope Baker turns everything around in Cincy and we can make the postseason next year! Good luck Baker!