Astros' Dusty Baker makes history as 1st Black MLB manager to win 2,000 games

[Brother Buzz]

So cool! Baker joins elite 2,000-win club
Astros’ leader the first Black manager, 12th overall, to reach the milestone

HOUSTON – If they weren’t already, the doors to the National Baseball Hall of Fame may have swung wide open for Astros manager Dusty Baker. A baseball lifer who has seen almost everything, knows almost everyone and is respected by everybody in a uniform, Baker put himself in elite company Tuesday night when he won his 2,000th game as a Major League manager.

Baker, 72, became the 12th AL/NL manager to reach 2,000 wins – and first Black manager – as the Astros beat the Mariners, 4-0, at Minute Maid Park. Of the previous 11 managers to reach 2,000 career victories, 10 of them are in the Hall of Fame. The only one who isn’t is Bruce Bochy (2,003 wins), who’s not yet eligible for induction.

“I think about the people that made it possible for me to get in this position – my dad, Jackie Robinson, Frank Robinson, Cito Gaston – the guys who were minority managers ahead of me,” Baker said. “You look at guys like Maury Wills and some of the guys that I know. To me, everybody is making a bigger thing out of it than me because I’ve got work to do.”

When it comes to the importance of the accomplishment and how it will affect his place in history, Baker will leave that for others to decide. For now, he’s just glad the pursuit of 2,000 is behind him and his team.

-more-

https://www.mlb.com/news/dusty-baker-reaches-2-000-managerial-wins

I really feel like an old fart because I remember listening to him play against my Giants on an old am transistor radio.

[walkingman]

1. Go Stros!!!

[Brother Buzz]

2. The smartest thing the Astros did was hire Dusty out of retirement to help...

rehabilitate the team's reputation. He did, and he did it in spades!

[bahboo]

3. good for Dusty....

a solid guy...and well respected when he managed the Cubs...until he got fired that is....hey...it happens...

[rsdsharp]

4. He went downhill in Chicago quickly after the Bartman play.

He lost the clubhouse in 2004, and pretty much chewed up Mark Prior’s arm. His stated offensive philosophy of not “clogging up the bases with walks” (WTF? OBP ring a bell Dusty?) says it all for me. I was never that impressed. He was better than Dale Sveum, however.

[BootinUp]

5. Baker what a great baseball guy he is. Miss

Watching him.