Dusty is coming back.

[Captain13]

According to Hal McCoy, Dusty and the team are extremely close to finalizing the deal. Most likely 3 years with a raise.

[arkimadee]

The man has earned it. The Reds will be a force to reckon with for years to come

[ol'Sparky]

not sure how i feel about this. maybe dusty has come around though .. we got a lot of young arms, he best leave that all up to mr. price and not "kerry wood'em"

[Todd Gack]

According to Hal McCoy, Dusty and the team are extremely close to finalizing the deal. Most likely 3 years with a raise.

Terrible. I feel as if we could find a much cheaper manager with the same results. WHile Dusty isn't terrible, the only difference between 2010 Dusty and 2008/2009 level is that he didn't have to write Alex Gonzalez, Corey Patterson, or Alex Gonzalez's name on the lineup card. Not to mention, guys like Votto have busted out in the limelight and our young pitching has started to develop.

IMHO, Dusty really hasn't done much of anything with this club. We could find a cheaper option with the same results IMO.

[Rockermann]

There's no way they could have changed managers after Dusty takes 'em to the playoffs after a 15 yr drought. Can you imagine the negative PR?

I'm happy with it. I like the continuity and I think it's deserved.

[Todd Gack]

There's no way they could have changed managers after Dusty takes 'em to the playoffs after a 15 yr drought. Can you imagine the negative PR?

I'm happy with it. I like the continuity and I think it's deserved.

I'm not. I think a 1-year extension would've been better to offer or nothing. He's too expensive for a club like this. Contrary to what some people say, he's not a perfect fit for this club. This club is younger more than older. I thought last night's decision to sit everyone was awful. Did the Phillies sit everyone on Tuesday night?

I just think the Reds are wasting their money on this guy. I don't hate Dusty, I just think he's too expensive for this organization.

[HalMorrisRules]

Terrible. I feel as if we could find a much cheaper manager with the same results. WHile Dusty isn't terrible, the only difference between 2010 Dusty and 2008/2009 level is that he didn't have to write Alex Gonzalez, Corey Patterson, or Alex Gonzalez's name on the lineup card. Not to mention, guys like Votto have busted out in the limelight and our young pitching has started to develop.

IMHO, Dusty really hasn't done much of anything with this club. We could find a cheaper option with the same results IMO.

Some trolls will gripe about anything wont they? Dusty did something that no one has been able to do IN 15 YEARS!!!!! IMHO, your HO is baseless and petty. You would be hard pressed to find anyone that actually knows about the inner workings of the clubhouse and dugout to agree that Dusty "hasn't done much of anything with this club". Either back up how Dusty "hasn't done much of anything with this club" or leave it alone. Also, I didnt know that Alex Gonzalez had been cloned.

[KYRedLeg]

Dusty really hasn't done much of anything with this club.


Not to mention, guys like Votto have busted out in the limelight and our young pitching has started to develop.

Do you not think those things may be just a little bit related?

[CrosleyField]

After a 15 years with playoffs or any title of any type how can you not give him an extension with a raise.

[PhillipsHead]

Crosley, you just beat me to it...I was gonna say taking a team to the playoffs after a 15 year drought deserves an extension...no ifs ands or buts about it...

[Captain13]

After a 15 years with playoffs or any title of any type how can you not give him an extension with a raise.

15 years ago, we (Mrs. Schott) thought taking a team to the playoff deserved getting fired. :confused::eek::confused: :thumbdown

[Jack Burton]

Janish won't be happy about this

[bshall2105]

Does he really need the raise? He's alrerady one of the highest paid manageres out there.

[HalMorrisRules]

“He gives us leadership, direction and is a father figure to us and we want him here,” said second baseman Brandon Phillips,

Yeah, Dusty clearly is not the man for the job.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2010/09/30/baker_will_sign_a_new_reds_con.html

[arkimadee]

Who cares how much money he makes. As long as they plate good winning ball clubs I could care less if he made 20 million a season. Bottom line is that he has improved this team every season since coming here. The players like him. He won us a division this year. I'm sad the extension isn't for 5 years instead of 3.. DUSTY!!!!

[mattfeet]

Welcome back, Toothpick. You've earned it.

-Matt

[Vottomatic]

Mixed feelings.

1. He is the manager under which this team made the postseason for the first time in 15 years. So, in a sense, he earned it.

2. Do I credit him for making the postseason? No. I credit those in charge of drafting, signing free agents/International players and development. And probably a shout out to Dan O'Brien and Wayne Krivsky too. Votto, Bruce, Stubbs, Heisey, Cueto, Bailey, Leake, Wood, Hanigan, Janish, Ondrusek, Chapman, etc., etc. etc...........This team was built to win.

3. The players got it done. They play the game. The manager is only responsible for a win here or there. And unfortunately, Dusty's moves make me nervous at times.

You can't fire a manager whose team just made the postseason.
His contract was up.
He had to get paid.

Do I think another manager could do just as well, or better? Yes I do.

I will give Dusty props for the clubhouse chemistry thing. I just think strategically he isn't always on his game.

[justincredible]

This is absolutely the right move. Sure, Dusty does some weird things as a manager but it is painfully obvious that the players love him and love playing for him. That's good enough for me. I don't want to do anything to mess with the chemistry this team has.

Also, as Captain13 pointed out, the Reds got rid of the manager after the 1995 season. How'd that work out for 'em?

[smixsell]

Mixed feelings.

1. He is the manager under which this team made the postseason for the first time in 15 years. So, in a sense, he earned it.

2. Do I credit him for making the postseason? No. I credit those in charge of drafting, signing free agents/International players and development. And probably a shout out to Dan O'Brien and Wayne Krivsky too. Votto, Bruce, Stubbs, Heisey, Cueto, Bailey, Leake, Wood, Hanigan, Janish, Ondrusek, Chapman, etc., etc. etc...........This team was built to win.

3. The players got it done. They play the game. The manager is only responsible for a win here or there. And unfortunately, Dusty's moves make me nervous at times.

You can't fire a manager whose team just made the postseason.
His contract was up.
He had to get paid.

Do I think another manager could do just as well, or better? Yes I do.

I will give Dusty props for the clubhouse chemistry thing. I just think strategically he isn't always on his game.


I couldn't agree more. I think Dusty should get a 1 year extension only.

The team making the playoffs is more a function of the excellent young talent and veteran presence the front office and minor leagues have assembled and less a function of Dusty's management skills.

I think Dusty is a good manager, but am concerned that this team will need a great manager (and one who is not afraid to kick a player in the butt from time to time) in order to reach it's potential in the coming years.

Dusty allows too many problems go uncorrected for my taste, like BP's bad baserunning, Gomes criminally bad swing and resulting slump (he kept playing him for weeks too long without a letting him ride the pine for a while when Nix and Heisey were both HEALTHY, and not to mention leaving him in the 5 spot), ETC. It;s one thing to give a player a vote of confidence and some time to right his ship, but Dusty lets guys get away garbage on the field for so long that it basically amounts to a lack of accountability on the player's part.

Usually such a lenient management style produces diminishing returns over time, and i can't help thinking that the Reds will continue to underachieve under Dusty. (Yes, the team DID underachieve this year, IMHO. The team's talent level is THAT GOOD:))

[Natty Redlocks]

Mixed feelings.

1. He is the manager under which this team made the postseason for the first time in 15 years. So, in a sense, he earned it.

2. Do I credit him for making the postseason? No. I credit those in charge of drafting, signing free agents/International players and development. And probably a shout out to Dan O'Brien and Wayne Krivsky too. Votto, Bruce, Stubbs, Heisey, Cueto, Bailey, Leake, Wood, Hanigan, Janish, Ondrusek, Chapman, etc., etc. etc...........This team was built to win.

3. The players got it done. They play the game. The manager is only responsible for a win here or there. And unfortunately, Dusty's moves make me nervous at times.

You can't fire a manager whose team just made the postseason.
His contract was up.
He had to get paid.

Do I think another manager could do just as well, or better? Yes I do.

I will give Dusty props for the clubhouse chemistry thing. I just think strategically he isn't always on his game.

I agree with most of this, and I'll add that this team didn't get rollin' til they, uh, got Rolen.

Also, he made it to game 7 of the World Series in 2002, when his contract was up, and the Giants let him go. So you can fire a manager whose team just made the postseason, apparently.

Anyway, he appears to be protecting the young arms, and the players seem to want him here, and they're winning, so they should get to keep him. I guess.

I still want Ramon Hernandez gone, though.

[BlastFurnace]

You let Dusty walk after taking this team to the playoffs...after a 15 year drought...you will get no-one that wants to come to Cincinnati and manage. I don't want to hear about the roster, not re-signing Dusty will send a message loud and clear that this is not the type of management that you want to work for.

For those of you not in favor of this extension, what on earth do you people want! This team has pretty much sucked for 15 straight years and we have a guy who has lead them to the post season....and you're willing to let him go?

[Natty Redlocks]

You let Dusty walk after taking this team to the playoffs...after a 15 year drought...you will get no-one that wants to come to Cincinnati and manage. I don't want to hear about the roster, not re-signing Dusty will send a message loud and clear that this is not the type of management that you want to work for.

For those of you not in favor of this extension, what on earth do you people want! This team has pretty much sucked for 15 straight years and we have a guy who has lead them to the post season....and you're willing to let him go?

Si. Giants and Cubs fans loved him at first too. He's getting way too much credit for this team -- and yes, he got way too much blame when they were losing. He's a fine fit right now, but I wouldn't panic if they decided to go another direction.

[Rockermann]

This will make some more at ease. Sounds like it's a two year deal. From Fay's Twitter account:

johnfayman: Baker says he's "very close" to signing a 2-year extension with the

[redsrolen]

IMHO he doesn't get enough credit!!!! I know how the players feel about Dusty, they love him!! Does he do things I don't agree with? Certainly! Example, continuing to play Gomes when he sucked. However, I am questioning my thoughts on that move. Johnny has been hitting and fielding better in the last few weeks. Will Gomes still screwup? Yes, and so will the rest of the team, that's baseball! Baseball players live their lives with uncertainty. Will I get cut?, am I going to get injured?, am I going to get traded?, can I keep my batting avg. up, when will this all be over? When you have a manager like Dusty, that does everything he possibly can, to make each player feel great about themselves, those players will leave everything they have, on the field!!!
Ask Scottie how he feels about LaRusa? LaRusa is a ball busting headcase!(sorry about my language, couldn't think of another way to put it!) I saw Albert P. get dressed down on national tv this year, like he was a 5 year old. If looks could kill, LaRusa would be a dead man!

There are some sencetive guys on this team that couldn't handle a maniac!!!( Votto,Rolen,Phillips) just to name a few!!!!

Dusty, I might not always agree with you, but JOB WELL DONE!!!!!!!

[Road Pop]

I kinda wish contract talks would wait till after the postseason. Like or dislike Baker, a one year extension at this point would be a slap in the face.

[brm7675]

You can't do a one year extension, the players would be pissed and such. Either you give him a 3 year deal or you don't resign him and hope the team doesn't revolt. Forwhatever reason and we will never know, these players love him and given the past 15 years of this franchise, the only option was a 3 year deal. now how many here think he will survive the entire 3 years?

[Rockermann]

...the only option was a 3 year deal.

Baker has said it's a 2 year deal. See post #23.

I guess there were other options.

[gedred69]

I kinda wish contract talks would wait till after the postseason. Like or dislike Baker, a one year extension at this point would be a slap in the face.

I couldn't say it more accurately. I keep going back to that point early in the season when this team was sucking, and Dusty closed the doors to everyone but players and coaches and dressed them down. According to some players he called individuals out. Then, the Reds got hot, and here we go! I have always been ambivalent about Dusty, but since that closed door session, this team turned in to winners. What more can be said? I'd call that a manager......

[Eric the Red]

Dusty is very deserving of the contract extension, not only because of the team's success this season but because of the progress the team made in his first two years in the Queen City. He and Walt seem to have a good working relationship, the players like, respect and play hard for him and he is good at managing the egos and personalities.

[Todd Gack]

You let Dusty walk after taking this team to the playoffs...after a 15 year drought...you will get no-one that wants to come to Cincinnati and manage. I don't want to hear about the roster, not re-signing Dusty will send a message loud and clear that this is not the type of management that you want to work for.

For those of you not in favor of this extension, what on earth do you people want! This team has pretty much sucked for 15 straight years and we have a guy who has lead them to the post season....and you're willing to let him go?

Define: lead

[Stray]

Define: lead

There have been numerous quotes from different players all season long about how Dusty has held them all together.

A baseball season lasts a longggg time, with a lot of time spent together. Having a guy that can keep his guys loose, and the amount of resilience they showed directly speaks to Dusty's leadership. We all know what he lacks on the field, but if you are going to credit him with losses, it's only fair he gets his share of credit in successes.

The contract was deserved, and I'm glad he's staying around. Continuity for a group of young guys like we have can go a long way to staying successful in the future.

['69]

^ There ya go.

Dusty is a comfortable fit, he's grounded, and he's won 1400+ games.

I'm surprised no one is blaming Dusty for Leake's shoulder soreness.

Also I didn't know LaRussa treated his players that bad...

[BlastFurnace]

Define: lead

Read what the players say about him and how the atmosphere of the Reds has completely changed since he has been around. Not to mention, they are winning.

He's been successful where he has been in the past and he will be in Cincinnati....as long as Reds management lets him manage.

[Vottomatic]

A player's manager only works for so long.

I'd like to see a manager who is more interested in the correct strategical move than not offending his players.

[BlastFurnace]

A player's manager only works for so long.

I'd like to see a manager who is more interested in the correct strategical move than not offending his players.

Every manager is going to wear out his welcome. It happens to all of them eventually. Dusty will be no different in time. I just think it's ridiculous that we have someone that works for this team and some are ready to kick him out the door and look for the next Dave Miley.

[markymark69]

Great - more Dusty bashing.

Seriously, well-deserved. I know that I'm in the minority on this, but Dusty is an outstanding manager - his numbers back it up.

The players love him - managing people properly is a big key in any organization and Dusty does well with that.

[BlastFurnace]

Great - more Dusty bashing.

Seriously, well-deserved. I know that I'm in the minority on this, but Dusty is an outstanding manager - his numbers back it up.

The players love him - managing people properly is a big key in any organization and Dusty does well with that.

You may be in the minority, but you're not alone in your views on Dusty. I'm very happy he's coming back.

[Kingspoint]

The man has earned it. The Reds will be a force to reckon with for years to come


With or without him.

To Dusty Baker:

:thumbdown

[Mr Larkin]

Dusty Baker deserves credit and he did not deserve so much anguish for the rough times. He is good at what he does. He is a winner - you can't deny that.
I'm not a huge fan, but I respect his success with this team. I think it is at least a year early.

[1990REDS]

Just announced. 2 year extension. Did not hear any financial details.

[huber14]

Just announced. 2 year extension. Did not hear any financial details.

I can live with that

[BAKER12]

I believe he will manage two more years and that is it. In the past he has talked about when his son reached high school age he wanted to be with him and see him play ballgames, etc. Dusty is a great fit for this team, a World Championship will occur in the next two seasons in Cincy.

[757690]

A player's manager only works for so long.

I'd like to see a manager who is more interested in the correct strategical move than not offending his players.

The difference in wins between a manager who makes all the right strategic moves and Dusty Baker is barely noticeable. When it comes to moves made during a game, including the lineup the manager makes out, luck has more to do with its success than anything else.

Really, the main job of a manager in my opinion is to handle the players and keep them focused on winning and playing the game hard. Anyone who was ever a teacher knows how hard it is to get 25 individuals focused on one goal, especially 162 times a year.

In the end, a drunken monkey can win a title if given the right talent. Managers are way overrated.