Reds hire Baker as new manager

[757690]

I think its wrong to blame Dusty Baker for Mark Prior's arm injuries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Prior#Injuries

Preseason injuries, freak injuries, batting practice injuries. Not really much Dusty could do about that.

I also think Kerry Wood's injuries are mainly attributable to poor mechanics.

Wood had terrible mechanics from the beginning and everyone was waiting for his arm to self distruct. He basically had the same philosophy as Dibble, throw as hard as you can for as long as you can.
He had already had four years of overuse before Baker got there.

As for Prior, he was on a strict pitch count, and rarely pitched more than 100 pitches a game. He had a lot of innings because he threw a lot of strikes.

Basically Baker is being blamed for two pithers who got injured, that probably would have gotten injured regardless of who was managing, and there are no facts that show that he did anything wrong in their development.

[redsfan1966]

Bottom line..Baker doesnt impress me...I dont find his musings on ESPN to particularly intelligent or enlightning....I just hope the Reds havent painted themselves in a corner by announcing Dusty as a candidate and then scared of the heat they may get if they dont hire him...

[GoReds33]

Bottom line..Baker doesnt impress me...I dont find his musings on ESPN to particularly intelligent or enlightning....I just hope the Reds havent painted themselves in a corner by announcing Dusty as a candidate and then scared of the heat they may get if they dont hire him...

That's gotta be better than the heat they will take if they do hire him.

[Screwball]

As for Prior, he was on a strict pitch count, and rarely pitched more than 100 pitches a game. He had a lot of innings because he threw a lot of strikes.

You sure about that?

From the ORG:

Mark Prior's pitch counts of 115+ in 2003 ...

May 12th: 124 pitches
May 28th: 123 pitches
June 3rd: 124 pitches
June 19th: 119 pitches
June 26th: 127 pitches
July 1st: 115 pitches
August 10th: 116 pitches
August 15th: 118 pitches
August 26th: 116 pitches
----------------------
September 1st: 131 pitches
September 6th: 129 pitches
September 16th: 124 pitches
September 21st: 131 pitches
September 27th: 133 pitches
October 3rd: 133 pitches
October 8th: 116 pitches
October 14th: 119 pitches

FTR, Mark Prior turned 23-years-old in September of 2003.

[redsfan1966]

True GoReds....but with all of the scrutiny major league franchises get in regard to minority hiring-I fear this could turn into a touchy subject....

[kyred14]

I can't think of anyone I would want less than Baker. I would rather have a Boone/Miley/Narron hybrid.

[757690]

You sure about that?

From the ORG:

But that means that he had less then 115 pitches in 13 of his starts that year. (just kidding).
Okay so I was way off on that one. Probably remembering another year.

Still my main point is that Baker is a very intelligent person, and smart people learn from their mistakes. I could be wrong, but I think this means he is more likely to baby young arms from now on.

In response to those who ask how many rings he has. Who are we, the Yankees? Do we have to win the World Series next year in order for it to be a success? We haven't had a winning season since 1999. Let's start with that. Dusty wins Period.

I will add that if I thought Torre would come to the Reds, I would take him over Dusty in a heart beat. But I'd rather bet on Ryan Jorganson winning the NL MVP next year.

[Screwball]

But that means that he had less then 115 pitches in 13 of his starts that year. (just kidding).
Okay so I was way off on that one. Probably remembering another year.

Still my main point is that Baker is a very intelligent person, and smart people learn from their mistakes. I could be wrong, but I think this means he is more likely to baby young arms from now on.

In response to those who ask how many rings he has. Who are we, the Yankees? Do we have to win the World Series next year in order for it to be a success? We haven't had a winning season since 1999. Let's start with that. Dusty wins Period.

I will add that if I thought Torre would come to the Reds, I would take him over Dusty in a heart beat. But I'd rather bet on Ryan Jorganson winning the NL MVP next year.

Fair enough. FWIW, I don't think Castellini and Krivsky are stupid as well. If they do hire DB, I'm sure there will have been a long discussion re: Wood and Prior, and there were assurances that he wouldn't ride the (few) promising young arms the same as he did in Chicago.

[Bigredfan#1]

Wood had terrible mechanics from the beginning and everyone was waiting for his arm to self distruct. He basically had the same philosophy as Dibble, throw as hard as you can for as long as you can.
He had already had four years of overuse before Baker got there.

As for Prior, he was on a strict pitch count, and rarely pitched more than 100 pitches a game. He had a lot of innings because he threw a lot of strikes.

Basically Baker is being blamed for two pithers who got injured, that probably would have gotten injured regardless of who was managing, and there are no facts that show that he did anything wrong in their development.

I think if you weent back and looked at Prior's pitch count I think you would find that he pitched far more than 100 pitches a game. I have him in a fantasy league and I remember him pitching far more than an average of 100 per game! I definitely do not want Baker!!!

[Jack Burton]

While Baker isn't at the top of the list, he would be an upgrade.

[markymark69]

Serious post this time. Wood had arm problems long before Dusty arrived in Chicago. Wood pitched the most innings ever in his career in 2002 the year before Dusty came to Chicago.

So to use Wood in this argument I don't believe is fair.

As far as using them alot, the Cubs were in a pennant race and they were two best pitchers he had, you have got to ride your horses.

As far as Baker overusing Harang. He has pitched over 200 innings for the past two years, why because he is our horse and you've got to ride him.

Even if it were true that Wood and Prior's injuries can be laid at the feet of Baker, we're talking about two pitchers in a 11-plus year managerial career.

Two pitchers again were the anchors of a staff that was trying to get to the post-season. Any of other manager's that we want for the job would most likely do the same thing if it means getting the chance to play in October.

Every candidate will have flaws. The minuses that are being thrown out here in Baker's case are IMO not very strong.

They could do alot worse IMO. I still like Macha myself, but I would take Baker.

I'm a true Reds Fan through thick or thin. Some who are threatening to give up on the Reds if Baker gets the job, can you say the same thing?

[jnwohio]

Perhaps we all need to stop, take a step back and exhale slowly.

What do we know that we did not know previously? Baker's been talked to by the Reds. They have talked to at least one minority candidate (since Dusty is pretty much universally known, that is actually a very redundant statement). Finally this source with the team says they are "getting close" to making a hire.

Seems to me nobody but John Fay is saying that hire is likely to be Dusty Baker. Trent is working his blog today; and, he has said nothing on this. Dusty is a national figure but I don't see any of the usual national eagle eyes rushing to break this story.

For those who don't follow John's blog regularly, he first wrote maybe a month ago that Dusty Baker was a name he had heard mentioned for the Reds job (presumably by an insider or someone who convinced John the info was coming from the inside). From time to time since John has repeated Baker as a "name" candidate who seemed to have favored status on the inside. I have yet to find anybody else who has put Dusty forward in such a way.


I think Mr. Fay's statements today could well come from the fact he was told by a source he believes that the Reds were getting close to making their hire; and because he believes the hire will be a "name" person, John looked around at the field and decided the only name available in the immediate future was Baker (since eveybody else is involved in the Yankees/ Cardinals saga). However in a response further on down in the blog thread, Mr. Fay even says he "does not believe it (hiring Dusty) is a done deal". So for all we know, they could be close to hiring someone else.

[jmac]

I can't think of anyone I would want less than Baker. I would rather have a Boone/Miley/Narron hybrid.

Dont understand reasoning like this. I mean a "boone" over Dusty ?

[mroby85]

Dusty Baker is a 3 time manager of the year, and I for one, think he would be a solid choice. I'm not completely sold on him, but i'm not going to say i'd hate it either. At least it's a manager thats done something.

[Screwball]

Trent just posted this about an hour ago:

Like everyone else, my sources have told me Dusty Baker interviewed for the Reds' manager position and has been in Sarasota in recent days.

One source who didn't tell me that was Baker's agent, Greg Genske, who told me he wasn't commenting on anything and when I asked a follow-up question, hung up on me.

Pete Mackanin said he doesn't know much more than his golf game stinks. He's not talked to anyone.

Wayne Krivsky hasn't returned my calls, and tonight the call went straight to voice mail.

It could be nothing. But all signs point to Dusty Baker as the next manager of the Reds.