Thoughts on Dusty Baker's firing

Well I hope all you Dusty Baker haters are happy. You finally got your wish. Remember this day when you are griping about the man who takes his place.

The Reds fired Baker Friday after 6 seasons in which they won two NL Central Division titles and made the postseason three times. He had 1-year left on his contract. No doubt the five-straight losses to end the season and the defeat in the NL Wild Card game to rival Pittsburgh didn't help.

Many in the baseball media remarked how the team looked lifeless down the stretch. It's the same scenario that got Terry Francona canned in Boston and could have cost Freddie Gonzalez his job with Atlanta a few years ago.

I said on this blog a few days ago I didn't know what the right move(s) were and I still don't know if this will turn out to be the right move. There is all kinds of speculation as to what ultimately cost Baker his job. Most have settled on the poor finish. I've been unable to confirm any reports about the players revolting to Dusty's leadership. In fact, MLB.com writer Mark Sheldon said he spoke with a few players who were surprised at the news.

In fairness, teams under Baker's tutelage have a history of failing to get over the hump in the postseason. It's too bad because I think he is a good baseball man and an even better person. His record proves it. Baker has the 2nd most wins of any active manager (over 16-hundred wins), sandwiched in between Jim Leyland and Bruce Bochy. The only difference is both have World Series rings. However Leyland's was in 1997 with the Marlins and has taken two Detroit Tigers teams to the World Series only to fall short. Bochy, meanwhile, has to have been viewed much like Baker until his two recent successes guiding the Giants to World Series crowns in 2010 & 2012.

While some of the Reds failures down the stretch fall to Baker, tell me how many other managers could lose its number one starter, clean-up hitter/left fielder and two of it's top relievers and still get 90 wins and make the postseason? I'm not certain he deserves most of the blame. As I've said before much of this falls on the players themselves. Essentially they cost Baker his job.

Despite the postseason failures, I will always look back on his tenure in Cincinnati positively. He was a good manager, who helped mold this franchise back into relevancy in the National League. Baker was a far more credible figure at the helm than Dave Miley, Jerry Narron, Ray Knight and Pete Mackanin; each of whom this organization had hired previously to run the ball club. Granted most of that was all under previous ownership. Dusty was the first manager hired under Bob Castellini's current tenure and it proved a good choice.

Personally I hope this decision is coming from someone other than ownership. Mr. Castellini knows the value of letting the baseball people do their jobs and the importance of continuity from his years as a minority owner of the Cardinals. I'm not saying the decision to get a new voice, a new direction in the manager's office is wrong, but I'm not entirely sure it's right either. As with anything, only time will tell.