Tuesday October 23rd, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: The San Francisco Giants and current Reds’ manager Dusty Baker just don’t seem to mix all that well. Baker had a very capable Reds squad just a win away from the NLCS, putting pressure on the Giants to win all of the remaining three games. And they did, doing their best imitation of the comeback kids.

The thing is, the Reds weren’t expected to be on vacation by the end of the second week of October. They were built for a World Series run. They had the pitching, the powerful offense, and air-tight defense all in their favor to make a charge. They didn’t boast the second best record in baseball by accident. This was a team on a mission- a team of destiny.

More simply put, their expectations and the fans’ expectations exceeded a first round departure, especially with a lofty 2-0 lead in their home park. Of course, DustyBaker doesn’t deserve all the blame. He set up his troops to succeed and they didn’t answer the bell at home. It’s that simple, and there really is nothing else he or any other manager could have done differently to alter the outcome of that series.

Sure, throughout the Giants/Reds NLDS series there were questionable decisions made by Dusty Baker. Do you know any manager that is not second guessed on a consistent basis in baseball? That is just a part of the game.

After Johnny Cueto departed Game 1 through just eight pitches, Baker was instantly put on the hot seat. The experienced manager responded like any good manager would—with poise. He called upon Sam LeCure to eat up 1.2 innings, and then turned to starter Mat Latos out of the ‘pen—a role he obviously wasn’t comfortable with seeing that he is a starting pitcher. But he turned in four innings of one-run ball. That specific sequence of maneuverings made Baker an instant genius given the positive outcome.

However, just a couple of days later, Cueto would be taken off the Reds’ playoff roster with a back injury, derailing his chances to pitch Game 5. Instead, Latos took the ball again, except this time as the starter. The outcome was much different, too, as Buster Posey’s grand slam in the fifth inning chased Latos from the game, and put a damper on the home crowd.

Let’s not forget that Dusty Baker was in the hospital for a good chunk of time leading up to the playoffs, and his status to sit at the helm during the most crucial time of the baseball year was questionable at a point in his recovery. To most, the sight of a healthy Dusty Baker was the most important thing. But for a Reds team that hadn’t been swept at home at all during the regular season, dropping three straight to San Francisco was a stunning scene nonetheless. And for Baker, it was just another event in his career which involved the San Francisco Giants. Except this time, Baker was on the outside looking in

Let’s revisit the 2002 World Series between the Anaheim Angels and the Giants. At the helm, Baker had his Giants in a good position heading to Los Angeles for Games 6 and 7. OK, maybe not in such a good position as his 2012 Reds, but you know what I mean. To recap the series, San Francisco split the first two games in Anaheim and won two out of three games in San Francisco. As a result, they were just one win away from winning the World Series.

But not so fast. Leading 5-0 heading into the bottom half of the seventh inning in Game 6, Baker and the Giants found a way to lose by a final score of 6-5 in favor of the Angles. So, a do-or-die Game 7 took place the next day; October 27th to be exact. The heated game was tied at one through two innings before the Angels exploded for a three-run third inning that ultimately propelled them to a World Series championship.

Maybe it’s just fitting that Baker lost the 2012 NLDS to the Giants. Considering that the Giants are now on their way to the World Series to face the Detroit Tigers, perhaps they are this year’s team of destiny as the Angels were in 2002.

Don’t be mistaken by the tragic 2002 World Series, though, as Baker is still a beloved figure in San Francisco. So loved in fact that the Giants fans in AT&T Park cheered Baker as his name was announced in Games 1 and 2.

But in order to avoid future complications, it would probably be better for Dusty Baker if he avoided a playoff match-up that involves the Giants team that he once managed. For whatever reason, Dusty BAker and the San Francisco Giants just don’t seem to mix well.

(*The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com*)

Jake Dal Porto is a Baseball Writer with MLB reports and a student from the Bay Area. Jake’s favorite sports moment was when the Giants won the World Series back in 2010. He loves to use sabermetrics in his work. He thinks they are the best way to show a player’s real success compared to the basic stats such as ERA, RBIs, and Wins. Jake also enjoys interacting and debating with his readers. Follow him on Twitter:  Follow @TheJakeMan24

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