Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker has been around the game of baseball for a while.
Before he decided to be the leader of a dugout, he was a player for 19 seasons, in which he won several accolades: a World Series, two All-Star berths, two Silver Slugger Awards, and a Gold Glove Award, not to mention an NLCS MVP award.
Then, he became a manager, and a very successful one at that.
He has been so successful that he is on the verge of making history.
“Milestone watch: Dusty Baker is 5 wins away from becoming only the 12th manager in @MLB history with 2,000 victories — and he will do so, fittingly, while wearing No. 12 for the @Astros. Hall of Fame manager. Hall of Fame person,” MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted.
Milestone watch: Dusty Baker is 5 wins away from becoming only the 12th manager in @MLB history with 2,000 victories — and he will do so, fittingly, while wearing No. 12 for the @Astros. Hall of Fame manager. Hall of Fame person. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) April 27, 2022
Only eleven managers in the history of the game have more wins than Baker: Connie Mack, Tony La Russa, John McGraw, Bobby Cox, Joe Torre, Sparky Anderson, Bucky Harris, Joe McCarthy, Walter Alston, Leo Durocher, and Bruce Bochy.
Baker Will Join The Exclusive 2,000 Wins Club
In early May, Baker will join that exclusive list, reserved just for winners.
Many people criticize Baker for not winning a World Series as a manager yet, and while it’s something he is eager to accomplish (his Astros came very close last year), he is still working to achieve that goal.
Besides last year, he also lost a Fall Classic in 2002, when he was with the San Francisco Giants, against the then-Anaheim Angels (now, the Los Angeles Angels).
But he accumulated a .534 career winning percentage as a manager, and has a lot of postseason experience.
Hopefully, Baker will get that elusive World Series ring.
The whole baseball universe will probably be happy for him.
He doesn’t really need it, though: he still has managed to build quite a legacy.
NEXT: Houston Analyst Believes Yankees Got Off Easy With MLB