So it's Dusty Baker. Good. I'm glad the Reds owner, Bob Castellini, settled on a manager with a healthy resume. All due respect to Jerry Narron, Pete Mackanin, Dave Miley and any other bargain contender, hiring a manager with proven big league experience means the Reds can't go cheap, when it comes to players. The Reds will now have to spend money to keep players, and attract better ones.
Why else would Baker or any other proven manager want to take a job managing a big league club?
A lawyer of some note (OK I my kid) sent me a list of Mark Prior's 2003 appearances, while pitching for Baker in Chicago. 17 times, Baker allowed Prior to throw 115 or more pitches in a ballgame. Six of those appearances, Prior threw 124 or more, topping out at 133 twice.
A lot of fans around here want to point to that and say Baker ruined Prior. Kerry Wood gets thrown into the discussion as well. Wood apparently had some medical issues long before Baker arrived on the scene in Chicago. But the Prior situation is disturbing. Baker said today, that he learned some lessons in Chicago about handling pitchers. But he also pointed to his time in San Francisco, where his staffs pitched well and relatively injury free.
Honestly, the biggest news coming out of today's news conference was Castellini's declaration that he'd like to keep Adam Dunn on the team. It sounds as though the team is trying to work out a long term deal with Dunn, who shares the same agent with Baker.
Baker is one of the top hitting instructors in the history of the game. Not allowing him to work with Dunn would be foolish now for the Reds. If Baker can harness Dunn's free swinging, while allowing him to keep his power, would be a terrific 'value added' to whatever gravitas Baker brings to the Reds dugout.
The latest "Broo View Podcast" should be up and running by Tuesday morning. You'll be able to find it on my web site: www.kenbroo.com
THE BROO VIEW: Cincinnati's Legendary Sportscaster Offer His Thoughts On The Ever Changing World Of Sports
