Source: Rob Tringali / Getty
The Houston Astros made it official on Wednesday (Jan. 29) and hired Dusty Baker. Baker is the team’s fourth-ever African-American manager following Cecil Cooper (2007-09), Dave Clark (2009 in an interim basis) and Bo Porter (2013-14).
Baker’s hire comes in the wake of the sign-stealing scandal that cost both former manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Lunehow their jobs. Many baseball fans have believed that the Astros should relinquish the 2017 World Series title that they won the year the sign-stealing was at its most blatant but Major League Baseball has said it will not strip the team of the title,
Baker arrives in Houston as a three-time National League Manager of the Year, having guided the San Francisco Giants to the 2002 World Series and the Chicago Cubs to the 2003 NLCS. Baker has also managed the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals.
