As Astros players praised him, Baker said he wants to return. His contract is up and his future uncertain, much like Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, who heads into a free-agent market threatened with a management lockout.
I was an outsider,” he said, “But this year, they made me feel like I was one of them and they were definitely always one of me.” “Last year I felt like a substitute teacher, really. He is the king of dugout cool, likely the only big league manager who shared a joint with Jimi Hendrix, as Baker did in 1968.īaker took over the Astros in January 2020 following stints managing San Francisco, the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati and Washington, tasked with guiding and shielding players through the fallout of the team’s sign-stealing scandal. “I haven’t been home since I left in February, so you know I must love these guys and love what I’m doing.”īaker is a throwback to the old days, before designated hitters, steroids, computer-driven shifts and perpetual pitching changes.
“I feel terrible because I’m not really ready to go home,' Baker explained later.
