It’s Time to Fire Dusty

Last year, one Ohio team finally got the message and fired their skipper; now that idea needs to roll down I-71 southwest to the banks of the Ohio River and into the Cincinnati Reds’ front office.

The Dusty Baker era has been a disaster and must end, and here’s why:

• Consider that the Reds, at 8-11, losers of eight of 11 since their 5-3 start, are on their way to another disappointing season.
• Consider the team has one of the most talented rosters in the NL and likely second most talented in their division.
• Consider that their farm system, especially in Triple-A Louisville, has been considered among the best in baseball — if not the best — the past few years, with many of those prospects now in Cincy.
• Consider all the mental errors the team has been making, especially this past Saturday versus San Diego, where even ESPN noted such in their hi-light reel that’d normally skip over an April series between those two squads.
• Consider Baker is well-known for ruining pitchers’ careers with excessive work: Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Edinson Volquez, and now perhaps Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey. (Aroldis Chapman may desire a trade if Dusty’s back in 2010.)

Also consider that while the man achieved success in San Francisco and Chicago during 2002 and 2003 respectively, his in-game decisions cost both those teams shots at a title.

The Giants were five runs up and five outs away from a first world title in four decades when Baker made some questionable pitching moves in the 8th inning of the potential 2002 Fall Classic clincher. SF collapsed, losing Games 6 and 7 to Anaheim.

And Dusty, even after capturing the NL pennant, was off to Chicago, where in 2003, the Cubs blew a 3-1 series lead versus the Wild Card Marlins, falling in Games 6 and 7 at home.

During Game 6, Chicago was infamously up 3-0 and, yes, five outs from their first NL pennant in 58 seasons and a chance at their first world title in nearly a century. While most remember Steve Bartman, Dusty’s ensuing managerial faux pas surely contributed to that 8-3 loss before the game 7 defeat.

Consider lastly that each season since I relocated to the Midwest (74 wins in 2008; 78 wins in 2009; ) this team has had “high expectations” yet unlike the Colorados, Tampas, Minnesotas and Milwaukees of the world, they’ve fallen short, with 2010 looking no different right now.

I therefore think it’s time for the axe to fall.

Sooner will be better than later. And no, Joe Morgan cannot save him.

In the meantime, this series will be updated until Dusty Baker is let go as Reds skipper.

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* – Dusty Baker photo credit: Desipio.com

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