Manager Dusty Baker, for all his experience leading an MLB dugout, has a chance to do something he's never accomplished before: win a World Series, especially with his 106-win Houston Astros favored to take the Fall Classic over the 87-win Philadelphia Phillies. Baker will definitely be motivated to light an even spicier fire underneath his players, especially after they fell short last year to the Atlanta Braves in their quest to win the championship.
However, despite the first pitch of the 2022 World Series not being thrown yet, plenty of fans and pundits have thrown around speculation regarding Baker's future. Already 73 years of age, perhaps Baker will be willing to go out on a high should the Astros claim their second title in six seasons.
But according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, both Dusty Baker and the Astros are interested in a reunion for next season, regardless of whatever happens in their tussle against the Phillies.
“Whether Houston wins or loses the World Series, sources say Dusty Baker wants to return to the Astros. So no riding off into the sunset following a potential first managerial World Series title. The team also wants him back. (Baker himself isn’t talking about his future now,)” Heyman wrote.
Nonetheless, all this talk about the future of Baker's career seems a bit premature, especially with such a humongous task ahead for the Astros. There's a reason why Baker hasn't talked about what lies ahead for him, as there are far more pressing issues at hand for his team, who are trying to prove that they can win at the highest level unsullied by their sign stealing, trash can banging ways in 2017 that caught the attention of the league three years ago.
A World Series triumph will be the cherry on top of Baker's ballyhooed managing career. After starting his career as the head of a Major League dugout in 1993 with the San Francisco Giants, Baker became only the fourth manager in MLB history to coach eight-plus 95 win seasons, tally 2000-plus career wins and win both the NL and AL pennants over the course of their careers.
That just shows how instrumental Baker has been in getting the best out of his players over the past thirty seasons or so.
However, the road ahead for Dusty Baker and his Astros will not be easy, especially with Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies playing at such an otherworldly level at the moment.
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