No, Dusty Baker Doesn’t Need To Be Fired
By Coop Ledford
Fellow Reds fans, calm down. Dusty Baker doesn’t need to be fired. After a loss, it’s all his fault. Even after a win people are left criticizing his decisions. Can’t you guys be happy?
I know there are high expectations for the Reds this year. It’s pretty much World Series or bust, I get that. A lot of you guys are unhappy with the 17-14 record, but think about the teams they have played so far. They opened their season against the Angels, a team with four star players, Pujols, Trout, Hamilton, and Trumbo. They have played the Nationals twice, they’ve played the Cardinals twice, they’ve played the Phillies, and they’ve played a very good Pittsburgh Pirates team.
This time last year, the Reds were 13-13, and they ended up winning 97 games. Were fans wanting Dusty fired a year ago, yes. Did the Reds fire him? No. Is it a good thing they didn’t? Yes.
Dusty Baker is a very smart man. Think about how bad the Reds were when he came to Cincinnati. Since then he has helped the Reds make an unbelievable turn-around. He has lead the Reds to the playoffs twice, in 2010 and 2012.
You may not agree with all of his decisions, but you have to support him, he is your team’s manager. More often-than-not, his decisions work out. When they do, no one notices, but when they don’t, you guys are ready to get together with flame throwers and go to his house.
Stop being so reactionary, Dusty Baker is a great manager, it’s not his fault every single time the Reds lose. He’s not the one playing. If it’s Dusty’s fault that Cozart is struggling at the plate, then it must be Dusty’s fault that GABP struggles to show replays on their scoreboard. Everything wrong with the Reds must be Dusty’s fault.
Give the guy a break. Take a step back and think. It’s early May, the Reds have only played 31 games so far, they still have 131 games left to play. It’ll be okay.