Astros' Dusty Baker remains proud of team's success in recent years after disappointing end to the 2023 season
The Houston Astros were eliminated from reaching the World Series by the Texas Rangers in a deciding Game 7 at Minute Maid Park. The Astros are the first team in MLB, NBA or NHL history to lose a seven-game series by dropping four games at home. They did so against the Washington Nationals in the 2019 World Series as well as against the Rangers in this year's ALCS.
It appears that the team is fully supported by the 74-year-old manager Dusty Baker. According to what was reported, he said that the squad had never lost and that, in baseball, Houston and its success over the previous four seasons would be swapped places.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of," said Dusty Baker. He said, "damn near every team" in baseball would swap places with Houston and its success the past four seasons. @KHOU - JBristolKHOU
Baker came out of retirement in 2020 and led Houston to two pennants, including his first World Series triumph last year. Houston was the second club in history to lose four games at home in a postseason series after losing 22 of its final 29 home games, including the playoffs.
The Astros have a fantastic manager in Dusty Baker
Baker has managed in the major leagues for 26 seasons and has a 2,183-1,862 lifetime record in regular season play. After being appointed to help stabilize the organization following a sign-stealing scandal that surfaced only weeks after the Astros lost the 2019 World Series to the Washington Nationals, he won that long-awaited championship in 2022 with Houston, a team he has led for the previous four years.
Baker managed the Astros to victory in the 2022 World Series and is the oldest manager to capture a title across the MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL. He is the only MLB manager to lead five separate clubs to the playoffs and a division title, and he has done it with each of those teams. With the most victories among managers who are African Americans, Baker is ranked ninth among MLB managing victories.