Fansided

Dusty Baker favorite for Nationals job

By Matt Verderame

Sep 28, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker (12) in the dugout during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker (12) in the dugout during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Nationals were the most disappointing team of the 2015 Major League Baseball season. Washington was supposed to cruise to the National League East title by winning 100 games, before rolling to the World Series.

Instead, the team hovered around the .500 mark most of the season and never made a serious run at the postseason, despite having a starting rotation of Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasberg, Gio Gonzalez and Doug Fister. At the conclusion of the campaign, second-year manager Matt Williams was fired, and apparently a big name is a front-runner to replace him.

According to MLB writer Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Dusty Baker is leading the charge for the vacancy. Baker is one of the most veteran managers out there for hire, having presided over the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds for a grand total of 20 seasons.

Baker is best known for leading San Francisco to multiple playoff berths, including the 2002 World Series. Unfortunately for Baker, the Giants lost to the Anaheim Angels in seven games, despite having a 3-2 lead in the series. Baker moved onto the Cubs the following season and brought Chicago to the brink of the World Series, but blew a 3-1 NLCS lead to the Florida Marlins.

The main knock on Baker has been his inability to limiting the tax on pitchers. Many have broken down under his watch, including Mark Prior and Kerry Wood. That said, Baker has been one of the best managers in recent history, winning 1,671 games over his career.

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