3 times Dusty Baker proved Astros haters wrong in Game 3
Maybe Dusty Baker was right to complement Martin Maldonado
After the game on Tuesday, Baker was asked about the importance of Cristian Javier's breaking ball, which caught many a Twins player whiffing. He kept his answer short and sweet, but he didn't credit Javier. He credited the conductor behind the plate, Martin Maldonado.
"You know Maldy is directing him."
Tom Verducci: “How important is Javier’s breaking ball?”
— Climbing Tal's Hill (@astrosCTH) October 10, 2023
Dusty: “it’s very important. You know Maldy is directing him…”
Dusty, just compliment Javier. Not everything has to be Maldy propaganda.
The general sentiment of the above tweet is understandable. Why not praise Javier for a great day on the mound and be done with it? Of course, this doesn't read as disrespect toward Javier, but as a show of genuine appreciation toward Maldonado, a player who has been subject to more than his fair share of flack during the season.
Maldy has never been a prolific plate presence. This season was more of the same — .191/.258/.348 splits with 15 home runs and 36 RBIs in 116 games. But, Maldy is a whiz behind the plate. He understands how to call a game and he won Gold Glove honors way back in 2017, during his brief pit stop with the Angels. The man is a defense-forward option and Tuesday was proof of Baker's thinking on the matter.
Javier deserves credit, but so does Maldonado for helping to shape Javier's tremendous performance. It takes two to tango. In this case, that refers to the Astros' complete annihilation of the Twins' offense. Maldonado provided the canvas and Javier painted a gorgeous picture.
He even delivered at the plate, for good measure. Maldonado got on base twice with a couple of hits, rounding out a highly impactful afternoon for the 37-year-old who still has gas left in the tank.