A Match Made Somewhere

The Cincinnati Enquirer and other media outlets are reporting that the Cincinnati Reds will announce soon that they have hired Dusty Baker as their new manager. Mr. Baker previously managed the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs.

It was widely known that the Reds were interested in a big name manager, and this hiring fits that bill. On other levels, it would not seem to make much sense. Mr. Baker has a reputation for not working well with young players, especially pitchers, and the small market Reds are relying on the development of young talent, including pitchers such as Homer Bailey, as their means of becoming competitive again. How Mr. Baker's management style will work with the talent that he will be provided to compete with remains to be seen.