Longtime SF Giants manager finally gets World Series ring as skipper

It has been 20 years since the SF Giants lost the 2002 World Series, but the pain and trauma still feels fresh for many fans. The same could be said for longtime Giants manager Dusty Baker as he made a questionable move in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series that resulted in a loss. 20 years later, the hope is that Baker exorcised some demons after winning the 2022 World Series as the manager of the Houston Astros.

Longtime SF Giants manager finally gets World Series ring as skipper

Everyone knows about that fateful night against the Anaheim Angels in 2002. The Giants had a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning of Game 6 of the World Series. And then, Baker pulled Russ Ortiz, who was cruising at that point. Félix Rodríguez and Tim Worrell gave up the lead against the Angels and they never looked back.

Baker postseason résumé has been wrought with disappointment. As the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Baker saw his team squander a 2-0 lead in the NLDS against none other than the Giants in 2012. Few people remember that a critical error by sure-handed third baseman Scott Rolen in Game 3 of that series created an opening that San Francisco exploited.

Of course, Baker managed the Washington Nationals, who made two trips to the playoffs in his two seasons as the team's skipper. However, each of those playoff pushes ended in disappointment.

Baker was hired as the Astros' manager following the sign-stealing scandal that cost manager A.J. Hinch his job in Houston. It is not often that an organization can absolutely embarrass itself and still end up with one of the best managers in baseball history in Baker.

Baker's Astros made it to the World Series last year only to lose to the Atlanta Braves in six games. The disappointments continued. However, this year felt different. The Astros were one of the best teams in baseball, winning 106 games, which was good enough for first place in the AL West.

Houston had it all this year. They had an impressive rotation, solid bullpen, good defense, and some of the best hitters in the game. They just needed to keep that momentum going into the playoffs and they did just that.

Baker and the Astros pulled out the victory in six games against a surprising Philadelphia Philles team. The longtime manager won a World Series as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 198. He has managed 3,884 games, winning 2,093 of those games.

He is one of the winningest managers in baseball history but the World Series title always eluded him in the past. He now has that ring and you can etch his name in the Hall of Fame when his managing career comes to an end. He did not need a World Series to be a Hall of Fame manager if you ask me, but it certainly helps his case.