Astros’ Dusty Baker one win away from first title as manager

HOUSTON — Any list of best managers and head coaches without a championship in professional sports includes Dusty Baker’s name.
But the 73-year-old Astros manager now stands within one victory of removal from that list. The Astros have two shots if needed, beginning Saturday at Minute Maid Park in Game 6, to win the World Series against the Phillies.
Under Baker, the Astros lost the World Series in six games to the Braves last season. Baker also managed the 2002 Giants, who lost Game 7 of the World Series to the Angels.
In a Hall of Fame-worthy managerial career, Baker has also managed the Cubs, Reds and Nationals to the postseason. He won a World Series as a player with the 1981 Dodgers.
On Friday, he was asked about needing only one victory to finally hoist a championship trophy as a manager.
Dusty Baker has never won a World Series as a manager. AP
“I don’t think about the situation I’m in,” Baker said. “I am just taking a day of rest, because you think about something all the time, it would drive you crazy.”
Buck Showalter and Bob Melvin are among the other top current managers without a championship. Neither has taken a team to the World Series.
As loud and supportive as Phillies fans were for the home team over three games at Citizens Bank Park, the Astros are expecting nothing less than a stoked crowd Saturday, excited for a potential coronation.
“The town is for us,” Baker said. “Tickets are at a premium because all of a sudden now everybody wants tickets. We could probably hold a couple hundred thousand if we had room. It’s going to be exciting. And we’re kind of operating on fumes. I’m glad we had a day off today, rather than trying five days in a row.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson isn’t a big believer in momentum, unless it’s during the course of a game.
“Especially with our team, from game to game I don’t think there’s much momentum for our club because we have had some tough games and come back the next day and played extremely well,” Thomson said.
“But I do think within a game, there is momentum. I think, you take, like, Game 1. We went to [Jose] Alvarado very early because I felt like we had got the momentum back in that game and I didn’t want to lose it.”