Nationals hire Dusty Baker as manager

Dusty Baker got another managing job, Matt OvertonJerseythis time with the Washington Nationals. And Major League Baseball got another black skipper, something the man in charge of the sport called ''encouraging.'' The Nationals announced Baker's hiring on Tuesday, nearly a month after firing Matt Williams when the club missed the playoffs. With Baker joining the Nationals, baseball avoids what would have been its first start to a http://www.coltsonlineofficialstore.com/Mike-Adams-Jerseyseason since 1988 with zero black managers. ''I am certain that the Nationals, like all of our clubs, hired the best person for the job. It is encouraging that in this case the best person turned out to be African-American,'' baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred wrote in an email to The Associated Press. ''This is a positive step and I am intent on making continued progress on diversity in the managerial ranks going forward.'' When the Seattle Mariners http://www.coltsonlineofficialstore.com/Pat-Mcafee-Jerseyfired Lloyd McClendon last month, it left no black managers in the major leagues. No season had started without at least one since 1988; in April that year, Frank Robinson replaced Cal Ripken Sr. with the Baltimore Orioles. Robinson later managed the Nationals. ''Dusty Baker is highly qualified, has years of managerial experience and is a proven leader,'' Manfred wrote. whose 1,671-1,504 record - a .526 winning percentage - includes the second-most victories among active managers. He led the San Francisco Giants to the 2002 World Series and reached the postseason a half-dozen other times. He becomes the second-oldest manager in the majors at Rashad JenningsJerseythe moment, a few weeks younger than Terry Collins, who just led the New York Mets to the World Series. Baker also managed the Chicago Cubs and, most recently, the Cincinnati Reds, who fired him in 2013. He has a reputation for being able to handle different clubhouse personalities, including managing Barry Bonds while with the Giants. Baker won NL Manager of the Year honors in 1993, 1997 and 2000. He retired as a player in 1986 after 19 years in the majors, winning a World Series title with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981. ''We were looking for a http://www.footballgiantsprostore.com/Robert-Ayers-Jerseymanager to help us achieve our ultimate goal of competing for a World Series championship,'' Nationals owner Ted Lerner said in a statement. ''During our broad search process we met with many qualified candidates, and ultimately it was clear that Dusty's deep experience was the best fit for our ballclub.'' The Nationals were said to have settled on hiring former San Diego Padres manager Bud Black last week before contract talks with him broke down. Washington said general manager Mike Rizzo and Baker will wait until Thursday to hold a news conference; Rizzo spoke about Williams' firing on a conference call. In the news release about Baker's hiring, Rizzo said: ''We are excited to bring him to Washington and put his steady demeanor, knowledge and many years in the game to work in our favor.''