Dusty Baker

Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker doesn't plan to change his lineup after reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper reached base seven times without recording a single hit on Sunday.   

Managers matter, except when they don't.

Everyone in baseball can tell a story of a manager who turned around a team, from Sparky Anderson and later Jim Leyland with the Detroit Tigers to Buck Showalter with the Baltimore Orioles and Joe Maddon with first the Tampa Bay Rays and then the Chicago Cubs.

And, perhaps, Dusty Baker with the Washington Nationals.

Brandon Phillips might soon be headed to the Washington Nationals. That's good news for Phillips, good news for manager Dusty Baker and quite possibly good news for the Nats themselves.

After missing the MLB playoffs in 2015 and parting ways with manager Matt Williams, the Washington Nationals named three-time National League Manager of the Year Dusty Baker as their skipper Tuesday.

Once the Cardinals finish up their West Coast swing through Arizona and San Francisco, they'll find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a duel against their fiercest competition for the NL Central crown, the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cincinnati Reds are looking to win the National League Central and make a deep playoff run in 2013, so it's time to evaluate the team's offseason moves.

For the second straight offseason, the team stayed put at the winter meetings. Just like last year, the Reds made some major moves after the meetings wrapped up.

Despite the ups and downs during his time as manager in Cincinnati, Dusty Baker deserves to win the 2012 National League Manager of the Year.

After narrowly missing out on the award when he led the Reds to the NL Central title in 2010, Baker should receive some recognition for his work with the team this season. 

Unless you gave up on the Reds after their 4-8 start, you are well aware that this team has hit a stride.

Not only have we seen the usual heroes like Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce, we're also starting to also see a bit of a youth movement.

Devin Mesoraco has found a little pop in his bat and young guys in the pen like JJ Hoover are joining in on the fun, but the one name who stands out over all these young men is third baseman Todd Frazier.

I have never been a fan of platooning players in baseball. I always liked having a set lineup while giving the starter an occasional day of rest. Dusty Baker has a different idea when it comes to the Reds catching situation, and it has worked like a charm.

Let me preface this article by saying that Jonny Gomes is one of my favorite players on the Reds.

I am wondering if being 'unofficially' awarded the left-field job prior to the start of camp hasn't sapped the slugger of his hunger.