Nationals hire Dusty Baker after reportedly low balling Bud Black

The Washington Nationals have their new manager, as rumblings seemed to indicate on Monday night – it’s Dusty Baker, the former Giants, Cubs, and Reds head man.

The spin on Baker’s hiring? Well, experience, of course. Via the Nationals’ Curly W blog…

“We were looking for a manager to help us achieve our ultimate goal of competing for a World Series championship,” said Theodore N. Lerner, Managing Principal Owner of the Nationals. “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.”

[…]

​“I am so pleased to welcome Dusty Baker to the Nationals family,” said Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo. “In getting to know Dusty and identifying what we wanted in the next on-field leader of our team, we are excited to have him on board.

“Dusty’s experience, as a winning player, coach, and manager, is vast and varied. 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. I think I speak for the entire organization when I say I am very much looking forward to working with him.”

Of course, a week ago, Bud Black was supposed to be the guy in DC. And with the Baker hiring official, more news is leaking out about why Black did not get the job – because the Lerner family, who owns the Nationals, reportedly low balled the hell out of Black. From Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post…

The Nationals decided on Black last Wednesday. Negotiations commenced. The first offer the Nationals made Black, a manager fresh off an eight-year stint with the San Diego Padres, would have guaranteed him $1.6 million for one season. It left Black “deeply offended,” according to one person familiar with the situation. In the end, the Lerners would not exceed an offer of two years with multiple team options. By Saturday, talks had crumbled. They didn’t get their man, because they insulted him.

Even though Bud Black has never made the playoffs in his career, a two year contract is ridiculous. How is he supposed to build anything or settle in for a long-term haul knowing that he could be gone after next season?

This whole situation is a disaster for the Nationals. All indications are that Black was their first choice, but he spurned them because the organization was cheap. Then they turn to Baker, who was pretty clearly their second choice, and all the team’s can front office can say to champion him is “experience”. Great, Dusty Baker is experienced – he’s experienced one pennant in 20 years of managing, and experienced a total of two playoff wins following the Cubs’ 2003 NLCS run. Baker’s a guy that can maybe, possibly, kind of, sort of get you to the dance, and do absolutely nothing if he gets you there.

So in that respect, he’s the perfect successor to Davey Johnson and Matt Williams, because that’s what both of them did (in two of the last four seasons, at least) – get the Nationals to the dance, and stare straight ahead blankly when the going gets tough.