Hall of Famer Dave Winfield and former Astros manager Bo Porter were glad to see Dusty Baker hired as the Washington Nationals’ new manager on Tuesday.
Winfield credits Baker and Ralph Garr as the first opposing players to reach out to him and welcome him into the majors, and Porter considers Baker one of his mentors.
Baker’s hiring guarantees that Major League Baseball will have at least one African-American manager next year.
Despite many openings for managers and general managers in the last month, candidates of color had been shut out until Baker secured the Nationals’ job after Bud Black, the first choice, turned it down.