For all the people that wonder why baseball is in such bad shape rightnow, take a look at the headlines. Dusty Baker, a guy that shouldnt be in radio booth, let alone a dugout, is now the manager of the hapless Cincinatti Reds. I for one thought that the Reds were headed in the right direction under their interim manager. They had a record slightly above .500 after they switched managers and they reward the new coach by replacing him with a tooth pick munching, cliche spewing poor excuse for a baseball coach? From what i have heard, Cincinatti Reds fans are livid about the hiring, and rightfully so. In his first public address since signing the deal, the BS bonanza has already begun. After watching him refuse to play young players for years on the north side, he had the audacity to say that he cant wait to work with the young pitchers and position players that Cincinatti has to offer. I extended my deepest condolences to Reds fans for the hiring of Baker. The Reds have a large number of stud prospetcs, headlined by Homer Bailey, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. In my opinion, i think that Baker will cement his position on my all time baseball #### lists if, and most likely when, he stunts the development of those aforementioned up and comers and benches them in favor of has beens like Neifi Perez and Randall Simon, some of his favorites from back in Chicago who are sure to be on the Reds' roster come 2008.
Its a real shame that on a team brimming with young talent will be run by a guy like Baker. Just a year removed from a coach of the year performance, while coaching perhaps the youngest teams in baseball, Joe Girardi is still available. Hopefully, some team that will be searching for a coaching replacement, such as the Yankees or Cardinals, will wisen up and not make the same mistake that the Cubs and now the Reds have made, that being chosing an old, washed up manager without much fire left in the tank, as opposed to going with a young, passionatemanager that has proven himself capable in even the most bleek of situations.

Disclaimer: I personally do not put much stock in who is the manager o####iven baseball club. In my opinion, the most important positon, aside from those on the field itself, is manned by the general manager. Logically, who has more power when determening the success of a team: The guy that brings in the players, or the guy that tells the players to play. Billy Beane has got it right. A manager really isnt necessary, its just that in a game that is laden with old fashioned baseball dudes, a decision to go without a manager would be blasted from here to Khazakstan.
Still, if i had to pick a manager, i would lean(heavily) towards taking Joe Girardi over Dusty Baker, the king of the double switch.