Dusty Baker gets contract from Houston Astros for 2022

HOUSTON (AP) — Dusty Baker will return as manager of the Houston Astros for a third season after agreeing to a one-year contract with the AL champions.

Baker took over from AJ Hinch, who was suspended by MLB for his role in the team's sign stealing and then fired. The Astros lost to Tampa Bay in the 2020 AL Championship Series and to Atlanta in this year's six-game World Series.

“We have an exciting future here -- and present,” Baker said Friday. “I just had some unfinished business to take care of, but we’re close. We’re getting better every year.”

The 72-year-old Baker has never won a World Series title as a manager. He has 1,987 regular-season wins as a manager.

Baker said he has enjoyed his time in Houston, even adapting to the team’s focus on analytics.

“I was talking to some of our sabermetrics guys, and I said, ‘Hey, I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks,’ and they said, ‘Depends on the dog,’” Baker said with a grin. “That was a compliment, I guess.”

Owner Jim Crane said he expects the team’s payroll to be near the luxury tax level and possibly above. Negotiations between Major League Baseball and the players' association are ongoing to set rules for after Dec. 1.

“If we have to make a move to compete and close out something, we’ve always done that,” Crane said. “We’ve got the resources because we’ve got great support from the city. Our goal is to win championships and put the best team on the field that we can.”

Shortstop Carlos Correa became a free agent on Wednesday.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to get something done." Crane said.

“Carlos Correa has been a huge part of this organization, and we are going to put our best foot forward to try to make sure that continues,” general manager James Click said....

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Dusty-Baker-gets-contract-from-Houston-Astros-for-16596468.php