Dusty's 'last hurrah': Baker guides Nicaragua to World Baseball Classic

On Thursday night, in a crisp white jersey with a flourish of blue script reminiscent of his days with the Dodgers, Dusty Baker took the dugout for the first time as Nicaragua's manager.

The national team was playing the first of a four-game exhibition series against international baseball rival Cuba -- Nicaragua's 1972 defeat of Cuba in the Amateur World Series (now known as the Premier12) remains one of the country's greatest victories -- and Ken Griffey Jr. was even on hand to meet the players and photograph the festivities. It marked the start of a new era for the national team as Baker, back in the dugout for the first time since managing the Astros from 2020-23, prepares for its second appearance in the World Baseball Classic.

"We thought it was a joke," TN8 and 8 Deportivo baseball reporter Fernando Rayo told MLB.com recently about his reaction when Baker was first hired. "That was the first reaction. When someone told me, I didn't believe it."

On his first night in charge, with longtime MLB veteran Erasmo Ramirez taking the ball, Cuba and Nicaragua fought to a 2-2 stalemate in nine innings. For a team that went 0-4 in its first World Baseball Classic in 2023 before becoming the underdog champions at the Tapiei Qualifier last March, it was a hopeful sign of what's to come.

"That was a good sign for our team," Baker said after the game, "the fact that we came back there."

You can thank Marvin Benard and George Santiago for Baker taking the Nicaragua job. While Baker has plenty of experience in Latin America -- having played winter league baseball in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela -- it was a push from Benard, a native of Bluefields, Nicaragua, who had played for Baker in San Francisco, and Santiago, a friend of Baker's for 40 years, that convinced the legendary manager to return to the dugout.

"They've been working on me for years," Baker told MLB.com with a laugh.

Baker first arrived with his wife in September and the two immediately fell in love with the country. He then traveled to Guatemala in October to watch the national team sweep its way through the Central American Games. The experience and fan reaction impressed Baker and convinced him he made the right choice.

"It's awesome, because they love baseball," Baker said about the Nicaraguan baseball fans. "Not only do they love baseball, but they love to be demonstrative, and they love to party, and they love music and they love dancing. The whole thing is more than just a baseball game."

It's also more than just a managerial gig for Baker, who is looking to give back to the game he's devoted his life to.

"I like being around players, but this is more for the people than it is for me," Baker said. "When I went down there, I was convinced of the need and how they received me, and how they wanted me."

Beyond just helping the national team at the World Baseball Classic, Baker wants to help the development of young players in the country. Last year Jonathan Loásiga and Carlos Rodríguez were the only Nicarguan players in the Major Leagues, while outfielder Ismael Munguia spent the season in Triple-A before signing a Minor League contract with the Blue Jays in the offseason.

"[Coaching and development] was something that was on my mind big time," Baker said. "I may not even see the effects of it, but hopefully the young kids in the country will see the effects of it."

With donations from Marucci -- owned by former Giants player Kurt Ainsworth -- and Rutto Bats, Baker was able to bring boxes of equipment and plenty of bats to pass along to the team. There was only thing missing at the time -- which, as you can see from the photo below have now arrived -- "I'm missing my wristbands."

While Baker has accomplished almost everything at the Major League level -- he was a two-time All-Star, he has two World Series rings, and three Manager of the Year Awards -- this is his first time leading a national team at the World Baseball Classic. This may be his last job in sports, but he relishes the opportunity to take on a new challenge.

"I'll be 77 in June. How many more times am I going to be in the dugout?" Baker said. "I had to go check with my cardiologist, I had to check with their team doctor down there to make sure that I come back safe and sound because I had a stroke 13 years ago, prostate cancer 26 years ago and I'm on my second pacemaker."

While his presence helped bring Griffey down to the country and perhaps aided in getting Mets slugger Mark Vientos to commit to the team, Baker realizes there are limits to what he can do.

"I'm not the Messiah, but I thought this would be fun for me," Baker said. "I look at this like my last hurrah, make it fun. I'm looking forward to it."

The team, who had the third-lowest OPS in the 2023 Classic, will be considered underdogs in the Miami pool, having to go up against tournament powerhouses Dominican Republic and Venezuela, along with two-time semifinalists the Netherlands and 2017 Cinderella team, Israel.

"We know we're the underdog, but I'm just hoping that my guys aren't overwhelmed by who they're playing."

The goal, then, is simple and the same one that players learn the first time they grab their glove and race onto the field:

"The simple answer is to win and go as far as you can go," Baker said. "Everything starts with one. You can look toward the end all you want to, but everything starts with one. A winning streak starts with one. Home runs start with one. Wins and losses start with one. Everything starts with one."