ORLANDO, Fla. -- With 2,183 wins as a manager over 26 seasons and plenty of accomplishments from his 19 seasons as a player, Dusty Baker has nothing left to prove in baseball.
Now 76, Baker still loves the game and watches it daily in his role as a special assistant in the Giants’ front office. But for one more time, he is poised to put on the uniform again and manage Team Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic. It wasn't a tough decision when he accepted the opportunity in July.
“No. 1, I played in Latin America -- Venezuela, Mexico and Puerto Rico -- and it was the most exciting time, the most exciting baseball," Baker said on Tuesday during the Winter Meetings. "And I’ve seen the WBC on TV. It looks exciting. I know how Latin people get into the game."
Baker, who led the Giants, Cubs, Reds, Nationals and Astros, is eighth on the all-time list in managerial wins and one of just 13 to have more than 2,000 wins. He has a 2022 World Series ring with Houston, helmed three pennant winners and earned division crowns with all five of his clubs. Baker retired from managing after the ‘23 season and lives in Sacramento.
Because of the grind of an eight-month season, managing full-time again is not something Baker can do anymore, physically.
“This scratches the itch that I need for a month," Baker said. "I’m 76 years old, and they were on me already, managing at 73. What are they going to say when I’m 76? You’ve only got so much energy. If somebody offered me something halfway, gave me full salary and I could come at 6 o’clock and leave at 11 o’clock, they’ve got their man.”
Baker and his wife, Melissa, were in Nicaragua earlier this year when he was officially presented by the national baseball team and its general manager, George Santiago.
“The people are so nice," he said. "My wife enjoyed it. She had a great trip. I went back another time to Guatemala to watch them play in the Central American games where they won the gold. The people are very, very nice. The food is good. I really enjoyed myself.”
During the WBC, Nicaragua will play in Pool D with two tough teams in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, plus the Netherlands and Israel. Pool D is scheduled to play from March 6-11 at loanDepot park in Miami.
The top two teams will advance to the quarterfinals to compete against the top two finishers from Pool C.
“I think all the groups are hard," Baker said. "Anybody can beat anybody at any given time. I’m just hoping to get my team prepared to play and try to be the best that they can be. When you get there and have an opportunity and train, who knows what the outcome can be. I always played to win. I try to prepare my teams to win.
"We don’t have very long to prepare. Guys have probably three weeks. Without putting too much in their heads, we want to make them as natural as possible but try to make them better in a short period of time.”
Nicaragua will be competing in its second WBC tournament, following a 19th-place finish in 2023. In February, Nicaragua clinched a spot in the 2026 WBC after achieving a 3-0 record in the qualifier tournament.
Although the roster has yet to be announced, Baker will be surrounded by familiar faces. That includes Rob Butcher, who was the media relations director for the Reds while Baker managed in Cincinnati.
Totally in his element holding court with media and friends at the Winter Meetings, Baker enjoyed being among his baseball family again.
“This is kind of like an old home meeting for me," Baker said. "Butch and I were together for five, six years. George and I have been friends for 50 years. I’ve seen a lot of faces I knew from the past in baseball and a lot of new faces. It’s great to be here and see all the people.”