The Miami Marlins' managerial job has been mired in turmoil all season. Heading into 2016, it appears the team is dead set on a veteran option.
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Baker, Acta on Marlins' Radar
Tuesday, Sept. 22
Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reported Dusty Baker and Manny Acta have emerged as two prime candidates for the position. Baker appears to be the favorite at the moment, though the club interviewed Acta on Tuesday.
Baker last managed the Cincinnati Reds from 2008-13. He went 509-463 (.524 winning percentage) in Cincinnati, leading the team to three postseason appearances. The Reds fired Baker following a loss in the Wild Card Round to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013.
The 66-year-old also managed the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs to varying degrees of success. In nine seasons in San Francisco, Baker led the Giants to three postseason appearances, including a National League championship in 2002. That run helped him land in Chicago, where he pushed the Cubs to the brink of the NL crown in 2003 before missing the postseason in his last three years.
Bomani Jones of ESPN highlighted Baker's polarizing nature:
Acta, 46, last managed the Cleveland Indians from 2010-12. He went 214-266 (.446 winning percentage) in Cleveland, failing to make the postseason in all three years before being let go late in the 2012 season. Before Cleveland, Acta had a largely unsuccessful run with the Washington Nationals, going 158-252 (.385 winning percentage) while finishing no higher than fourth place in the NL East.
Of the two, Baker's by far the more accomplished. That said, the 20-year age difference could be something Marlins management considers as the team tries to build around a younger core. At the very least, it should be a consideration if the club wants a long-term solution on the bench rather than another stopgap in a series of short-term solutions.
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