Saturday, December 11, 2004

Good Guy of the Week Award: Dusty Baker

I've always said Dusty Baker is a class act, and here's proof.

No one was a bigger pain in Dusty's backside in all the years Dusty managed the San Francisco Giants than Barry Bonds was. Barry was the guy who wouldn't stretch with his teammates, ducked out on team photos, commanded four locker spaces to everybody else's one, and compelled Dusty to answer a never-ending stream of questions from media types about why Barry could flout team rules and discipline when no one else could.

Given the heat that's coming Bonds's way now due to the BALCO steroid scandal, it would be perfectly understandable if Dusty, now managing the Chicago Cubs, decided to fling a pint or two of gasoline on the flames licking up at Barry's backside.

But not Dusty.

Say what you want about the man's managerial skills — and I believe he's one of the best in the game, particularly in getting difficult players to excel for him — but you've got to admit, he's a good egg.

Unlike Jeff Kent, the Dodgers' new second baseman. If you look up "jerk" in the baseball lexicon, you'll find Kent's picture there.

1 insisted on sticking two cents in:

Anonymous Anonymous offered these pearls of wisdom...

Aw, I like Jeff Kent. You can be agressive and abrasive and whatever 'a' adjectives you like, so long as you play well and come off as an intesting rogue. Kent fits the bill, while Bonds only meets the former.

http://journals.aol.com/slapinions/Slap-Inionscom

2:08 AM  

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