This originally appeared on MLBbro.com on Aug 14, 2023
The biggest change for the Houston Astros has been the return of their offense.
Since the All-Star break, Houston has been sending balls into orbit with regularity and sending runners around the basepaths. They lead the AL in runs and RBI, are second in home runs and walks, and rank third in batting average and OPS.
Guiding the team through all of this has been Dusty Baker.
On May 1st, the Houston Astros were just 16-13, with the sixth-best record in the American League. One month later the Astros were 10 games above .500 but had fallen further behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West standings, trailing by 2.5 games.
June was brutal, as Houston suffered four-game and five-game losing skids, but they closed that month by winning four of their last five.
Houston Astros 5th In Standings On July 1
The defending American League champs were still sitting fifth in the standings on July 1st. The World Series let down talk was rampant.
However, since then, the Astros are 23-12. Over their last 20 games prior to Sunday’s loss to the Angels, Houston had been tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the best record in the AL with 13 wins during that stretch.
And yet, there are consistent calls and even petitions to have Baker fired. Those who would like to see Dusty go, can point to the team’s lackluster records in close games and overall losing mark against winning teams.
Houston’s pitching staff has been mediocre at best, carried by the offense.
Baker Has Achieved Unprecedented Success Since Joining Astros
Still, since Baker took over as manager prior to the start of the 2020 season the Astros have been to the American League Championship Series three times, advanced to the World Series twice, and won it all last year.
They’ve experienced only two months with a losing record under Baker, and have won almost 61 percent of their regular season games in August, September, and October since the start of the 2021 season.
In the postseason the Astros are 28-14 with Baker in the dugout, posting an impressive .667 winning percentage. Both marks outpace his overall regular season (.591) standards and surpass his overall postseason percentage as well (.526).
Let’s not forget how Dusty single-handedly navigated the Astros through the aftereffects of the “cheating scandal” under former manager AJ Hinch. Dusty’s presence at the helm softened the venom from opposing fans and media because of the respect and reverence he’s acquired since he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 26th round of the 1967 MLB Draft.
Dusty Baker Has Houston Sitting Pretty
A baseball season is a marathon. It is a battle of endurance. As the cliche’ says, “you want to be playing your best baseball at the end of the year.”
Looking at the American League landscape, Houston is where it wants to be. The schedule down the stretch isn’t easy, but the Astros only face four teams with winning records away from Minute Maid Park the rest of the way.
Perhaps the Astros haven’t reached their peak this season. But based on Baker’s record, any panic at this stage is unwarranted.
Come late October, you have the expect that the Houston Astros will be in the mix for another world championship.
Win or lose, Baker’s legacy is cemented. If he is leaving the launching pad in Houston, he’ll be touching down for a landing in Cooperstown very soon.