Dusty Baker and Tony Beasley faced off last week in what was the first matchup of the season between two Black managers.
Only three Major League Baseball teams currently have Black managers at the helm; Dave Roberts, who has been with the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2015 and has one of the teams highest winning percentages in their franchises history, Dusty Baker, who is ninth All-Time in wins for a manager, and the newest Skipper to the group, Texas Rangers interim manager Tony Beasley who previously served as the team’s third base coach before he was promoted in the middle of August.
Beasley was one of the savvier third base coaches in the Majors. He played a major role in the Rangers’ stolen base total this season which is the highest in the American League and he can also be credited with helping Marcus Semien reach a career-high 21 stolen bases and outfielder Bubba Thompson who has begun his career 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.
Three years ago today … @Rangers coach Tony Beasley’s stirring national anthem on Opening Day pic.twitter.com/MHGddEg5Nf
— Dave Sessions (@davesessions) April 3, 2020
Beasley’s previous managing experience came with the Pirates and Nationals Minor League systems.
He posted a winning record in six out of eight seasons, including six straight years finishing with a record over .500.
Tony Beasley 🤝🏾 Dusty Baker pic.twitter.com/m9g1rlXCUq
— Robyn Hearn (@RobynHearnTV) August 31, 2022
Standing across the field and getting to battle Baker was something Beasley had looked forward to for a long time.
“It’s a dream come true to go to war against Dusty,” Beasley told me.
“It is something I have looked forward to for a long time, to get to match wits and strategies against him. I know this means a lot more for me than it does him.”
Baker and his Astros would go on to win both games, but the measuring stick for each team is on different levels right now. While Baker is managing a team that has World Series or bust expectations, Beasley is trying to kickstart the Rangers building of a champion culture that has not been seen since the team fired Ron Washington after two World Series appearances.
“I want us to have a fun environment where we are prepared and play the game of baseball fundamentally sound,” said Beasley.
“Things do not happen instantaneously, but I feel I have a good rapport with everyone in that clubhouse and will make sure we get the most out of everyone. I feel confident I can do that.”
Beasley has a 7-12 record in his first three weeks as a Big League manager. He gets his second showdown against future Hall of Famer Dusty Baker in a three-game series beginning on Labor Day.
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