Although we are only in the second week of the season there are several teams that are impressing MLB fans early on.
One team that is on a four-game winning streak is the Los Angeles Angels, managed by MLBbro Ron Washington. When Washington was hired last November, the Angels were hoping that he could bring his 40+ years of experience to a team that has had many woes over the past few years. The last time he managed a squad he reached consecutive World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2010 and 2011.
The MLBbro also won a World Series as the third-base coach for the Atlanta Braves in 2021.
Ron Washington Changing LA Angels Fans Losing Expectations
Angels’ fans had to feel like they were destined for another losing season when they started 0-2, losing both games in blowout fashion to the Baltimore Orioles.
However, after the second loss, the MLBbro in charge called a team meeting. This seems very premature given how early it is in the season, but the MLBbro manager has witnessed what it takes to have success and it was evident to him that his ballclub was not giving him what was needed.
The Angles would win the next game against the Orioles 4-1, and then go on to sweep the Miami Marlins.
Now winners of four in a row, Ron and the Angels have their home opener tonight against the Boston Red Sox. Winning this series against the Red Sox will go a long way for the team’s confidence and their direction going forward. While there are not high expectations for the Angels this season, the MLBbro manager turns 72 this month, and does not seem like he wants to just have a lame duck year.
With one of the best players in the game in Mike Trout, the hopeful breakout of young MLBbro Jo Adell and a possible resurgence of MLBbro Aaron Hicks, Washington can exceed expectations and compete in a crowded American League West Division. It is very early in the 162-game marathon that is the MLB season, but the MLBbro manager and his coaching staff, seem up for the challenge.
Dusty Baker led the Astros to their seventh straight American League Division Series with a clutch 3-2 win Wednesday night that eliminated Royce Lewis, Michael A. Taylor, Byron “Big Bux” Buxton and the Twins in Game 4 of their AL Division Series.
The win was Baker’s 54th in the postseason, with 31 of those coming as manager of the Astros. Baker is trying to become the second Black manager to win back-to-back World Series rings following in the diamond-studded legacy of Cito Gaston, who led the Toronto Blue Jays to consecutive WS titles in 1992 and 1993.
The Texas Rangers will be formidable opponents for the Astros, who have the edge in experience roster wise. However, across from Dusty is another legend with more World Series titles.
Bochy won three with the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014. So don’t expect Baker to have his usual veteran advantage.
He will be evenly matched for sure. It will come down to the star players making magical moments happen at the most crucial times and less heralded players elevating their games to seize history.
Royce Lewis’ historic home run was not enough to prevent Dusty Baker’s Astros from completing phase one of their quest to become the first team to win back-to-back World Series titles since the 1998-2000 Yankees.
Last season Dusty Baker stood atop Major League Baseball’s Mountain after finally obtaining the first World Series win of his career as a player or manager when they downed the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.
This year the American League West champions started the ALDS with a bang.
On the first pitch, Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan threw, former MVP — AKA the most hated man in baseball — Jose Altuve smashed a homer to deep left field to give Houston an early lead that they would not relinquish.
“There are some guys over there that played with Altuve and I am sure they told him what he is capable of,” Baker told reporters after the game.
“He got the fans into it. There was a lot of electricity in the building and that home run caught things on fire.”
That gives Altuve 24 career postseason home runs which trails only Manny Ramirez for the most All-Time.
The Astros would jump out to a 5-0 lead before Minnesota would rally to make it close late.
They scored four consecutive runs, capped off by back-to-back homers in the top of the 7th inning by Jorge Polanco and Royce Lewis to get them within one.
Royce Lewis Continues To Smash Power Records
With that long ball, Lewis became the first rookie in Major League history to homer in his first three career playoff games and moved himself to fourth on the Twins All-Time postseason home run list.
However, Game 1 MVP Yordan Alverez outshined Lewis with two home runs on the day, the second of which came on a line drive off of the right field foul pole in the bottom of the 7th to give Dusty’s gang a bit of cushion heading into the final innings.
Ryan Pressley would come in the game to close the door on Baker’s 53rd career postseason win.
He will look to make it 53 Sunday night at 7PM in a critical Game 2 of this best-of-five series.
The regular season is coming to close and the final playoff standings are beginning to form.
Every manager that will arrive in the playoffs will prepare their team for a potential World Series run. However, there are two managers that have more experience in the playoffs, and are both ready to push for their second championship.
MLBro managers Dave Roberts and Dusty Baker have already solidified playoff spots for their teams and are looking forward to October baseball.
Dave Roberts Just Wins & Wins
Dodgers manager Roberts led his team to a World Series title in the Covid-shortened 2020 season.
Although Roberts is a proven manager, he has won only one of three World Series appearances that his team has been to. With all of the talent that he has had, and his unprecedented regular season success, expectations are still high for him as fans and media alike believe that he is more than capable of leading the team to another ring.
Currently, the Atlanta Braves sit as the favorite to win the National League Pennant, but do not underestimate the longevity and professionalism of Roberts and his Dodgers team.
MLBbro Dusty Baker brought legitimacy back to the Houston Astros organization, after a few years of chaos following their cheating scandal which many fans believe led to their 2017 World Series win.
Many believed that the Astros run was over, but Dusty with his vast experience rallied the team together for a surprise World Series run last season. Long has he been a great manager, but last fall cemented his legacy amongst the elite.
A repeat as World Series champion would place him in a totally separate elite category. He could join MLBbro Cito Gatson as the only other African-American manager to win back-to-back World Series titles.
Dusty Baker Going For Back-To-Back World Series Rings
Both of these MLBbro managers have experienced great success. Dave Roberts has never won less than 91 games in seven full seasons as manager. Dusty is an icon and the pride of Black Baseball.
He’s the only manager to win a division with five different teams. And over the last 30 years he’s accumulated 2.179 wins, good for seventh place all-time just behind Sparky Anderson, who he should pass in 2024 if Dusty decided to manage again, and Joe Torre (2,326).
A dream scenario would be to see the two MLBbros meeting up against each in the Fall classic.
An appearance for the Astros would mark Dusty’s club winning three straight American League pennants, a feat that has not happened since the New York Yankees did it from 1998-2000. Roberts helped the Dodgers to the franchise’s 10th NL West crown in 11 seasons.
There is no guarantee that either manager will end up in the World Series, but one thing we can be sure of is that both MLBbros will have their teams prepared and ready for the challenge.
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