What is Dusty Baker’s net worth?
Dusty Baker is a former American baseball player and current manager with a net worth of $20 million. He played in the MLB from 1968 to 1986, beginning his career with the Atlanta Braves after being drafted directly out of high school in 1967. Baker played for the Braves until 1975, then moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers for eight years, winning two Silver Slugger Awards and a Golden Glove Award. He briefly played for the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics before retiring from Major League play.
Baker began his managerial career in the early 90s, managing the San Francisco Giants from 1993 to 2002. During this time, he was named National League Manager of the Year three times and led the team to the World Series in 2002. He later managed the Chicago Cubs from 2003-2006 and the Cincinnati Reds from 2008-2013 before being fired in October of 2013.
In 2016, Baker was hired by the Washington Nationals, where he managed for two seasons. In 2020, he was hired as the manager of the Houston Astros.
Dusty Baker Signs One-Year Contract with Astros
Dusty Baker signed a one-year contract with the Astros in January 2020, worth approximately $1.5 million for the season. Despite leading the team to the World Series, he did not have a contract in place for the following season, making him a rare case among coaches. However, if Dusty signs a new deal with the Astros, it could prove to be quite lucrative for him.
Dusty Baker’s Early Life
Dusty Baker was born in Riverside, California in 1949 and moved to the Sacramento area with his family at the age of 14. He attended Del Campo High School where he excelled in multiple sports including baseball, football, basketball, and track. In 1967, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the amateur draft but got into a conflict with his father who wanted him to attend college instead. Despite this, Baker signed with the Braves, resulting in a seven-year estrangement from his dad.
Baker’s MLB Career and Military Service
Dusty Baker made his MLB debut as an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves in 1968. During the offseason, he played for the Mexican Pacific League’s Yaquis de Obregón. He played his eighth and final season with the Braves in 1975.
At the same time, Baker served with the Marine Corps Reserve in motor transport mechanics, a position he continued through the mid-70s.
Playing Career Highlights
Dusty Baker joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976 and achieved great success with the team. He won National League Championship Series titles in 1977, 1978, and 1981, and was named the inaugural NLCS MVP in 1977. He also made three World Series appearances, winning once in 1981 over the New York Yankees. Baker was selected for the National League All-Star team in both 1981 and 1982. He won two Silver Slugger Awards and a Golden Glove Award during his time with the Dodgers.
Career Summary of Dusty Baker
Dusty Baker played eight seasons each with the Braves and the Dodgers before moving on to the Giants for a single season and the Athletics for two seasons. He ended his playing career in 1986 with a .278 batting average, 242 home runs, and 1,013 RBI.
Baker’s Successful Tenure as Giants Manager
Dusty Baker began coaching for the San Francisco Giants in 1988 as a first base coach, eventually becoming the hitting coach for four years. He replaced Roger Craig as manager in 1993, leading the Giants to a 103-59 record in his first year. This success earned him the NL Manager of the Year Award.
During Baker’s leadership, the Giants won division titles in 1997 and 2000, and even advanced to the World Series in 2002. His regular-season record as Giants manager was 840 wins and 715 losses.
Baker’s Time as Cubs Manager
In 2002, Dusty Baker became the manager of the Chicago Cubs, replacing Don Baylor. He led the team to their first division title in 14 years and their first postseason series victory since 1908. However, in the subsequent years, the team’s performance declined, and Baker left the Cubs after the 2005 season with a regular-season record of 322 wins and 326 losses.
Baker’s success with the Cincinnati Reds
Dusty Baker was hired as manager of the Cincinnati Reds in 2007. He experienced his peak with the team in 2010, winning the Central Division title and making the team’s first playoff appearance in 15 years. The Reds claimed the Central title again in 2012, even though Baker was in the hospital at the time. However, after the team’s sixth consecutive loss in the next season, Baker was fired. His record with the team was 509 wins and 463 losses in the regular season.
Dusty Baker’s Managerial Career with the Nationals
In 2016, Dusty Baker became the manager of the Washington Nationals, leading them to win the NL East. However, they fell to the Dodgers in the NLDS. The following year, the Nationals once again made it to the NL East but were defeated in the NLDS by the Cubs.
Dusty Baker’s Accomplishments as Manager of the Houston Astros
Dusty Baker became the new manager of the Houston Astros in early 2020. With the team, he accomplished many notable feats, including becoming the first baseball manager to lead five different teams into the postseason. In 2021, Baker notched his 1,900th career win as manager, and led the Astros to the AL West title. The team went on to the ALCS, beating the Boston Red Sox to give Baker his first AL pennant.
Family and Philanthropy
Dusty Baker is married to Melissa and they have a son named Darren. He also has a daughter named Melissa from a previous marriage. The family resides in Granite Bay, California.
Beyond his career in baseball, Baker is also a philanthropist and a member of the National Advisory Board for Positive Coaching Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering student-athletes through positive youth sports experiences. Baker has contributed to the organization by appearing in several educational videos and other content.
Dusty Baker’s Battle with the IRS
In the late 1980s, Dusty Baker invested in various tax shelters based on his brother’s advice. This decision led to trouble with the IRS, and Dusty’s debt reached several million dollars. By the late 1990s, despite earning $900,000 annually as the manager of the San Francisco Giants, his wages were being garnished by the IRS to the point that he was only allotted 1% of his salary to live off of, or about $90,000 per year.
To help him through this period, Giants owner Peter Magowan loaned Baker $1 million as part of a contract negotiation in 2000. The IRS issues were resolved soon after, and when Baker was hired by the Chicago Cubs in 2003, he repaid the loan in full.
Dusty Baker’s Granite Bay Estate
In 2003, Dusty Baker purchased a 5-acre plot of land in Granite Bay, California for $589,000. He then built a 9,000 square-foot mansion and other structures on the property, including a basketball court and expansive lawns. Today, this estate is estimated to be worth $5-6 million.
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