Dusty Baker: I Don’t Plan On Retiring

Dusty Baker isn’t going to be forced into retirement.

The Cincinnati Reds fired Baker after six years on Friday. Baker, who has brought the Reds three times out of the last four years, said that he was surprised by the organizations decision

Baker told USA Today: “It’s going to take a couple of days just to pack my stuff up… I wasn’t ready for this. I really wasn’t. I thought I’d still be here.”

The Reds were eliminated from the playoffs last week when they lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a wild card game. Shortly after the loss, Baker was fired by the Reds.

Reds general manager Walt Jocketty originally said that Baker would be retained. That decision changed on Thursday, however, when Jocketty and owner Bob Castellini said that they were concerned with Baker’s health.

Baker did suffer a stroke last winter and health may have been the biggest concern for the Reds organization. But Dusty says that he feels fine, has plenty of energy, and isn’t planning to retire.

Baker said: “I am not retiring… I am not taking a year off. I feel better now than I did a year go at this time. I got a clean bill of health. They said I’m doing great. Please, let everybody know, I still plan on managing.”

CBS Sports notes that the Reds have gone 509-463 (.524) under Baker’s watch. They have won two division titles and had three seasons with 90-plus victories. The Reds have not won a playoff series with Baker. In fact, the team hasn’t won a postseason series since 1995.

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