What is Dusty Baker’s net worth?
Dusty Baker is an American former baseball player and current manager who has a net worth of $20 million dollars. As a player Dusty was in the MLB from 1968 to 1986. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves directly out of high school in 1967. He spent one year in the Minor Leagues, and then made his Major League debut in October of 1986.
He went on to play for the Atlanta Braves until 1975. He then played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1976 to 1983. While with the Dodgers, he was named an All-Star twice, and won the 1981 World Series. He then played for the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics briefly, before retiring from Major League play.
While playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1976 to 1983, Baker won two Silver Slugger Awards and a Golden Glove Award.
He began working as a manager in the early 90s. He managed the San Francisco Giants from 1993 to 2002, and was named National League Manager of the Year three times during his tenure with the team. He took the team to the World Series in 2002, but they walked away defeated.
He managed the Chicago Cubs from 2003-2006, and the Cincinnati Reds from 2008-2013. He was fired from the Reds in October of 2013.
In 2016 Dusty was hired by the Washington Nationals. He stayed there for two seasons. In 2020 he was hired as the manager of the Houston Astros.
Salary
In January 2020 Dusty signed a one-year contract with the Astros that pays around $1.5 million for the season. That means he ended up being a rare case of a coach who brought his team to the World Series without a contract in place for the following season. That could prove to be lucrative if Dusty signs a new deal with the Astros.
Early Life
Dusty Baker was born as Johnnie B. Baker Jr. on June 15, 1949 in Riverside, California. He is the oldest of five children. At the age of 14, Baker moved with his family to the Sacramento area, where his father worked at McClellan Air Force Base. In the area, Baker went to Del Campo High School, where he excelled in numerous sports including baseball, football, basketball, and track. In 1967, after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the amateur draft, Baker got into a major conflict with his father, who wanted him to attend college instead. However, Baker forged ahead and signed with the Braves, resulting in an estrangement from his dad that lasted for seven years.
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Career Beginnings
Baker made his MLB debut as an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves in 1968. At the same time, he served with the Marine Corps Reserve in motor transport mechanics, a position he continued through the mid-70s. During the decade in the offseason, Baker played for the Mexican Pacific League’s Yaquis de Obregón. He played his eighth and final season with the Braves in 1975.
Los Angeles Dodgers
In 1976, Baker joined the Los Angeles Dodgers; with the team, he would have the greatest playing successes of his career. Among his achievements, he won National League Championship Series titles in 1977, 1978, and 1981. In the former year, Baker was named the inaugural NLCS MVP. Additionally, he made three World Series appearances, winning once in 1981 over the New York Yankees. Baker also played for the National League All-Star team in both 1981 and 1982. In his other accomplishments with the Dodgers, he won two Silver Slugger Awards and a Golden Glove Award.
Final Playing
Following eight seasons apiece with both the Braves and the Dodgers, Baker played a single season with the San Francisco Giants and two seasons with the Oakland Athletics. He concluded his playing career in 1986 with a .278 batting average, including 242 home runs and 1,013 RBI.
San Francisco Giants Manager
In 1988, Baker began coaching for the San Francisco Giants as a first base coach. For the subsequent four years, he served as the hitting coach. In 1993, Baker replaced Roger Craig as manager of the team. His first year was a major success, as he led the Giants to a 103-59 record, and won the NL Manager of the Year Award. Under Baker’s leadership, the team won division titles in 1997 and 2000, and advanced to the World Series in 2002. Baker concluded his tenure as Giants manager with a regular-season record of 840 wins and 715 losses.
Chicago Cubs Manager
In 2002, Baker replaced Don Baylor as manager of the Chicago Cubs. Continuing his managerial success, he went on to lead the Cubs to their first division title in 14 years; he then led the Cubs to their first postseason series victory since 1908. However, the subsequent years were less great, as the team’s performance progressively worsened. Baker left the Cubs after the 2005 season, finishing his tenure with a regular-season record of 322 wins and 326 losses.
Cincinnati Reds Manager
Baker was hired as manager of the Cincinnati Reds in 2007. He had his peak with the team in 2010, when the Reds became one of the MLB’s breakout success stories, winning the Central Division title and making their first playoff appearance in 15 years. The team once again claimed the Central title in 2012, even though Baker was laid up in the hospital at the time. The next season, Baker was fired following the Reds’ sixth consecutive loss; he concluded his tenure with a record of 509 wins and 463 losses in the regular season.
Washington Nationals Manager
In 2016, three years after being fired by the Reds, Baker became the new manager of the Washington Nationals. The team went on to win the NL East before falling in the NLDS to the Dodgers. In 2017, the Nationals again made it to the NL East before losing in the NLDS, this time to the Cubs.
Houston Astros Manager
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.
Personal Life and Philanthropy
Baker is married to his wife Melissa, with whom he has a son named Darren. From a prior marriage, he has a daughter named Melissa. The family resides in Granite Bay, California.
On the philanthropic side of things, Baker is a member of the national non-profit organization the National Advisory Board for Positive Coaching Alliance. The group is devoted to providing student-athletes with empowering youth sports experiences. Baker has appeared in numerous videos and other educational content for the organization.
IRS Problems
Around the time Dusty was hired to be the manger of the SF Giants in the early 1990s he was in the midst of a battle with the IRS. Dusty got into trouble after, following the advice of his brother, in the late 1980s he invested in various tax shelters. With penalties, interest and back taxes owed, Dusty’s debt reached several million dollars.
By the late 1990s when Dusty was earning $900,000 per year in salary from the Giants, his wages were being garnished by the IRS to the point where he was only allotted 1% of his salary to live-off per year… around $90,000.
As part of a contract negotiation in 2000, Giants owner Peter Magowan loaned Baker $1 million to help him through the period. The IRS issues were resolved soon thereafter. When Dusty was hired away by the Chicago Cubs ahead of the 2003 season, he repaid the loan in full.
Real Estate
In June 2003 Dusty paid $589,000 for an undeveloped 5-acre plot of land in Granite Bay, California (near Sacramento). Over the next couple years he built what became a 9,000 square-foot mansion on a palatial estate that features multiple structures, enormous lawns, basketball court and more. Today this property is likely worth $5-6 million.