Dusty Baker says mistreatment by Houston media got him thinking about retirement: "A couple instances, a couple articles"

After decades in the MLB as both a player and manager, Dusty Baker has announced his retirement from professional baseball. The Houston Astros had a press conference on Thursday for their former manager, with the trio of Baker, owner Jim Crane, and General Manager Dana Brown answering the media's questions.

"After 26 seasons, Dusty Baker made his retirement official today. Congratulations on an incredible career, Skip!" - @MLBNetwork

Although Baker responded to many questions, one of his answers has raised some eyebrows. When asked about when he decided that he was going to retire, one of the things he mentioned was his treatment by the media in the city of Houston.

Baker explained that retirement was something he was considering over the winter prior to the 2023 campaign but that "there were a couple instances, a couple articles" that helped him make up his mind.

"Dusty Baker said he started thinking about retirement last winter and said "there were a couple instances, a couple articles" that helped him make up his mind" - @AdamSpolane

While he did not go into the specifics of which articles they were, he was clearly deeply bothered by his treatment by the media this season. When asked if he ever felt mistreated or disrespected by the Houston media, Baker replied with a simple, "Sometimes."

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A closer look at the managerial career of the icon, Dusty Baker

After retiring as a player in 1986, Dusty Baker was given his first job as a manager in 1993 with the San Francisco Giants. After spending 10 seasons with the Giants, Baker made his way around the league, managing the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals before landing his final job with the Houston Astros.

Through 4,046 games as a manager in the MLB, Baker finished with a 2183-1862 record. Over 26 seasons, Baker was named the Manager of the Year on three occasions, won three pennants, and one World Series title. He sits eighth all-time in games managed in the MLB, one spot behind Bruce Bochy, whose Texas Rangers eliminated Baker's Houston Astros for the postseason.