MLB legend sings praises of Dusty Baker: "He gave everything he had to that organization. He deserves all of the credit in the world"

Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz heaped praise upon Astros manager Dusty Baker, saying, "He deserves all the credit in the world" after guiding them out of a tumultuous period all the way to the World Series title. The 73-year-old manager won the 2022 World Series with the Astros, making him the oldest manager to win the feat.

In the words of Red Sox legend David Ortiz:

"That organization went through some crazy [stuff], and he continued to build up the confidence of the players, and look what happened. He gave everything he had to that organization. He deserves all the credit in the world."

Ortiz, a three-time World Series champion, went on to explain the quality of Baker’s career, saying:

“Dusty, man, he’s just another on another level. You ask players how they feel about him, and they’ll tell you he’s like their uncle, their dad, their grandfather. He’s family.’’

The beloved Houston Astros manager has received widespread adoration from the baseball world for his work with the team over the last three years. Having taken over the job in January 2020, following their infamous sign-stealing scandal, Baker had a big task in hand. But he was able to quickly change the narrative and focus on building the team to where they are now.

Ortiz describes Baker's management style, saying, "You ask players how they feel about him, and they’ll tell you he’s like their uncle, their dad, their grandfather. He’s family.’’

Dusty Baker's journey with the Houston Astros began in 2020, following the dismissal of former manager A.J. Hicks following the exposure of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. COVID-19, affecting the 60-game season, will be remembered as one of the toughest and most unusual in the history of the league.

Dusty Baker's troubles were further increased by season-ending injuries suffered by three regular players, which forced them to resort to a variety of young talents. They finally ended their season with a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in a 7-game encounter.

The 2022 season told a different story, with players like Jeremy Pena and Justin Verlander displaying stellar performances for the Astros to send them flying into the postseason. They began their postseason against the Seattle Mariners in the 2022 American League Division Series and won three straight games to book a spot in the ALCS and Dusty Baker's first-ever LDS sweep as a manager. The Yankees were next to be cast aside in the ALCS to set up a meeting against the Phillies for the World Series. The rest is history.