The Skippers

Both have Braves roots -- one at the beginning of his career, the other for his entire professional life.
Dusty Baker has seeming been a part of everyone's baseball vernacular. Having made his big league debut with 1968 Braves -- during the week The Rascals' "People Got to Be Free" was number-one -- he'll be taking part in his sixth World Series. After three as a Dodgers player and one as a Giants, he managed San Francisco against Anaheim in the 2002 Fall Classic. After his Nationals failed to win a playoff series, some thought his career might be over. Now. at age 72, he returns with the Astros -- still dealing with residual baggage from their tainted 2017 title run -- to face the Braves.

Up till now, his only ring came from the '81 Dodgers, who, after dropping the first two games, rolled past the Yankees in four straight. So Dusty still has unfinished business.

Brian Snitker is a different kind of baseball lifer. He's spent his 45-year entire career in the Braves system. After four seasons as a minor league player, he moved into coaching, and from the mid '80s, alternated being coaching in Atlanta and managing one of the organization's farm clubs. His big break came in 2016, when he became the interim manager after Fredi Gonzalez was fired -- and lost the "interim" tag the following winter. With four straight NL East titles and an upset of the heavily favored Dodgers in this year's NLCS, the Illinois native will be introduced to the big stage as the World Series begins tonight.


 


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