Twin traumas have haunted Dusty Baker for nearly two decades. Late Friday, they fused as he tried to clinch a pennant as manager of the Houston Astros. If Baker had chosen to hide until the storm blew over, you’d have understood: He was leading 5-0 in Game 6 of a championship series.
Normally, this would be a very good thing. But the scoreboard also read 5-0 in Anaheim, California, when Baker’s San Francisco Giants had a chance to close out the 2002 World Series. The Angels stormed back to win and took the title the next night.
If that sixth game seemed crushing, Baker’s next one was even worse. Five outs from winning the 2003 National League Championship Series with the Chicago Cubs, Baker watched the pennant disappear when a fan touched off a hellscape by innocently reaching for a foul ball.