Not everyone was sold on Dusty Baker when he became manager of the Giants. And not everybody was sold on Peter Magowan, the guy who hired Baker. Both were walking into jobs for which they had no experience.
“Peter stuck his neck out for me,” Baker said during a Monday morning appearance on KNBR, one day after Magowan died of cancer at 76. “Even some people I knew quite well were some of the people who said, ‘Hey, he needs three or four years in the minor leagues.’ Peter said, ‘I believe in Dusty.’ It was one of the most joyous moments I had in my life when I was named the manager.