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District On Deck

Washington Nationals: How Does Baker Fit With NL East Managers?

By Ron Juckett

Oct 11, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker (12) before the Nationals play against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker (12) before the Nationals play against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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MLB: San Diego Padres at New York Mets
MLB: San Diego Padres at New York Mets /

TERRY COLLINS – NEW YORK METS

There were times last year when the veteran Terry Collins looked tired. Injuries ravished the New York Mets. Matt Harvey, Lucas Duda and David Wright missed large portions of the season. The Mets looked bored.

Then, in August, Collins played a card unique to New York. He called out their effort in a press conference ensuring his words would splash all over the back pages of the tabloids. It worked as the Mets hosted the NL Wild Card game before running into Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants.

As they came off their first World Series trip in a generation, you can understand why the Mets played tired most of the year. With a shortened offseason full of obligations, it is hard to get the mental rest needed to go through the grind again.

Collins, facing the same challenges, rose his game, stuck his neck out, and shoved his team back to the playoffs.

For the record, Collins challenged only 28 calls, winning 18. Barely one a week.

The last two years, he has earned top fives in the NL Manager of the Year vote. In his six years with the Amazins’, New York went from cellar-dwellers to pennant winners. Collins is poised for another run this year and will do what he has to do to get there.

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