Do you know the number for ? 2h2d new Baker芒聙聶s firing Friday, after the Reds were eliminated by the Pirates in the NL sudden death play-in game, was not unexpected. He was never GM Walt Jocketty芒聙聶s guy and they clashed openly on a number of occasions this year, beginning in the spring when Jocketty wanted Aroldis Chapman in the starting rotation and Baker fought to keep him as closer. Baker won that one, and it芒聙聶s a good thing he did, as Chapman had another lights-out year as one of the elite closers in baseball (a perfect 38-for-38 in saves, 112 strikeouts, 29 walks in 63 2 芒聛聞 3 innings) and Baker lost three of his primary set-up men, Jonathan Broxton, Sean Marshall and Nick Masset, to injuries for considerable periods of time. Baker and Jocketty芒聙聶s final disagreement came late in the season when Baker pushed for speed merchant Billy Hamilton to be brought up. Jocketty wanted to keep him in the minors but finally relented and Hamilton played a major role in the Reds winning four games down the stretch with his baserunning.
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