Dusty Baker has agreed to a two-year contract extension. (US Presswire)

CINCINNATI—The Cincinnati Reds and manager Dusty Baker have agreed to a two-year contract extension, the club announced Monday afternoon. The announcement will be made Monday at 3 p.m. ET news conference in Cincinnati.

“In Dusty’s five seasons here he’s taken us to the postseason twice and has proven he can lead our teams to championship-caliber play on the field,” Reds president and CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement. “He’s the right manager to continue the building process that will take us deeper and deeper into the playoffs in the future.”

Baker, 63, led the Reds to a 97-65 regular-season record, winning the NL Central. This success was despite losing superstar first baseman Joey Votto for a significant amount of time in the second half of the season. Baker himself missed 11 games late in the season following a ministroke.

The Reds blew a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five NLDS to the Giants, but they were without ace Johnny Cueto, who left Game 1 injured and had to be replaced on the roster by fifth starter Mike Leake.

Baker has been managing for 19 seasons with the Giants, Cubs and Reds. He has gone 1,581-1,432 during the regular season, winning five division championships. He has been the National League Manager of the Year three times (and has a shot at winning a fourth this season).

One thing that Baker is missing as a manager? A ring. He has won one pennant, with the 2002 Giants, but lost the World Series to the Angels.

Dusty is the ONLY Cub Manager to win a Post Season series since 1906, and he took the Giants to game 7 of the 2002 World Series. The Reds remain a contender for 2013, while the Cubs are light years away from GETTING to the Playoffs, much less the World Series.
Were mistakes made in the 2003 Playoffs,and even during the ill-fated stretch run in 2004? Of course, but it’s as much a Players issue as anything.