With Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker on the verge of winning his first World Series in his 25 seasons as a major league manager, it’s time to reflect on some of the best MLB managers of all time.
Even though the 73-year-old manager of the Astros is yet to win a World Series title as a manager, he has had one of the most successful managerial careers based on win totals. Baker currently ranks 9th all-time in total wins, and while his lack of World Series rings will hurt his ranking on the list of best MLB managers, he has been a winner throughout his career, posting a .539 all-time win percentage.
Dusty Baker has appeared in 140 #Postseason games as a player, coach and manager over his career. The Phillies franchise as a whole? Just 114 postseason games. 😳 https://t.co/AjjNvjraYW
“Dusty Baker has appeared in 140 #Postseason games as a player, coach and manager over his career. The Phillies franchise as a whole? Just 114 postseason games.” – MLB Network
We will focus on five of the best MLB managers of all time. Legendary managers such as Joe McCarthy, Connie Mack, John McGraw, Casey Stengel, and Tony La Russa have been among the greatest to have ever filled out a lineup card. The five managers mentioned combined for 13,426 MLB wins. Needless to say, they know a thing or two about winning.
Is Joe McCarthy the best MLB manager of all time?
While baseball fans may hate the New York Yankees, there is no denying the resume of former Yankees manager Joe McCarthy. McCarthy is tied with another Yankees manager, Casey Stengel, for the most World Series championships with seven.
In 24 seasons as an MLB manager, McCarthy never finished a season with a losing record. His all-time record of 2,125-1,333 gives him a winning percentage of .615%, which ranks first in MLB history.
If titles and win percentage aren’t enough to consider Joe McCarthy the best MLB manager of all-time, what about the fact that his postseason winning percentage of .698 ranks as the highest in MLB history? This includes all managers who have coached in the postseason at least three times.
Joe McCarthy. Ted Williams. Coca-ColaBaseball for the win https://t.co/Vzt99Gjeib
“Joe McCarthy. Ted Williams. Coca-Cola. Baseball for the win.” – OldTimeHardball
Connie Mack, the MLB’s all-time win leader
Connie Mack is a winner. In fact, Mack has won 968 more games than any other manager in MLB history. While his win percentage was .486, the fact that Mack managed for an absurd 53 years, Mack was able to produce records that will never be broken.
His 3,731 wins will never be surpassed, meaning he is the best MLB manager in history, right? Well, his 3,948 total losses will also stand the test of time. He holds 1,433 more losses than Tony La Russa, who sits second on the all-time list.
“Amazing footage of Kid Gleason and Connie Mack talking about baseball back in the old days! #MLB #Legends #History #WorldSeries” – Baseball by B Smile
Throughout his extraordinary career, Mack won five World Series titles in 1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, and 1930.
Casey Stengel, the other 7-time champion
How does one rank Casey Stengel on the all-time list? While he is tied for the record with seven World Series titles, there are plenty of arguments against Stengel’s Hall of Fame career.
He currently ranks 13th on the all-time MLB wins list with 1,905 and has a career win percentage of .508%. Those numbers, coupled with his seven World Series titles, certainly warrant recognition as one of the best to ever do so. However, critics will say that he managed one of the most talented rosters in MLB history.
Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel, and Mickey Mantle talking before a game, 1960s https://t.co/XafJl2e3Ok
“Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel, and Mickey Mantle talking before a game, 1960s” – Baseball in Pics
During his time with the New York Yankees, Stengel managed legends Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzuto. Another argument against Stengel is the fact that he hasn’t won more than 77 games in a single season.
No matter what side of the argument fans are on, Casey Stengel is one of the best MLB managers to ever do it.
Tony La Russa’s incredible life in baseball
As the most modern entry to this list, Tony La Russa currently ranks 2nd on the all-time MLB wins list. Over the course of his 35-year managerial career, La Russa racked up an astounding 2,902 wins, a number that may never be surpassed.
One of La Russa’s biggest strengths during his career has been longevity. He won his first World Series title in 1989 with the San Francisco Giants, and his last with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. The gap between his first and last titles showcases La Russa’s continued ability to succeed, even as the game changed.
“Tony La Russa will announce his retirement as White Sox manager on Monday, per @BNightengale” – Fox Sports: MLB
While his 2022 season with the Chicago White Sox was a disappointment, La Russa will go down as one of the best MLB managers to ever do so.
John McGraw, the MLB Pennant King
Throughout his 33-year managerial career, John McGraw set the MLB record by winning 10 pennants. While he only finished with three World Series championships, McGraw had one of the most successful careers in MLB history.
His MLB record win/loss differential of 815 bolsters his case as the best MLB manager of all time. McGraw’s 2,763 career wins have him ranked third on the all-time win list, just behind Connie Mack and Tony La Russa. From 1903 to 1931, he had a winning percentage of at least .536 in 27 of 29 seasons.
Had he found more success in the postseason, McGraw could very well have gone down in history as the unquestioned best MLB manager. However, his struggles in the playoffs open the door for discussion with the other managers mentioned in this article.
John McGraw tossing the ball while Mathewson watches https://t.co/XxIplsItIp
“John McGraw tossing the ball while Mathewson watches” – BaseballHistoryNut
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