Nats reportedly willing to talk contract extension with Dusty Baker

The Washington Nationals may be cruising down Baker Street for a bit longer.

According to a report by Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post on Tuesday, the Nationals are willing to discuss an extension with manager Dusty Baker, who is entering the final year of his contract in 2017.

Baker, 67, led Washington to a 95-67 record and a National League East division title in his first season as their manager in 2016. He also finished third in NL Manager of the Year voting but presided over an early postseason exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, adding to his noted history of underachieving in the playoffs.

A notoriously old-school skipper who is never afraid to speak his mind (sometimes to a fault), Baker has his shortcomings as a manager and a tactician, but the Nats could certainly do worse than extending him.