Wow. Their guidelines say 9-12 months and I thought THAT was long. Still reasonable, though, since they're reading the whole ms, and no doubt get buried with submissions.
Baen doesn't want queries either. Makes sense to me. It's easier for an aspiring author to send a single page query rather than the whole sha-bang. Requiring everything up front might be a way of weeding out the authors who aren't ready to commit yet. It also kinda forces you to do your homework. Would you send a publisher the entire novel if you weren't absolutely sure they are the right place for your work? Or that said work wasn't as perfect as it could be? Some might. But I sure wouldn't.
Not sure where you got that idea from, especially regarding Baen Books. They're one of the few places still in business that is known for seeking out new talent, no matter who you are or who you know, thanks to the model Jim Baen left behind for them to follow.
The odds aren't good because most people either submit crap writing (as in, they're a fan of Baen Books and thought they could write one based solely on their fandom... don't believe me? check out the "Introducing" subs at Baen's Bar), or submit stories that don't fit they're guidelines. They are very specific in what they're looking for.