Dusty Baker
Dusty Baker
Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker, Jr.is an American Major League Baseball manager and former player. He is currently the manager for the Washington Nationals. He enjoyed a 19-year career as a hard-hitting outfielder, primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. He helped the Dodgers to pennants in 1977 and 1978 and to the championship in 1981. He then enjoyed a 20-year career as a manager with the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and now Washington Nationals. He...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth15 June 1949
CityRiverside, CA
CountryUnited States of America
It's very rare for me. It's almost like an unreal situation, but that makes you appreciate it more when you get back ? that pennant races and going to the playoffs just doesn't happen automatically. It humbles you.
It's very positive. I think he's done an outstanding job. I'm very happy for Jim.
It's very encouraging. I'm sure he'll probably have a headache.
It's very weird for me. It's almost like an unreal situation.
It's very intense. It's probably intensified more since Tony and I came here. When you play 18 times against a team that's had a long-time rivalry, and my former manager and my former confidant, that just increases things.
It's still a work in progress a little bit.
It's something we talked about. Again, the decision is up to the player. There's quite a bit of pressure on these guys, especially the guys from Latin America more than anybody because of the magnitude and importance of baseball in those areas.
It's similar to what happened last year. We'll see today. It's sort of out of our control some.
It's not a concern. It's something we have to continue -- and he has to continue -- to address without losing his competitiveness. He's the one who has to get it. A kid, you can spank a kid. He's a little too big to spank.
Everyone in town and the whole team knows what's at stake.
Everybody was a rookie at some time. They've all had starts now; they all know what it's about.
Everybody says, 'Play the kids, play the kids.' But I've got seven games against Houston. Against Houston, I've got to play my best team. We could have a direct impact on who goes. There's always something to play for.
The big blow was walking the pitcher. We walked him twice.
The ball kept coming over the heart of the plate. It was supposed to be outside and it caught too much of the plate. He threw a lot of pitches (105) in a short period of time.