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
Competition sometimes will make you sharper than you believe you are. Anybody who watched those games, you could tell it was serious competition.
You'd think he's left-handed when you watch him throw. He's one of the best athletes I've been around. People are surprised when they see him run. This guy can fly.
You know how I feel about the guy -- I love the guy. I would've loved to have played with him, and behind him. I've enjoyed watching him here with us. He's one of the few guys I've had who has earned the right -- and you know he's not going to abuse the right -- to call his own shots. This guy is a pro. You don't know he's around. He never boasts or brags.
We were really watching him this time, that why we took him out so early.
It is a little strange to be watching baseball that counts at this time of year. I know our guys are really excited.
We are going to try to take him at a natural progression to have him ready when the season starts. We are going to watch him closely.
I was watching a game the other night, and in between the innings, a goat ran across the screen. I thought that was the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life. Or vote 1-800-Which Curse is Stronger, the Goat or the Curse of the Babe. It's crazy.
I always tell people to just watch him, be like him.
I'm seeing a fresh start to me. I've got a pretty good idea, watching him hit, of his strengths and weaknesses. When the games start, I'll get an even better idea. The thing I don't know yet is, is he a fast starter? Slow starter? It's like with D-Lee -- how many at-bats does he need?
A gutsy performance by Mark. We knew we were going to keep him between 90-100 pitches because the last time out he threw 130. We were really watching him this time, that why we took him out so early.
You can sort of tell that teams are here, or teams are improved. Watch the winter deals they make ? the maturity of the young players.
We hung a slider and Albert doesn't miss sliders too much. He doesn't miss pitches up in the zone.
We hung a slider and Albert doesn't miss sliders too much, ... He doesn't miss pitches up in the zone.
We certainly don't need to start having this now.