AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 17, 2021

Dusty Baker

Fenway Park

Houston Astros

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Any update on Luis García?

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah. He is feeling a lot better. He had a bullpen session today and made some adjustments, and he is doing pretty good.

Q. As far as Game 4 goes, would he be -- what are your options for Game 4 and maybe how you can piece that together?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, we're not exactly sure yet, so we'll address that probably after Game 3. You don't want to just tell everybody and especially in our position you don't want to tell them everything, so we got a few options. We got some plans, but a lot of it depends on Game 3.

Q. The Red Sox are staying pretty static with their lineup.

DUSTY BAKER: Who?

Q. The Red Sox. They'll stay pretty static with their lineup. Does that make it any easier to try to map out these games from a pitching standpoint?

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah, there's no surprises. You can map out these games, but you don't know which order that they're going on put them in. They're going to have to cast the same guys, and it might change your mapping from day to day depending on who is leading off, as you see one day Schwarber was leading off and batting second, and then Martinez was batting clean-up and then he was batting fifth the last game. It just depends on we'll map it out once we get their lineup.

Q. What are some of the positives you can take away from yesterday's game?

DUSTY BAKER: I answered that yesterday. The fact that you like to see Yuli get started. You know, Yuli had a good game. The fact that everybody knows our team is not going to quit. We got some good work out of our bullpen, and we came out healthy. That's what I pray for every day is to come out of each day in good health.

Q. What are some of the added challenges of not only playing on the road but playing three straight games on the road?

DUSTY BAKER: Everybody knows the road is difficult. Probably the challenges that are going to be here, more than anything, are the weather conditions. You know, playing outside, where here we are playing in a controlled environment. It's supposed to be -- I heard it's supposed to be cold, like New England fall cold, but this is something that you have to put out of your mind. That's probably the major challenge.

The wall is probably one of the main challenges, for our outfielders and infielders. Especially if you haven't been there. They know their wall and their stadium better than anybody. Very little foul territory down the left field line. I think it's only a foot or two or less, so that's a major challenge. It changes your cut-offs and relay positions, your infielders have to go out more. You got caroms down the line, and you got caroms off the wall.

Q. Does Castro's continued production offensively make you maybe want to give him a start at some point in the series? Especially three in a row now in Boston.

DUSTY BAKER: Well, it's going to matter on who is pitching for us and who is pitching for them. You are going to need everybody on the team, and once we just determine and who is starting for us and who is starting for them, then we'll see.

Q. Actually, I have two for you, Dusty: You mentioned you obviously could have worked out today at Fenway. Do you think tomorrow takes care of all those things you mentioned, just being able to have batting practice there?

DUSTY BAKER: It's a late game. It's 8:00, so, therefore, you know, some of our guys can go out there a little bit earlier. We thought it was better that we work out here versus leave early in the morning. You know, get there, work out, have a late dinner. I wanted my guys to get a workout here and then get into Boston early enough to have a nice meal and relaxing time. Much like -- you ever seen gladiator movies? They always have a good meal before the fight.

Q. You mentioned Luis García in the bullpen. You said you made some adjustments. Can you expand on that exactly?

DUSTY BAKER: No.

Q. Hey, Dusty. Given the opponent and the stakes and the fact that your bullpen has had to take on a lot of work already, how big of a challenge is it going to be for Jose and your Game 4 starter and presumably Framber going in there and getting it done?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, we'll see if they rise to the occasion or not. They've done it in the past. Jose, I think he was a little rookie pitching in the World Series, and he is a very calm, cool, very mature dude, and so if anybody can handle it like Jose, we feel he can handle it. We feel very confident with Jose.

Framber should take us a lot deeper in the game than he did the other day. Sometimes regardless of the game or the stakes or whatever it is you don't have the same quality every day. The fact that he didn't throw too many pitches, we feel is going to be to his benefit.

Q. Just to clarify on Luis, he is staying on the roster? You don't have any plans to replace him?

DUSTY BAKER: No, no.

Q. I know you said you're still weighing your options for Game 4, but Zack Greinke has yet to pitch. Is he going to be one of the options at the forefront of your mind?

DUSTY BAKER: Yes. Yep. Good question.

Q. You just mentioned Framber. Would he be your Game 5 starter?

DUSTY BAKER: Like I said, we don't know. Depends on how Game 3 goes. That's a very important game in a seven-game series, that third game, so we'll see. We'll see how the third game goes.

Q. I guess as a follow-up, everyone talks about how resilient his arm is and how he can bounce back probably better than anyone on staff.

DUSTY BAKER: Correct.

Q. Would you have any qualms pitching him on short rest if you had to?

DUSTY BAKER: No, not really. Short rest -- you know, when he didn't work very deep or long, it's kind of like not short rest. Kind of half rest.

Q. Dusty, do you have any updates on Jake Meyers?

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah. Jake threw today. He looked better than he had the last few days, and so then we'll make a decision on that tomorrow. He is doing a lot better.

Q. This is your first season you ever managed at Fenway Park, and you only played eight games there in your career. Any particular memories of Fenway Park as a player or just managing earlier this year?

DUSTY BAKER: It has its challenges. It's a very historical park. I thought about Ted Williams playing there and Carl Yastrzemski, my teammate Reggie Jackson, the number of great players, Tony Conigliaro that I grew up watching. The main memory I have of Fenway, I was walking to Fenway from the hotel -- I don't remember what hotel we stayed at -- and then I asked how to get to Fenway, and they told me go around the corner, do this, do that, bam, I was right in front of Fenway, and I asked some guy, because I didn't see it. I didn't see any lights. I didn't see the high stadiums that you are used to seeing. I asked some guy, I says, hey, man, how do I get to Fenway? He says, "wise ass" or something. He says, "It's right there." I said, oh, okay. Thank you.

Q. (No microphone).

DUSTY BAKER: Reggie Smith was my teammate. He had a little tough time in Boston at that time, and it's a great town. I mean, I spent time in Boston going to see MIT and going to see Boston College and going to see Harvard and walked around Harvard Square. I felt a lot smarter when I left there.