MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

November 2, 2022

Dusty Baker

Citizens Bank Park

Houston Astros

Pregame 4 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right we'll get started with questions for Dusty.

Q. So in light of what Harper's been doing this postseason, since you managed the Giants in 2002, I would like you to think back and compare to what Barry did in that World Series.

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah, I mean, they're both great hitters. If you make a mistake, they can hit you out, and if you make a good pitch, they can hit you out. Every pitch that they hit out is not a mistake. Sometimes the hitters get you. And you just hope that you can keep 'em in the ballpark.

Q. So with Barry, the four home runs, six RBIs in the series, how does that stand out in your memory?

DUSTY BAKER: At this point, it really doesn't. I don't know. It's kind of a faint memory. It was a pleasant memory because Barry had had some struggles prior to that in the postseason. And like I said, I don't go back too much in time and bring stuff forward.

Q. How have you seen teams attacking Yordan since the ALDS and kind of what have you thought of his approach and some of the swings he's taken?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, they're kind of teasing him. You know, he's a young hitter. It's a situation where you might have to take some walks, but when you're a young hitter and can hit, you want to hit. But it's hard to hit low-percentage pitches, but also at the same time, it's tough to be selective when you want to hit, and it's tough to be selective when you are a young hitter and you want to contribute to your team.

He's a team guy. His parents are here, first time since Cuba. And I played in front of my parents. You want to do something in front of your parents. So I just urged him just to be a little more patient, but that's easier said than done.

Q. Tomorrow night you guys will play Game 5, obviously, and then the Texans will play the Eagles on Thursday Night Football in Houston. Just what's been your observation being here for a couple days, just, you mentioned going to the market yesterday, just being around the fan base, being in the stadium last night, where have you two cities that are about to play a World Series game and a nationally televised NFL game on the same night tomorrow night?

DUSTY BAKER: Are we playing at the same time?

Q. I think pretty close, yeah.

DUSTY BAKER: So I don't get to see that game.

Yeah, I mean, like, I've always liked the Eagles, but I like the Texans because Lovie Smith is my partner from Chicago. I think it's great for the city. It's great for any city when you have a World Series and you've got an undefeated football team. So I'm sure it's not going to probably affect the crowd on either. They'll probably have sellout crowds at both.

Q. Given what you've been through, what does MLB Stand Up To Cancer tonight mean to you and would you mind sharing with us who you'll write on your card?

DUSTY BAKER: Actually, I'll write on my card my mother-in-law that's passed. She passed, shoot, when my son was very, very young, with breast cancer. And then my dad had prostate cancer and beat it. I had prostate cancer. I think my, couple uncles and grandfathers had prostate cancer. And then I had some other buddies that had cancer.

Cancer, we got to find a way. I mean, we've been trying to, we've been talking about it for a long time and I'm sure it's not that easy. I think about Gary Pettis, and he's back. I think about Trey Mancini. And we've made some tremendous strides. I mean, we're in one of the premier towns in America for cancer with the MD Anderson Center. So the one that really devastates me is child cancers. That's the one that saddens me probably the most.

Q. To follow up on that, Trey Mancini mentioned that you and he have spoken about your shared experiences with cancer. What was the message you tried to impart on him?

DUSTY BAKER: I don't know if there was a message. Mine wasn't as serious as his. And I followed it from afar when he was in Baltimore. And a lot of guys that have had cancer, especially prostate cancer, called me for advice or asked me what I did for mine or whatever, whether friends or baseball players or whatever.

I was praying for him the whole time because I couldn't imagine going through what he went through at such a young age while I was playing ball. So I'm really proud of him. I've got a special spot in my heart for him, and praying it never comes back.

Q. Every fan base has a personality. Philadelphia, boo Santa Claus, whatever --

DUSTY BAKER: Is that why Santa was on the board? They didn't boo him yesterday.

Q. But how would you describe what you saw and heard of the 45,000 last night?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, I wasn't in the stands, but I mean, I think they were pretty civil and having a pretty good time. I mean, it looked like, you know, I didn't see any, I wasn't really looking around that much. But I saw a bunch of red scarfs or towels or whatever, and it looked like they were having a good time. I would have been having a good time too if I was beating the other team and I was a fan of the Phillies, you know what I mean? So we're going to try to stop so much of that partying tonight.

Q. What have you seen from Yordan's swings in this round, maybe a little different from especially the division series, and at times during the year when he was quiet how did he turn things around quickly, in your mind?

DUSTY BAKER: Most of the time when you turn things around is when you start hitting the ball to the opposite field. Because that means you're staying on the ball longer. And when he starts hitting that ball to the opposite field -- and this is a field that you can hit a home run to left as easy as you can hit a home run to right. So I'm hoping that tonight that he hits a couple balls to the opposite field. He just missed one last night. That was a pretty good sign.

Q. You managed so many postseason over the years. What have you learned about the balance between the urgency that might be more in the playoffs as opposed to the regular season and how do you kind of balance that?

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah, that's a good question. Yeah, there is more urgency. But at the same time there's a difference between the urgency and panic. There's a fine line between 'em. And sometimes a lot of it may depend on how many games you're going to play consecutively.

I just had this conversation. Do you spend everything for today or do you try to save something for ensuing games tomorrow. And sometimes you may spend all your energy today trying to save something that really sometimes you don't know if it can be saved or not. And then you don't have anything for tomorrow.

And you just got to kind of weigh where you are in the series. I mean, this is a big game for us tonight. You got to weigh where you are in the series. Are you going to be home or are you going to be on the road. And the strength of your team. Is it the starting pitching or your bullpen. And how taxed are they.