AL DIVISION SERIES: TWINS VS ASTROS

October 6, 2023

Dusty Baker

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Dusty, I'm just curious with the cooler weather, have you and Dana and Jim talked about not having the roof closed during these weekend games? What's the discussion been?

DUSTY BAKER: No, I haven't talked to either about it, but the roof's open because the field needs some sun, and that's why the roof's open. But I think it will be closed during the regulation play. It's open because we need sun. They had to resod because of some of the concerts and different events they had here.

Q. Do you have a preference either way?

DUSTY BAKER: Probably roof closed because that's what we're used to. You know, with the wind conditions and directions and how the ball carries, so probably the more we're familiar with.

Q. I know we've already talked about this a lot, but now that the playoffs are around, what is the value of having someone with Verlander's experience when you get to this level of play?

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah, experience period. There always comes a rising young star that didn't know that he's going to be rising, but it helps a lot. It helps a lot for the comfort level for your team. Helps a lot the fact you know he's not nervous. He's probably nervous but not scared. There's a difference.

Yeah, Verlander, that's one of the reasons why we brought him here, for some of these big games we're anticipating we're going to have.

Q. Do you think that his stuff has gotten better just in the couple months he's been back?

DUSTY BAKER: Probably. Like he was operating from behind. I wasn't with him, but I was following the box scores. Didn't he start the season late? If you start the season late, you're playing catch-up the whole time.

So I think the fact the time that he missed and also the innings that he didn't have to pitch is benefitting him and going to be a benefit. It takes veterans longer to get going. You've heard me say that before. Once they get going, they have a tendency to keep it longer.

Q. Been told this is probably one of the deepest pitching staffs you guys will have faced all season. What do you see from Minnesota in that regard?

DUSTY BAKER: Everybody knows they can pitch, but we can pitch too. So it's going to be a good series. I mean, it boils down to pitching. Hopefully some of our guys will be hot in this series. It boils down to really who gets the two-out RBI hits because most of the time that's what you're boiled to and who plays the best in closest games.

It's a good sign. Are those the Hawaiian islands on the back of your phone? It's a great sign.

Q. Dusty, you talked a lot about kind of the adversity this team went through, how it built some character because it was kind of an uncharacteristic, roller coaster year for this club. Do you feel like it's a fresh start when you get to the playoffs? Do you kind of wipe the slate clean whether it's putting the drama or the questions behind you?

DUSTY BAKER: It's a fresh start anyways. That's what it is, actually. It's a second season or whatever it is. That's what fresh start means.

So, yeah, to answer your question, yeah, we're looking forward to this.

Q. With that fresh start, maybe this doesn't matter, but does it make a difference that you're the defending champs coming in? Is there any sort of a different mindset or feeling coming in?

DUSTY BAKER: No. I never use that, defending champs. To me, we're going to be champs of 2023. We know we're defending. The whole world knows we're defending, but we don't really think about that that much. At least I haven't heard anybody say it.

Q. Especially during these days off, can you talk about the importance of live BP? BP is one thing, but when it's live BP, it really gets your guys ready.

DUSTY BAKER: Oh, yeah. There's nothing like game time, but it's as close to simulating game activities that you can get. Nothing substitutes playing.

Plus the only thing about live BP is you see the velocity and you're seeing great breaking balls, but most of the time during live BP, they don't throw inside like they do during the game because they don't want to hit one of their players and put them out of the postseason. So it's a simulation.

Q. Mauricio Dubon was like a star high school soccer player. I don't know if he talked to you about that or you knew that.

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah, he's told me.

Q. Any value to guys playing multiple sports growing up instead of just specializing?

DUSTY BAKER: I love it. I played everything. I like players that play multiple sports, especially like soccer players because they know where their feet are. That might sound corny, but some people have two left feet.

Guys that play basketball, they know how to time a ball on the wall. Guys that play football, they know how to avoid a collision, they know how to roll and not hurt their shoulders. Plus they know how to train better than just straight baseball players. If you ever play football, you know how strenuous that is. If you ever play water polo, that's even more strenuous.

Guys that wrestled, we'd be in the gym playing basketball during basketball practice, and they were running around the gym the whole time. The cross country guys; I love guys that played multiple sports because they tend to be stronger minded, and they also tend to be -- they know how to train and know what hard work is.