AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RANGERS VS ASTROS

October 23, 2023

Dusty Baker

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Pregame 7 Press Conference

Q. Is Justin Verlander available tonight?

DUSTY BAKER: I don't know. They got to go out and play catch and see who's available.

I would like not to be, if possible, because -- unless we have -- you go into extra innings or whatever it is. So, I mean, he's coming off his Tommy John. Is a risk worth a gain of his career next year. So I believe in winning games but not necessarily at a possible all cost of a big man's health.

Q. How big is it that Abreu's suspension won't have to be served until next year so you can have him tonight?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, that was kind of what I was hoping for when I didn't use him in a down game two innings yesterday. He told me he was prepared to throw as many as possible just in case he had to serve a suspension. So it's a blessing to have him for today.

Q. We know you're all about the positive vibes. So much said about confidence. Negative results here lately. Where do your guys go to find confidence and positivity?

DUSTY BAKER: I don't know, you go to sleep, you wake up the next day, sun is up. And we've been in Game 7s before, these guys. And if anybody had told us in July and August, when we were scuffling, we were hurt, that we'd be in the 7th game of the ALCS, everybody would have been extremely happy instead of thinking negatively and thinking about a negative outcome.

You think of a positive outcome. So I don't know where everybody gets it from, but that's where I dig from.

Q. You've had an incredible career as a player, manager. Can you talk about experience and the fact that you and Bochy have matched up, you did in 2012. Do you go back to or have any of those experiences going against him in an elimination game that can help you?

DUSTY BAKER: No, not really. Those are -- it didn't end up very positively. We were up 2-0, and they came back and beat us two in a row, which is probably the worst winter I spent in years because I had to go back to the Bay Area and see all the billboards and all the flags on the cars, and everybody asking me was I happy for the Giants.

No, the way I look at it is my term, maybe that's why he's back and that's why I'm back.

Q. Is there something you like the Chas matchup today?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, I can't give up all my -- you know. They haven't used many left-handers at all. So that's part of the equation in case he doesn't go very far, Scherzer, whatever. So you stack your lineup according to who they have, who they use and who they haven't had and who they haven't used.

But right now it seems they have more confidence in his right-hand part of the lineup -- I mean bullpen than the left-handed part of the bullpen. And so they're going to have to go there sooner or later.

Q. I wondered, what was your day like today, and you do anything different before you come to the stadium on a day of bigger games?

DUSTY BAKER: No, not really. I stopped by one of my two favorite coffee shops to get my coffee, drink my tea in the morning, read my five, six books before I get in the shower, and just be as constant and consistent as I can.

I brought some of the guys some pistachio and blueberry muffins, and like I always do, and then this lady, now she's making chocolate flan. I brought that in for some of the guys. And just be me.