Dusty Baker Start Quotations

Right now, it's so early that you want to get rid of whatever is in there. I was always told you start the year hurt, it makes for a long year. We're trying to get rid of whatever is in there, get it well, get it subsided and hopefully get on with it.

He needs to hit. We want him to start hitting, and all our pitchers from now on will go as normal.

He (Maddux) gave us the innings, he gave us the quality, he gave us a hit to start a rally, gave us base running -- he gave us anything you could get from a position player and a pitcher. We needed it badly.

That was huge tonight, to get back to 2-2. We definitely wanted and needed the game tonight to start the Series all over again. We certainly didn't want to go down 3-1 then have to win three in a row.

Every time I think about giving him an off-day, he hits two or three home runs. Maybe I'll start thinking about that off-day. You don't want to give him time off against the Cardinals.

Every time I think about giving him a day off, he hits two home runs. Maybe I'll start thinking about that off day for him.

We certainly don't need to start having this now.

You have to quit counting, man. I'm serious, you have to quit counting. We have to start at the next one. If we keep counting, it will keep compounding and growing, just like when you're in a slump.

D-Lee is still finding his stroke. When those guys really start swinging, we'll have a very potent offense. Our offense is pretty good. We just have to cut those walks down.

I've always been told, 'You start the year hurt, it makes for a long year.

I told them what we're looking for. Hopefully, start the season injury-free, you build it up through the season, you'd like to get off to a good start, and we're looking for a championship -- the same thing we're looking for every year.

I've known guys who go home early and, especially when you don't go to the postseason, it makes for a long, long winter. That extra month at home, you start getting ready to go back in December.

It's not about Kerry as much as it is about us. It's about where we are realistically and where he is now and to find out, when that time comes, the severity of whatever is in there. If it's nothing, we're pleased. If it's something, then we'll take care of it and give him ample time to rehab so he can start the season on time next year.

At this point, we're taking it slow. We're trying to get him on a course and program to be ready for his start Opening Day. We don't know if he'll be second or third on the list, but we're trying to get him ready.

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?

I'll use the DH as long as I can until the end of spring, when the pitchers will be going far enough to hit. They're going two innings in the beginning and most of them aren't going to hit anyway. Once they get going four, five innings, I'll start using the pitchers. Initially, I'll try to DH whenever I can to get guys at-bats.

He's ready to start the season right now.

I can remind Carlos all I want. But when you get out there against Cuba or whoever and start banging it around ... I think he'll forget exactly what I told him. That's how your competitive juices flow. If you know Carlos, when was the last time you saw Carlos take it easy?