Dusty Baker Year Quotations

Missing almost the second half of the season last year really slowed his progress some. Skill-wise, he has the skill. We know that. It's just a matter of him playing and doing the little things. He works hard.

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.

No. 1, you have to make sure he's OK so this thing doesn't linger all year long. Fortunately for us, he did get some at-bats during the World Baseball Classic and the fact that he did pretty well shows he's not that far off. He saw better quality pitching in that than he would down here. It was to his advantage and ours that he did play.

I would say he's not where he was last year at this time, yet. Sometimes you have to hit with your mind. I'm sure he can do it.

He hasn't been quite Michael since spring training. We wanted him to go get his arm strength back. We are going to need him before the year is over.

He has been knocking on 99 for a while and never had 100. He was knocking on it last year and got cold at the end.

He's got some skills, definitely. He's got great range, quickness. His bat has really improved over the last year and a half. Fundamental stuff? There's still a few things he needs to work on. He'll probably get a pretty good shot of that here.

We want to win. I always want to win. It's a big year for all of us, a big year for the organization, a big year for the city, a big year for the staff, me, different guys on the team. There's no more pressure than usual.

There's good years and bad years -- there's great years and good years. This might be one of the great years. ... I don't know anybody who stayed on top and excellent every year in their career, but he's done a pretty good job of it.

I understand how they feel. I was sitting there last year seeing things I haven't seen since junior high school. I completely agree with them.

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

Pressure is what you put on yourself. You can't do anything about what the Sox did. And you can't do anything about the last year of your contract.

Back in our day, they called this 'salary drive,' ... Try and continue to have a good year and win as many games as you can win. You are playing for respectability right now. What I'm looking for is you play hard and play for love of the game and respect and try to finish as high as you can.

It's better now than later. He's been working out real hard on his lower half all winter, so fortunately this is the time of year when he shouldn't be set back too far.

I've got a game plan. Some of it depends on how healthy Todd feels, how his legs feel. He's still recuperating from last year at the end of the year. With the hard ground down here, it puts pressure on your legs.

I've got a year and some change (remaining) on my contract. I've never not honored a contract in my entire life. I didn't sign here for four years to be thinking about going somewhere else.

This is judgment time for who's going to be playing next year too. You're not only playing for now. You're playing for 2006 as well.

It's not definite, but it's not very possible. I'm open-minded to changes, but that's usually a very accomplished hitter's spot. I never dreamed I'd be batting fifth in my rookie year behind Hank Aaron, either.

I'm sure he'd like to end the year pitching, knowing Woody. If we can get him in there, we'll try to do that.

I'll just take the same. Everybody asked if last year was a career year. I don't believe in career years. Once you do it once and find your formula, you should be able to do similar. He knows what he's doing now. He has an idea. He knows how to make adjustments quickly. He's very consistent. He recognizes very quickly what the opposition is trying to do to him and he knows his own limitations.

I have three years, ... I don't have anything to do with the other 100 or something years. That's how I look at it. It's not a burden to me. I have three years and I'm hoping to turn it around in year No. 4.

You've got to make sure he's OK so this thing doesn't linger all year long. You saw the difference some last year in the second half after he hurt it.

The Cardinals have a fine team, a real good team. We'll come out next year and try to get the lead or at least stay close -- and stay healthy. They're No. 1 or 2 in pitching, and that shows you how important pitching is. We get our starting pitching healthy and we'll be all right.