I think about Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson and Frank Robinson, who helped me a lot, Bill Walsh, all the general managers and owners I've had, whether Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson fired me eventually or not, it just sort of added to my perseverance and determination and faith. I've also got to thank my detractors for giving me the motivation to go on because there's a lot of people that doubted me in the beginning when I first got the job with no experience, a lot of them that doubted me even though I was winning.

Dusty Baker

You can tell your uncle stuff that you could not tell your dad. That is kind of the role of an uncle. I feel very much like a father sometimes but sometimes I feel like a teammate.

Dusty Baker

uncles dad father

When you have an opportunity to take the lead and you don't, most of the time something bad happens.

Dusty Baker

happens opportunity

On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage. Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me. The problem we have to address more than anything is the home run problem.

Dusty Baker

clogging-up home running

Everybody knows something, and nobody knows everything.

Dusty Baker

nobody-knows knows

The only people I ever felt intimidated by in my whole life were Bob Gibson and my Daddy.

Dusty Baker

daddy bob people

I think we match up with anybody because our pitching. In a short series you run your big three out there or four out there. That generally is what wins a series - pitching and defense. If we can catch the ball and not give away any runs like we do sometimes.

Dusty Baker

winning running sports

I'm a strong man, and usually I get over hurts and it makes me stronger when I come back.

Dusty Baker

strong hurt men

I think walks are overrated unless you can run... If you get a walk and put the pitcher in a stretch, that helps. But the guy who walks and can't run, most of the time they're clogging up the bases for somebody who can run.

Dusty Baker

clogging-up running thinking

Everyone has a budget, I don't care who you are. But they said if we are in a pennant race in the middle of the summer they are going to get some help with added payroll.

Dusty Baker

race summer sports

The fundamentals of baseball haven't changed, but how we can teach those fundamentals has. With an e-book, learning can be more rewarding and fun.

Dusty Baker

baseball fun book

It's like fishing -- you got to get that first one in the boat. Once you get that first one, the skunk is off the boat and everything's cool from then on. You've got to get that first one. Once he gets the first one, I know he'll be fine.

Dusty Baker

boat fishing firsts

I have a lot of interests.

Dusty Baker

interest

So I let them be responsible for there particular areas. Then by the time it gets to me that means that there is a problem. I have my eyes open and I need to know something about every department but you don't want to micro manage any particular department.

Dusty Baker

eye sports mean

That's what baseball is all about right there, a matter of will.

Dusty Baker

baseball matter

Managers are never 100 percent in control. You're at the mercy of the players. When you're a player, you're driving. I'm the navigator. I hardly ever think about driving anymore, unless there's two out in the bottom of the ninth.

Dusty Baker

player two thinking

Everyone has a budget, I don't care who you are.

Dusty Baker

payroll budgets care

I'm not sure where my career is going here in Cincinnati.

Dusty Baker

not-sure careers

I love watching American League games, you know what I mean?

Dusty Baker

league games mean

Let them police themselves, and then it goes another step past them to my coaches and there a coach that is responsible for a different area and different category on the field.

Dusty Baker

police sports past

That's the reality of it. Everybody has a big two or three. The health of those big two or three ... there's a lot riding on it.

Dusty Baker

riding two reality