Dusty Baker on managing Bryce Harper and getting past the fight

Dusty Baker is no stranger to playing with or managing superstar baseball players with larger- than-life personalities. The 66-year-old began his career in the majors playing in the Braves outfield with the legendary Hank Aaron and then went on to manage the likes of Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Sammy Sosa and Joey Votto.

Now Baker gets a chance to work with slugger Bryce Harper - the potential National League Most Valuable Player - in Washington, D.C.

"This guy can play," Baker said at today's press conference when he was introduced as Nationals manager. "I mean, he can really play. I love watching him play. He's come a long ways in a short period of time. I mean, big time. He's a player."

Beyond the big names Baker shared the dugout with, he was more than an accomplished player on his own. Twice an All-Star, Baker smacked 242 homers while batting .278 in a 19-year career that included a World Series title in 1981.

So Baker made it clear that he won't have a problem communicating with Harper.

"The thing about is, I'm not really intimidated or anything by stars because I was a star," Baker said. "I wasn't as bright as a star as some of these guys, but I was a star. I tell them I don't care how much money you make. You're not gonna give me any of your money. I'm not gonna give you any of mine. And when the game starts, it's not about money. It's about whether I kick your butt or you kick mine. It's as simple as that."

Indirectly, Baker alluded a bit to Harper's brash style with a some of his own memories.

"I wasn't as good a player as Bryce Harper, but I came in the league and my first year, I hit third in the league," Baker recalled. "And I hit behind Hank Aaron and I thought that I was the cat's meow at that time. And I got kinda jacked a couple times by the older guys. One time, I had somebody's hand around my throat because I was kind of a little cocky, too. But you learn. And this game, sooner or later, will humble you no matter how good you think you are. So I'm hoping the game doesn't humble him."

So Baker and Harper begin their run together knowing that each other has been physically choked because of baseball. How to deal with the late-season dugout altercation between Harper and Jonathan Papelbon and whether to keep the veteran closer are among the chief offseason issues facing Baker and the Nationals .

Baker has seen plenty of teammates fight throughout his career. The most public brouhaha came in 2002, when Bonds and Jeff Kent went at it in front of the cameras in the Giants dugout. Baker's team quickly moved past the problem and went on to the World Series.

"There's always conflict at some point of time," Baker said. "I've never been on a team that didn't have any. I've only been on one team that had it visible like that on TV. From my military/Marines days, you handle it like men and you talk about it, and you get it out in the open and you don't let things fester. That's the main way.

"I remember one time, I had a dispute with a teammate, and I should've known better from being in the Marines, but sometimes you forget. And so I was upset with this guy and so Reggie Smith called the guy over. He goes 'Hey man, Dusty's got a beef with you.' And he told him what I said. I said, 'Man, don't tell him that.' And he said, 'Well you said it.' And it got out in the open and we're best of friends now. That's how you deal with it. And you can sort of see it on the plane, on the bus, on different things. And you try to bring guys together as quickly as you can."

Whether Baker decides to give Papelbon and Harper a chance to coexist will be watched closely throughout the winter.