Dusty Baker on tradition, teaching and teamwork

LAKELAND, Fla. - Nationals manager Dusty Baker has a fondness for this central Florida city known for the citrus and phosphorus mining industries and for being an important intrastate transportation hub. His father was born here and one of Baker's early Grapefruit League games came here against the Tigers, when a youngster quickly realized the size and abilities of the competition.

"They were all guys that were built like my dad and I called my dad and I said, 'Dad, I don't think I'm going to make it.' I said I'm a little kid playing against men," Baker recalled before Wednesday's exhibition game at Joker Marchant Stadium. "I was playing against my dad. That was kind of intimidating, being 6-foot, 172 lbs."

Baker did a lot of pressing the flesh and renewing acquaintances today, checking in with Tigers greats Al Kaline and Willie Horton near the team offices adjacent to the visiting clubhouse and warmly greeting former Detroit manager Jim Leyland behind the batting cage.

As a youngster, Baker admired Kaline, who enjoyed a 22-year career in the Motor City, never played a day in the minor leagues, made right field a cool position to play and won a batting title as a 20-year-old, hitting .340 in 1955. Baker recalled when he got in trouble for stenciling Kaline's name on his bat in high school.

"I just remember how he played," Baker said of Kaline. "I remember how he played and the fact that he won a batting title at, like, 21 years old. I had visions of doing that and I came in third in my first year hitting. I wanted to be like Kaline. And he's smooth. ... He was at a time as a kid (when) Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Rocky Colavito - all these guys dispelled the fact that the right fielder was the worst player on the team. As a kid, you never wanted to play right field because that's where they put (weaker players) because they said not many balls went there. Then all of a sudden, it's like, these guys are pretty damn good."

Horton, a slugging outfielder on the Tigers for 15 seasons who prolonged his career as a designated hitter in the American League, talked hitting with Baker - specifically how young players often put themselves in a hole by not being more aggressive. Baker wishes he could get some of his new Nats charges to chat up guys like Kaline and Horton to glean some of their experience, something his friendship with Aaron early in his career afforded him an opportunity to do. But a lot of the current Nationals simply don't know the former players.

"I want them to talk to (Horton) and get some kind of understanding," Baker said. "First thing Willie said was: 'They take too many fastballs.' First thing he said. And that's how I feel. He says every time they're hitting they've got two strikes on them. That's what he just told me right now. Amen. You can't be hitting all the time with two strikes on you. They say get deep in the count, but you're getting closer (to being out). Some people can't hit deep in the count. The deeper they get, the more prone they are to strike out."

Like many teams, the Tigers incorporate their treasured former players into today's game - as front office ambassadors and spring training instructors - hoping some of their knowledge will rub off on a new generation. Tigertown, as this spring training complex is known, is steeped in history, something Baker would like to see the Nationals do someday soon.

The Nationals are entering their 12th year of team history after moving from Montreal before the 2005 season. Baker says the lack of that long history negatively affects the Nats, who don't have a long register of former star players to invite back to spring training to work with the kids.

"That hurts. .... When I got traded to the Dodgers, I'm sitting there talking to Sandy Koufax and Tommy Davis," Baker said. "Roy Campanella came in his wheelchair, giving instructions. Joe Black, Lou Johnson was always there. Maury Wills was there to help with baserunning. Yeah, it hurts. ... They can pass on some valuable information."

Baker remembers how he felt as a young player when Kaline once sought him out.

"I remember Al Kaline came up to me one time and said he liked my style and how I played in stuff," said Baker.

This spring, Baker brought former Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson in as a guest instructor. He'd like to expand that program in coming years, but he realizes it's a process - and that Nats history isn't necessarily long enough to have some of those kind of potential teachers.

"You can't just come in spending other people's money," Baker said. "Not yet."

When a National reporter suggested that Baker was always good at building teams, Baker countered that teamwork was critically important in baseball - and life.

"I've always been on teams," he said. "In the military, that's the epitome of team building. When you have to guard a guy's back you might not even like, that's teamwork to the max. You know what I mean? You got to guard a guy's life for your and his survival, that's teamwork, that's the epitome."

* Bench coach Chris Speier stayed back from yesterday's game in Kissimmee to work with second baseman Daniel Murphy and shortstop Danny Espinosa.

"Those are the two most important guys who need to know each other," Baker said.

Baker also wants his infielders and outfielders to start learning one another, particularly in terms of who is and isn't aggressive in the field, an important point that can help alleviate collisions between players.

* The Nationals trotted out a lineup with six regulars today, and Baker said to expect the same thing for tomorrow night's game against the Astros, a game that will be televised on MASN. It wouldn't be out of the question to see Baker give some of his regulars three straight days by starting them in Friday's home game against the Mets, just to stretch them out a little.