Dusty Baker might be preaching patience and steady progress, but those who know him say he never will settle for losing.
Winning is in his blood, pure and simple.
Remember when his 3-year-old son, Darren, burst into tears immediately after the Giants’ Game 7 loss in the World Series?
“Everyone thought he was crying because of the [postgame] fireworks,” Baker said. “He was crying because we lost.”
Shortly after being introduced Tuesday as the Cubs’ new manager, Baker told a story about his daughter, Natosha, who’s now 23.
“Rarely am I stumped by a question,” he said, “but when my daughter was little she asked me: `Daddy, why must you win all the time?’ I didn’t really have an answer other than: `I’m supposed to win.’
“She said, `Daddy, when are you going to let me win?’
“I said: `Never. I’ll let you get close, but I’ll never let you win.'”
Baker joins an organization steeped in tradition, albeit the wrong kind.
The Cubs, who lost 95 games last year, haven’t had back-to-back winning seasons since 1971-72.
Baker plans to change that but knows he’ll need help, saying, “You’re dependent on your players and what you can get out of your players.”
In a session with reporters, Baker mentioned a host of free agents with whom he has been in contact, including infielders Jeff Kent, David Bell and Bill Mueller and left-handed reliever Mike Remlinger.
One of the names Baker mentioned was surprising: first baseman Jim Thome.
Thome and agent Pat Rooney will meet Wednesday with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry at Wrigley Field.
But don’t spill your coffee, Cubs fans.
This is expected to be a courtesy visit.
Thome, a Peoria native, has told friends he would love to play for the Cubs and requested the meeting.
But team sources say there’s no fit.
The Cubs, who have about $20 million budgeted for new acquisitions, are ready to install Hee Seop Choi at first.
Thome, meanwhile, reportedly has been offered $15 million a year to play for the Phillies.
“They’re aware of the situation with Hee Seop,” Hendry said. “But [Rooney] still expressed a desire to talk. Out of respect for him and Jim’s outstanding abilities, we’ll have him here.”
Baker was slightly more hopeful after Thome expressed a desire to play for him. Thome also called Dick Pole, who will be Baker’s bench coach, and had former teammate Ellis Burks call Baker on his behalf.
“I don’t want to start some big rumor or anything,” Baker said. “I talked to [Thome] mostly about duck hunting and deer hunting.”
Baker was asked if signing Thome would stunt Choi’s growth.
“Well, yeah, I guess it would,” he replied. “Right now it’s all in the talking stage. It’s a long way from happening, but you have to start someplace.”
A more likely starting point is Remlinger, who had a 1.99 ERA last season as a setup man for the Braves. He is said to want a three-year deal after reportedly turning down $6 million over two years from Atlanta after the season.
Baker said the Cubs need to add an established lefty. “And it’s probably easier to get a reliever right now.”
Left-handed starters Tom Glavine, Omar Daal and Jamie Moyer are available. But Glavine is likely to command at least $10 million a year. Daal, who went 11-9 with a 3.90 ERA for the Dodgers, would be far more affordable.
“Daal can pitch,” Baker said. “His name hasn’t really come up, but he’s one of the guys we have on the board to discuss.”
Baker has discussed the idea of playing in Chicago with Kent, Bell and Mueller.
Kent is an RBI machine, but he would have to make the transition from second base to third at age 35.
“If the guy’s an infielder and an athlete, he should be able to switch positions,” Baker said of Kent. “And there comes a time in everyone’s career where it’s advantageous to do so.”
Baker, though, is wary of having too many right-handed hitters in the lineup. He mentioned how most of the top pitchers in the National League Central are right-handers, including Houston’s Wade Miller and Roy Oswalt, Pittsburgh’s Kris Benson and St. Louis’ Matt Morris.
Mueller is a switch-hitter who appeared in 173 games for the Cubs in 2001-2002.
“I’ve talked to little Billy,” Baker said. “I like little Billy a lot.”
And Ivan Rodriguez?
“I’ve heard Pudge’s name too,” Baker said. “You can’t sign everybody even though you’d like to. We all have a budget–some high, some low, some in the middle.”
