Dusty Baker anticipates no Bryce Harper problems: 'I was a star, too'

WASHINGTON - Dusty Baker has managed multiple MVPs and iconic players -- from Bonds to Griffey to Votto. Now the Washington Nationals manager looks forward to managing one of baseball’s preeminent stars, Bryce Harper.

“This guy can play. He can really play," Baker said of his right fielder and presumed National League MVP. "I love watching him play."

And not to worry, Baker says he knows how to handle the game’s biggest stars.

 “I'm not really intimidated or anything by stars because I was a star,” he said, earnestly. “I wasn’t the brightest star as some of these guys but I was a star. I told them I don't care how much money you make, you're not going to give me any of your money and I'm not going to give you any of mine. When the game starts, it's not about money. It's about whether I kick his butt or he kicks mine. It's as simple as that.

“I've been fortunate to manage some of the best. I had Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, Matt Williams, Willie McGee, Robby Thompson. At another point in time I had Barry Bonds,Jeff Kent, Ken Griffey Jr., Sammy Sosa, Joey Votto and now Bryce Harper.

“Hopefully he can learn from me and hopefully he can have something to teach me. “

Of course, Baker is humble. His playing resume was solid - a fourth-place MVP finish in 1981, two All-Star appearances, two World Series appearances and one championship. Baker hit 242 home runs and had a .278 average and .347 on-base percentage in his 19-year career.

Harper, who turned 23 last month, put together one of the best all-around seasons for a hitter since Barry Bonds, hitting 42 home runs, producing 1.109 OPS and a staggering OPS-plus of 195. His season concluded in odd fashion - getting choked in the dugout by closer Jonathan Papelbon, who chided him for not running out a pop fly. Papelbon served MLB- and club-imposed suspensions during the final week.

“I wasn’t as good a player as Bryce Harper," he says. "I came in the league and hit behind Hank Aaron and I thought I was the cat's meow at the time. Then I got jacked up a couple of times by the older guys.

“This game will sooner or later humble you no matter how good you think you are.

“So I'm hoping the game doesn’t humble him.”