WASHINGTON -- Just before noon Tuesday, Dusty Baker strolled out of the Nationals Park home dugout and made his rounds during his clubs first workout ahead of its NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.He started in the outfield, chatting with Ryan Zimmerman while the first baseman stretched. Baker ambled toward the infield and spoke to first-base coach Davey Lopes. Then the skipper set up shop behind the batting cage during BP, keeping an eye on his hitters while talking to GM Mike Rizzo.After sitting out two major league seasons, Baker is back in baseball. Hes also back in the postseason, leading the Nationals to the NL East title in his first year.When I was sitting home, I was like, `I should be there, because Im pretty used to going to the playoffs, Baker said, resting his cheek on his right hand during a news conference about 75 hours before Washington hosts Game 1 on Friday.This is his eighth trip to the postseason in 21 years as a manager. Each of his four clubs -- the Giants, Cubs, Reds and Nationals -- improved its win total in his debut season, including a 12-victory jump in 2016.Baker was asked Tuesday whether he worried he might not get another shot at managing after the Reds fired him, despite three playoff trips in his last four years.I was more bewildered than I was worried, and I wondered if I was on the `blacklist or not, Baker said. Sometimes theres an unwritten list that sometimes your name is at the top of, being one of the `unwanted, for whatever reason. Because I was sitting at home, watching guys that hadnt done what I had done.He continued, That doesnt happen very often: A guy goes to the playoffs, and all of a sudden he cant get a job. Or he cant even get a call back. But thats OK. I found out who my friends were.Baker didnt just sit around the house.His daughter got married in his back yard. He spent time with his son. He traveled. He worked on business ventures.But Baker acknowledged he was down for about three days.My dad used to tell me, `Its OK to be down. Just dont stay down. And I was like, `Man, is that what depression is? Ive never had depression. All I know is, I didnt like that feeling, Baker recounted.Always quick with a quip or a good story, Baker draws high praise for his ability to communicate with players.His decades of experience as a player and a manager also drew immediate respect in the clubhouse.He could have very easily gone into politics, Lopes, Bakers teammate for six seasons with the Dodgers, said with a chuckle. He figures out what makes each player tick.Zimmerman figures a managers most important task is to handle personalities.You have so many coaches and all the scouting and analytics, so the baseball part is taken care of. The best managers are people that keep everyone together, when things are going bad or good, Zimmerman said. The biggest thing I like about Dusty is that hes honest with you, whether its good or bad. Im the kind of guy who -- I wasnt when I was younger, but now that Im a little bit older -- Id rather just someone tell me, because Im a big boy. And Dusty does that great. ... He doesnt ever really hold anything in.Bakers 1,766 wins rank 17th in history among MLB managers, ahead of Tommy Lasorda, Earl Weaver, Whitey Herzog and other Hall of Famers.He said that as he began climbing the all-time list, he started thinking about the possibility of making it to Cooperstown: Yeah, Id like to be the first African-American in the Hall of Fame (as a) manager.First things first, though.Right now, Johnnie B. Dusty Baker has more tales to tell and more games to win.Game notes Rizzo confirmed that RHP Stephen Strasburg would not be available for the NLDS but could return if Washington advances. ... Baker officially announced RHP Max Scherzer would start Game 1 against LHP Clayton Kershaw. ... Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy, who hasnt started since Sept. 17 because of a strained glute muscle, participated in the workout, taking BP and infield practice, and did extra running afterward. Baker wouldnt commit to having Murphy in the lineup Friday, saying a true evaluation would come no sooner than after Wednesdays workout. ... OF Michael A. Taylor had his left thumb heavily taped -- he jammed it on a steal of second base last week -- and is not well, Baker said.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich Nike Air Max 90 China . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Cheap Air Max 90 Wholesale . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. http://www.airmax90wholesale.com/ . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Air Max 90 Cheap Wholesale . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Air Max 90 Wholesale . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net.Andrew Johnston’s hopes of back-to-back victories suffered a setback with a second-round 74 at the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco. Latest leaderboard Trophee Hassan II The 27-year-old, who claimed his first European Tour title last month at the Open de Espana, mixed two birdies with four bogeys at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam to slip six strokes adrift of midway pacesetter Francesco Laporta.Resuming two strokes back and looking to build on an encouraging opening-round 70, Johnston lost ground by carding three blemishes in a five-hole stretch from the third. After kicking off the back nine with a birdie, Johnston bounced back from a dropped shot at the 11th to post a four at the par-five next to get back level par for the day, but was unable to make any further inroads along the closing stretch. Francesco Laporta takes a one-shot advantage in to the weekend Johnston is one of 10 players sitting tied-25th, as world No 787 Laporta fired six gains on his way to a two-under 70 to take a narrow one-shot lead into the weekend.I havent been in this position going into the weekend at a European Tour event before, so Im just going to try to enjoy iit and do my best, Laporta said.dddddddddddd I played very well from the start. Unfortunately I gave the shots back with the double on 14 but other than that, I hit the ball very well again.Jeunghun Wangs impressive 68 parachuted the Korean in a tie for second alongside Jason Scrivener and Borja Virto Astudillo, with one-time leader Zander Lompard a further stroke back. Lombard had held a two-shot advantage with three holes to play on the Red Course, only to send his tee shot into trees at the seventh and run up a three-putt double-bogey at the next. Peter Lawrie is also two shots off the pace following a three-under 69, while top seed Dean Burmester is one over for the week after posting three bogeys from the turn. Peter Lawrie is one of three players sitting on four under Former champion Rhys Davies missed the cut after closing his four-over 76 with back-to-back double-bogeys, with Marcus Kinhult also suffering an early exit when he bogeyed four of his final six holes. Watch the Trophee Hassan II throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf Also See: Trophee Hassan: R1 highlights WATCH: Ladies make history Johnston claims Spanish title Golf live on Sky Sports 4 Chiefs Jerseys China Cheap Nike Chargers Jerseys Cheap Nike Raiders Jerseys Wholesale Cowboys Jerseys China Cheap Nike Giants Jerseys Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys For Sale Wholesale Redskins Jerseys China Cheap Nike Lions Jerseys Packers Jerseys China Cheap Vikings Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Panthers Jerseys Hoodies Cheap Saints Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Nike Buccaneers Jerseys Cardinals Jerseys China Cheap Rams Jerseys Hoodies Cheap Nike 49ers Jerseys Seahawks Jerseys China Bears Jerseys China Cheap Nike Bills Jerseys Ravens Jerseys China Wholesale Falcons Jerseys China ' ' '