Baker rejuvenated after year off

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Former Cubs manager Dusty Baker was at his engaging best Wednesday morning at baseball's winter meetings.

Holding court with reporters during a regularly scheduled session, the new manager of the Cincinnati Reds talked of "healing" during his year off from the dugout after being fired from the Cubs at the end of the 2006 season.

Baker deftly sidestepped questions that might have led him to criticism of his former team.

"That losing was miserable," said Baker, whose Cubs went 66-96 in his final season at Wrigley Field. "I don't want to go through that ever again. That last year in Chicago ate me up big time."

Baker's Cubs won the National League Central in 2003, his first year in Chicago. They lost a 3-1 lead in the NLCS to the Florida Marlins and fell in epic fashion.

The Cubs also collapsed in the final week of the 2004 season, losing a seemingly safe lead in the wild-card race. They fell back to losing records in 2005 and '06.

Baker worked for ESPN TV this season and said he took trips to Africa, Montana and Quebec.

"I'm very motivated," Baker said. "That was a wonderful '07. I did a lot of healing, emotional healing. Whenever you have scars, scars heal back stronger than the skin that was there the first time. So I'm stronger now than ever."

Baker brought a reputation as a "winner" to Chicago after 10 largely successful seasons in San Francisco with the Giants. He acknowledges his reputation took a hit in Chicago.

"It took an unnecessary hit," he said. "I'm not worried about my reputation because I'm confident, and I know me. Sometimes there are things in your life that knock you down for whatever reason. The key is, you can get down, but just don't stay down. If you let the champ get up from the mat, the champ's usually stronger than when he went down.

"I've been down a long time, but sometimes it's good to go down. Sometimes it gets you to the point where you're like, 'OK.' When I talked to (former football coach Bill Walsh) before he passed, he said, 'Sometimes in your life you have to re-create yourself.' "

Baker is back in the NL Central, where his Reds will face the Cubs all season long. He was asked if those games will take on any special meaning.

"I don't know," he said with a sly grin. "It's meaningful. It's a lot of games."