Dusty Baker's Baseball Journey + Homestand Goals with Dan Shulman

Dusty Baker’s memoir *Crossroads* isn’t just a baseball story—it’s a raw, spiritual reckoning with race, resilience, and the quiet power of perseverance in America. The book, released June 9th, reveals how Baker’s upbringing under Jim Crow, legal battles with the IRS, and the lingering shadow of drug rumors shaped a man who refused to let trauma define him. He shares deeply personal moments: being called racial slurs in Little Rock at 18, being told to let white players serve him food on a bus, and the profound influence of mentors like Cito Gaston and Felipe Alou. What stands out isn’t just the pain, but the deliberate choice to lead with hope—inspired by his father’s advice to 'take the road to the right' at every crossroads, even when lost in the dark. Baker’s story is a blueprint for turning adversity into legacy, and his philosophy—'you just don’t know how close you are to success'—is both a mantra and a challenge to anyone facing their own crossroads. The episode also features Dan Shulman, Blue Jays play-by-play voice, who shares intimate stories of Baker’s kindness—like engaging a nine-year-old boy at the Reds Hall of Fame—and argues that Baker’s impact on baseball is so vast, he deserves Hall of Fame recognition as a 'combo platter' of player and manager.