Pete and Dusty: Lessons from the Legends

With recently-departed Pete Rose and the just-completed World Series in our memories, I want to talk about Dusty Baker. As a longtime Dusty fan, I’m reflecting on his journey. Dusty won a championship a couple of years ago and managed my Cubs in the early 2000s. While we Cubs fans had our ups and downs with him, I have great respect for all he’s accomplished in my favorite sport.

There’s a story I read about Dusty and Pete Rose that I think has some wisdom we can all use. For context, Pete Rose is an undeniable baseball legend with more base hits than anyone ever, but he carries controversy because of his gambling history. His fierce competitiveness is hard to deny.

The story goes that, before a game, Pete asked Dusty how he was feeling, and Dusty answered, “2 for 4, I’m fine.” That means he was expecting to make two hits out of four attempts. That’s already beyond a great day at the plate; after all, a .250 average (one hit in four) is respectable, and the league average in 2024 was even lower.

But Pete’s response sets him apart: “So that means you’re giving up two at-bats before you go to the plate?” For Pete, anything less than succeeding at every opportunity wasn’t enough. It’s the mentality that may have fueled his record-breaking career.

This exchange made me think: how often do we give away our at-bats at home and at work, settling for just enough? Maybe there’s a lesson here—not to plan for a shortfall, but to expect more from ourselves.

What do you think? Do you have moments where you could aim for more?

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