[1] With things not working out in Oregon, Baker left school his freshman year and returned to El Cajon, California.

Baker regrouped and was masterful in a season with the Grossmont Junior College Baseball team in El Cajon and he signed with the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent on May 10, 1976.

[1] Baker also made 16 appearances for the Evansville Triplets of the American Association, the AAA-level minor league affiliate of the Tigers.

[1] Baker spent the rest of the season with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Blue Jays AAA minor league team.

He pitched in 35 games in relief for Oakland before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on September 2, 1983, for players to be named later (Tom Dozier and Jim Strichek).