San Francisco Giants manager Dusty Baker said Wednesday he hasn't decided whether he'll stay or leave the team that, just four days ago, he managed to a seventh game of the World Series.

	Where will Dusty Baker & family's home base be next season? His Giants contract expires in a week.

Baker had a lengthy meeting with Giants managing general partner Peter Magowan on Tuesday, then another with Giants general manager Brian Sabean on Wednesday, but came out of the latter still undecided about his future.

Baker told The Contra Costa Times on Wednesday that he did not ask the Giants for permission to speak to another team, such as the Chicago Cubs, the front-runners to acquire him if he leaves the Giants. The Seattle Mariners also need a manager and have been conducting interviews daily this week.

"Like I told you the last time my contract was up, I was very concerned about overstaying my welcome. I'm saying the same thing now," Baker told the newspaper.

Baker said his agent, Jeff Moorad, planned to have his first negotiating session with Sabean either Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

"Before you can open and close the door, you have to have the door open for discussions," Baker told the newspaper, adding that he talked with Sabean "about philosophical things."

Baker's contract expires Nov. 6, and he told The Contra Costa Times on Wednesday night he'd like to have his decision made before then. Baker's discussion with Magowan was the "clear the air meeting" the owner wanted to have with his manager during a season in which their relationship has deteriorated.

"We talked about a number of things, past, present and future, and potential issues," Baker told The Contra Costa Times. "I thanked him for giving me an opportunity to manage. I've got nothing bad to say about Peter and the organization. They helped me in my life and gave me my first managing job. I've been there 10 years, which is big."

Baker told The Contra Costa Times of his meeting with Magowan that there were no "fences to mend. What it was was just communicating. In the middle of a pennant race, it's not advantageous (to communicate) at that time. It was so late in the season to communicate all the stuff we've been going through."

Through his secretary, Magowan told the newspaper he won't comment on the matter.