A pretty easy call for Ned. |
After the first inning, with the three hits bunched together, I felt pretty good. I was mixing my pitches a little bit better, throwing strikes, |
Anytime you put up that kind of number, it just lets everyone relax a little bit and just kind of play off the game. It takes a little bit of the pressure off, certainly. |
I appreciate what he's doing because I know how hard it is. |
I came into spring training to try to win a job, so I had to be ready to go. |
I came within one batter of getting out of a pretty tough jam. |
I did a pretty good job of staying on top of the ball and keeping it down. I felt pretty good. |
I don't have anything they don't know about. Mostly it's pounding the strike zone, keeping the ball down and trying to stay out of patterns. |
I don't think it's anything particularly special, |
I felt good. I was working down (in the strike zone) and mixed my pitches, which is what I have to do. |
I have no problem being outduelled in a pitchers' battle. (Kazmir) was one run better than me today. There's not a whole lot to feel sorry for or disappointed about. A couple of singles and a sac fly scored a run. It's not too often that just that is going to beat you. |
I just controlled both sides of the plate, changed speeds here and there, and expanded the zone when I needed to. Mostly, I just had better command tonight. |
I learned a lot of lessons I would have preferred not to learn. It's a tough game, there are up and downs. Most guys go through some struggles, I'm not alone in that regard. But the guys who stick around longest are the guys who make adjustments quickest. |
I put myself in position to win. It doesn't always work out for you. The biggest thing to do is keep making my pitches to stay in there. I knew going in it would be tough to score against Kazmir. |
I think it's been great. No problem at all. All the guys are really easy to get along with. I kind of slid right in. |