I learned that from Don. He had everything covered down to the nth degree. You also always knew where you stood because of his communication skills. |
I like challenges. I like it when people say, 'You don't have a chance to succeed there.' |
I like what he's done, ... The guy can hit, there's no question about it. |
I loved those kids. I loved Andrew . . . I loved him. Smartest player I had in that program. He lived for it. Absolutely lived for basketball at St. Martha's. |
I mean, how do you play winning baseball that way? I challenge players to understand how the game's played. |
I never heard any complaints on any given day that, 'I can't do this or that because my knee is killing me. I never heard anything like that. Not one thing. |
I purposely ... started him, just to see how he'd respond, ... And he hit the ball long and foul, but the point is, you've got to protect the runner. |
I really feel like I'm coming back to my roots, |
I remember it very clearly: He was very effective into the (seventh) inning. He's capable. He has a very good split-finger (fastball). He's an athletic guy and he fields the position well. Those things all help you. |
I saw a guy, when I watched on television, who really liked the arena he was in. He had a face on him that said, 'I accept this challenge here.' You like that. |
I saw better life to his fastball, much better life. I can't sit here and tell you what the velocity was, but that will come as he builds himself up. But the life on his fastball, it was there tonight. |
I saw much better life on his fastball. It was there [last night]. |
I say it all the time. I don't need nine guys. I don't need 25 guys. I need 35. You have to be deep enough to tap into the minors to be successful. |
I started to fall in love with the game of baseball when my dad gave me my first set of baseball cards, ... I kept the ones I recognized. The guys I didn't were the ones I put in the spokes of my bicycle with clothes pins. |
I think a group of players has to understand the type of baseball you have to play to play winning baseball. You have to realize the importance of the intangibles, the little things. |