I just think there was a disconnect when the White Sox got out to such a big lead. |
I know he's 32 years old, but I think we're getting this guy on the rise. I'm excited about the signing. |
I know I've got attractive players. We are also at an advantageous position to acquire a player off the waiver wire because teams lower in the pack than us are not going to put a claim in. |
I know we were certainly among the finalists. But, dollar-wise, we offered above what he signed for. |
I love his approach to hit. He's short to the ball, plays hard and fits in very well with our team and our culture. |
I love his demeanor and the way he carries himself. He plays with a great sense of presence and confidence. |
I think he should get it (the Manager of the Year Award). The reason our team was able to withstand the adversity we had earlier this season was his belief in the team. That belief, when a lot of critics were doubting him, his consistency from day to day, and his communication skills, all of that is a big reason why we are where we are. |
I think he's made great progress from a year ago in his approach and plate discipline. The quality of his at-bats was significantly better. He's a guy that's coming. He needs to finish off some things offensively, but he's coming. |
I think if you look what he's done over the last two seasons, he's been one of the most dominant bullpen pitchers in the American League. |
I think it had a big impact. Bigger than any of us realized, including him. |
I think it was a real shortsighted thing on the part of the legislature. |
I think there's been a general skepticism in the game, a lot of people inside and outside of Cleveland waiting for us to collapse. It's been so hard for people to believe. But if we're still standing by the last weekend, either race, it doesn't matter. |
I think they recognized that not only were the very good last year, but they were also very fortunate, and they addressed it. They didn't bring the same team back. |
I think this industry got drunk on roller coasters. Big roller coasters simply do not get the return on investments that they used to. |
I think youth is not a panacea. In Eric's case, he had an understanding of what we're tying to do. He has good communication skills, an ability to understand and identify problems, an ability to teach and develop. Finally, he has a thirst and desire to not only manage, but to be part of a leadership team to help turn things around. |