He threw a lot of strikes, which is the main thing as a young kid. Make sure you pound the zone and get ahead of the hitters. |
I caught an inning in spring training. I was their third-string catcher. |
I got quite a few actually. First base, second base, third base and outfield. |
I've played enough where I don't get caught up in the emotion. It's nice taking the field with the World Series champs and lets you know what an accomplishment these guys had last year, but I definitely think that opening day in Chicago will be the real emotional hurdle. It will be one of those things you're really wired up for. |
I've probably played over the last three, four years about 30 to 40 games per season. Day to day it's different, it's unpredictable in the field. |
It was a good friend of mine, actually. It's always a little extra incentive when you're playing against your friends out there. |
It was always good to get one out of the box. It's one you think about forever, to get the first one out of the way. That was kind of surprising (starting in left field). It was great. If it was left, third, right, I was happy to be there. |
It's more frustrating that we didn't get the job done. You can see the frustration with people walking in (the clubhouse), myself included. |
It's not a lot of fun losing. Coming to the world champs is about the best situation you could get into. |
My wife cooked, my mom and dad came out. It was a nice day. |
No, I don't want to make those guys feel old. I already messed up and said something about watching Jim Thome in high school and college and he looked at me like I was crazy. So, I'm going to stay away from the older comments. |
Obviously, baseball-wise you'd like to do a little bit better for your friends and family also. You're not worried, but you'd like to get it going a little. |
There's no shock, there's no surprise, but it's just an unfortunate day. |
We just can't come through with a hit. Any kind of hit. |
We opened in New York in 2002. So that was an emotional time especially after what happened in 2001. This was extra special -- you're home in front of your family. |