'The Art of War' is one of my favorite books. To me, it's all about winning. When you go into competition, there is an art to it. There is a way to do it if you want to be the best. |
(Matsui) has to get back into game shape. The kid's doing really well defensively and we're winning a few games, so there's no rush, that's for sure. |
[Beltran] has it in him; he just has to bring it out, ... I think if he would have had a better year, he probably would have been more assertive. |
[Carlos] Delgado's the guy you're most concerned about. It's nice to have a few lefties in case you need to use them. |
[Floyd threw out another potential run at the plate, and Zambrano stranded seven, escaping a bases-loaded situation in the third inning.] Obviously, when you're looking at it, it's not too pretty, ... But the bottom line is we still had a chance to win the game. |
[For the third time in Pedro Martinez 's last four starts, Ramon Castro -- and not Mike Piazza -- was the starting catcher last night against the Braves. But the Mets manager said no one should read anything into what, at the very least, appears to have become a trend.] That's just the way it falls, ... I told you earlier I wasn't going to get into that personal catcher thing. |
[How else to explain a litany of gaffes that included two botched bunt plays and Jose Offerman, the tying run, getting thrown out at second base on a single to center by Kaz Matsui in the seventh?] It was ugly, ... It was not the way to do things to get back in and stay in (the race). |
[New York: Manager Willie Randolph said he wouldn't activate C Mike Piazza, on the DL with a broken left hand, just as a decoy on the bench for Cardinals manager Tony La Russa to fret about.] I don't think Tony's going to be worried about that, ... He's in first place. |
[NEW YORK: New York Mets manager Willie Randolph regrets that players aren't rewarded for doing the little things, such as hitting behind the runner. Randolph said he would rather have a player who hits .280 and executes the fundamentals than a .320 hitter who can't do those sort of things.] It's a different approach nowadays, ... That's why it's nice to see players like David Wright come into the system. He has that approach. |
[The Mets will watch Martinez closely because back discomfort prompted his early removal -- after six innings and 78 pitches -- from his Saturday night start against the Nationals.] But going in, ... we're not going to treat him any differently. There are no limitations right now. |
[The next batter, Floyd, drove in all the rest of the Mets' runs with his a line-drive homer that landed against the sign banner in right field that proclaims the Mets' 1999 wild card and division series winners.] (The grand slam) gave us the lead, ... but the way we've been playing, nothing is totally safe. |
[We] want to give him a day, see how he looks to us, see if he can help out. |
[Wright's manager is more outspoken against the role, stopping just short of reaching for a barf bag.] Spoilers are losers, man, ... I don't want anybody on my team to feel good about being a spoiler. That's a loser's mentality. |
A big walk by Julio and we got a break at the end. Those are the kind of games that are nice to win. |
A lot has to do with how the team is playing. |