[Bajenaru] threw me a couple of good pitches to hit, |
He just kind of took what I had and what I've been doing and some of the little things I was doing, and he worked with them. It wasn't any drastic changes, it wasn't, 'Hey, you're doing this, this and this wrong.' It wasn't we're going to come in and redo everything. It was working with what I had and what I had tried to build on and just revised it a little bit. |
He's pretty much had our number all season, ... We knew it was going to be a tough game with him on the mound, and we stayed in there and battled and got a couple of big hits. |
I don't have any intentions of moving to third, outfield, wherever it may be. I plan on being in that six hole. |
I kind of had an idea he was going to [try a] pickoff that first pitch, ... If you watch the game, a lot of pitchers after they try to pick off a guy at second they no look and go straight to the plate. |
I know I can play this position. It's not going to come overnight. It's going to take a lot of work. I just have to go out and do it. There's nothing else to say but for me to just do it. |
I remember a little bit about his playing career. It's great. Anytime you can get help from a guy who knows as much as he does, it's good for you. |
I was always brought up to be patient at the plate. That's the approach I've always taken to hitting. That may be why he said that -- I take a lot of pitches. I might strike out 100 or however many times a year, but my walks to strikeouts about evens out. |
It was good to see us come back. But the sticks are always there. We've got guys up and down the lineup who can get on base and score runs. |
Just little things like footwork, just keeping my feet moving. I have a tendency of being flat-footed when I catch the ball. Keeping my feet moving. And that's what I've been working on. |
Kevin told me while we were walking off the mound, ... He said, 'Ground ball coming to you right here.' He called it, and I got it. |
Maybe the third time's the charm. This team has a chance to win a lot of games. Statistically we could be better than we were last year. The pitching has been real good. |
Right there I was just trying to protect. I think he caught a little bit more plate with that pitch than he wanted to. |
The biggest thing is confidence. And watching the ball into the glove. It's not so much the physical things as it is the mental side. ... I can catch the ball OK. It's just my throws are a little errant. I think he'll help me focus on my feet. |
They told me to just come down here and play consistent defense. Then I'll be back [in Tampa Bay]. |