(Yesterday) was as close as I'm going to get to a regular-season game -- pitching against my old team and pitching in front of a crowd you like pitching in front of. It's just funny, man. You look across the field and see all the guys you've been playing with the last few years. It's like playing against your neighbor in Little League or something. It's hard to keep a straight face. |
Any time you face your old teammates, you want to do well - especially since it had been such a short time since I got traded. My fastball command was the best it's been all spring. If I can feel like that every time out, I'll be happy. |
Any time you have somebody whose been around you personally for a while, they get to know your tendencies and it's nice to have that familiarity. |
Back in eighth grade, I remember going to school with a Mohawk and Ozzie Smith's name carved into the side of my head, and no one said anything to me. When I heard about it, I thought it was unfortunate that he got sent home, but it was also funny because he was trying to have his hair like me. |
Boomer obviously threw a monkey wrench in everybody?s plans. |
But Jed and Ben both stated to me that there was no deal on the table for me right now, and they felt pretty strongly that I wouldn't be traded any time anywhere in the near future. They couldn't guarantee me security for the lifetime of the contract. |
Down in a Hole. |
Even if he wanted me to go in the ninth, I'd have told him to put somebody else in there. I was running out of juice. |
Everything in this game is contagious. |
Facing the Yankees 19 times a year, that lineup is so power packed -- even the eight hole and nine hole sometimes. It's tough to pitch to. It's mentally wearing on you as the game goes on. For me to be over here in the National League, just to have the pitcher in the nine hole, gives me a little bit of breathing room. I don't think there's any lineup in the National League that can compare with that one. For me, it feels like it's easier to get over the hump. |
From what I heard, if he's back before the All-Star break, they'll be shocked. |
From what I'm hearing, I wouldn't expect him to be back before the All-Star break. |
Got bases loaded, Dmitri Young hit a fastball that made it 6-4. Everything was pretty much downhill from there, man. They hit some good pitches, I threw some bad pitches. Bad game overall. Period. |
Having Jason back there helps me out because we're thinking more on the same page than having other guys behind the plate that don't know your stuff. |
Having two No. 1s is really what put us over the top and I think we have an opportunity to have that here with Josh and Curt if they're both healthy. |