The platoon is still on. He's just hit [Javier] Vazquez good. That's all. Nothing more than that. And he's playing good. |
The thing about Crawford is he's got some big-time power, too. He can beat you in so many ways. They're pretty much the same guy once they get on, you know they're going to get their bases, it's tough to get them even when everything goes right. |
The thing about this game is that it doesn't wait on you. |
The walk to Gomez hurts. |
The whole thing with Alex is he's able to get to that pitch now, where in the past he wasn't able to. It's tougher with his size anyway. He's got long arms. It all has to do with his balance. He's not falling backwards. He's out to prove something. |
Their infield defense is as good as anybody's in baseball. |
There a lot of unknowns on this team. |
There are 10 games left, and he's not ready to go today, ... Or tomorrow. So I can't answer that yet. |
There might come a point where he has to pitch with it, I don't know. |
There might come a point where he has to pitch with it, I don't know. He'll go see the guy who did the surgery. Hopefully, he'll get some reassurance from him. Until he sees him we won't know. |
There was no reason at all to toss me, |
There was no reason at all to toss me. Everyone thought the ball hit the dirt. I guess he thought I was arguing balls and strikes. |
There were at least two [starts] -- maybe even three -- that he left with the lead late and the game got away from us. You throw that in the can. He hasn't been blown out, I don't think. He's pitched good enough to win some of them, anyway. |
There were days in spring training when I would approach him after he got a couple of at bats and ask him if he had had enough. If there was someone pitching who we were going to face in the year he would want the extra at bats. |
There's no question he's been through some tough times lately. But everybody has a little [slump]. I don't know what to tell you. It doesn't matter if you start or relieve, you have to make a pitch. He surely didn't cost us the pennant tonight, I'll tell you that. |