I tell you guys all the time -- I'm a bullpen guy. I don't wake up in the morning and go to the grocery store and tell everybody I'm a closer. I'm here. I'm a Boston Red Sox. That's what I am. Go out there and win a World Series, that's all I'm here for. |
I was a lot happier walking off the mound today than I have been in a lot of previous outings, ... It's been a constant battle to work on mechanics and different things. I liked how I threw the ball today. I'm not where I want to be, but it was much better than it has been. |
I was a lot happier walking off the mound today than I have been in a lot of the previous outings this [season], ... It's been a constant battle to work on mechanics and different things. I liked how I threw the ball [Monday]. I'm not where I want to be, but it was much better than it has been. |
I was trying to shorten my stride up mechanically, and when you start taking the lower body out of it, you start putting a lot more strain -- the shoulder has to try to stop itself, instead of using the body to stop it -- and that's probably what happened, |
I will be ready Opening Day, there's no doubt in my mind. I'm stronger now than I have been in four years. April 3 is a lifetime away. |
I'll never be equipped to handle failure. I'll come in kicking, screaming, throwing stuff, cussing and breaking stuff. I don't handle failure well at all. The day you handle failure too well is the day you should be sitting on the couch. |
I'm a lot more focused this year. I got a lot of things off my mind. The personal life is kind of straightened out a little bit. Sometimes you see the dark side of life, there's only one way to go, and that's up. I feel a lot better right now. My body feels better, and I'm ready to go. |
I'm definitely closer than I was two months ago, ... I'd like to think I'm important to this team. I need to be here to accomplish our main goal. |
I'm excited. (After) six weeks of spring training, I'm drained. I can't wait to get on that plane and get it going for real. |
I'm feeling good, and I'm here to be at the back end of the bullpen. If I'm back to where I want to be, you don't have to worry about my head. |
I'm not going to brag, but I think I did a pretty good job in that series and I'll be selfish. Yeah, I think I do deserve that ball. |
I'm not where I want to be, but I'm better. It felt pretty good. We got some guys out today. Hopefully we can do the same for the next month and a half. I'm sure (the Red Sox) are as encouraged today as I was. |
I'm probably not going to come back and be the guy I want to be right now, ... There might be some mistakes made from now until then. The whole goal is to maintain where we're at in the division and allow us to do some things like we did today. It allows Curt [Schilling] to go out there and get his work in. It allows me to go out there and get my work in. |
If I said I struggled, that was the one thing I wasn't real happy with, was command. |
It [stinks]; it's just miserable, ... You come back, it's nice to see the guys, but they're all getting ready and I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs. It's depressing is what it is. |