He's a very important part of the team. When he's pitching well at the back end of our bullpen it really allows everyone to fall into place. |
He's been everything that we hoped for and more because we think he's really grown on the job and grown into the role of being the manager of the Boston Red Sox, as opposed to being a major-league manager, very well and very quickly. |
He's consistent day in and day out and you can't really tell if we've won or lost the night before. That's an even greater accomplishment in Boston because there are things that can come up that can drag you down. |
He's got a great arm. He brings velocity to the table, mid-90s [mph], |
He's had a really good second half. I think he's probably pitching as well as he ever has in the big leagues. |
He's just a no-risk (signing). He used to be a good player, and he's willing to go to the minor leagues. No risk. |
He's my boy. He's made me look pretty good. |
His attitude since he's come back has been fantastic. He's been fanatical about his workouts, about studying video, about taking adjustments to the bullpen with him. If there is a way for him to regain the form we saw from him last season, he will do anything to get there. |
I can't think of a player who contributes in so many ways. He's a guy with a smile on his face. He sets the right mood for the team in our clubhouse. |
I deeply regret that the Red Sox were placed in a delicate position while we worked out these issues. |
I don't know where we would have been without him this year. |
I don't think it's predestined. This season for a lot of teams in a lot of ways has been about survival. We've both survived in probably the most difficult division. |
I don't think you ever want to see your team struggle. I think the fact that we had to overcome adversity during the regular season probably helped us. |
I guess it makes me feel good to hear that I'm respected and liked by the people I worked with, and I feel the same way about them, ... It's bittersweet because it makes you feel ... it reminds you how difficult it is to leave. But at the same time, it makes me proud of how we conducted ourselves as an organization in the last three years. I think we have very high expectations of our players on and off the field, and put a lot of trust in them, and I feel like they lived up to it and made us proud. |
I have enormous respect and admiration for the members of our 2004 club. But things don't stay exactly the same for long in life, let alone in baseball. You can't bring the same team back year after year just by bringing back the same players. |