A strength of this club is our flexibility and we're able to make these changes because of the players that we have here now and coming up. |
A year ago we had a pretty good reason not to make any changes, ... We had some needs at the end of '03 that we thought we should address. After the '02 season, we didn't really see those same needs. |
A year ago we had a pretty good reason not to make any changes. We had some needs at the end of '03 that we thought we should address. After the '02 season, we didn't really see those same needs. |
Both Maury and Lou were very smart. Lou would say: 'I want to get there as fast as I can.' But Maury, who wasn't quite as fast as Lou, wanted to make great slides that wouldn't allow them to tag him out. |
But we didn't find a match. |
Frankie's stuff and his poise enabled him to succeed, and he just did it at a time when nobody expected it because nobody knew who he was. |
From a defensive standpoint, he is very close to being a starting catcher. We are very pleased with how he's developed and his ability to work with the pitching staff. That is why we signed him to a two-year deal. |
From about maybe mid-August of '02, all through last year, this was a different atmosphere. Everything changed, |
He had a tremendous impact on us right away. As did Steve Green. |
He is a guy that can play with pain. An injury to anyone is something you're concerned with, but I think he is going to be OK. |
He is capable of getting both left-handed and right-handed hitters out. He may be called on in certain situations, but I don't see him as a one-batter pitcher. |
He is such a competitor that if he can pitch, he will. But he's ready to go; he wouldn't start if he wasn't healthy. |
He really changes the dimension of our infield. He is so steady. And the amazing about him that I only noticed when I got the chance to see him play every day is how well he does with the rockets hit right at him. Most players do not catch many of those; he seems to catch all of them. He's fearless. |
He told me that it would be O.K. to go north of what we had planned. |
He was tired at the end of the year; he didn't get many days off. But he's fine now and getting ready to play for the Dominican Republic. |