So far he's been everything as advertised. He's pitched well. He's been great in the clubhouse. I really appreciate the way he tries to lead and his work ethic. I'm not sure Matt knows that I watch so closely. |
So when you get the composition of your team, you sit back and find out early what your players can do and you do that. But I love to be aggressive. That's the one thing I can tell you. |
Some people always say (managing the Yankees) is an easy job because of all the players you're given. But that's not an easy job, because you're managing personalities, the press ... there's a lot to manage there and Joe's really good at it. |
Sometimes people assume because we're major league baseball players and we make a lot of money, there aren't issues in your life. Sometimes there are issues you have to handle. I'm respectful of that. |
Sometimes you have some young pitchers who get too fine. And you have to bring them back in the zone and understand that you expand the zone when you get ahead, not before you get strike one. |
That downhill plane that hitters are trying to hit is a lot different. |
That is a concern to me. We've [organizationally] talked among ourselves to protect these young pitchers. That's a luxury we have -- a lot of young pitchers. I'm going to do everything I can to protect the young pitchers. They have a future with this organization. |
That meant as much to me as anything, ... Joe's brutally honest. |
That was devastating because I thought I'd never be back. |
That was the kind of player I had to be. I had to do the little things to win, and they have to do a lot of them. They have to hit and run, they have to steal, they have to squeeze some, |
That's my favorite part of the game. If the other team can't score, they can't win. |
That's part of the game in April. |
That's the hard thing, he's not having a chance. The guys who aren't playing every day, you hate to see them behind when they come back. |
That's why I cut my hair so short. It was getting a little gray. |
The best bullpens usually win in the playoffs. There's more pressure, so bullpens take on a huge significance. |