After starting the season in the rotation, and to go down there in May and have 30 saves, it's neat, |
Everybody in this game fails. It's how you bounce back from it. |
He gave the bullpen a real nice breather. |
He has as good an idea of how to pitch as anybody in the game, probably of all-time. He doesn't have the stuff he used to have, but he still knows how to pitch. He just does it at a different speed now. He's a pleasure to watch. |
I didn't go up there with any. I figured I could handle them on my own. I had the option of leaving if they got too greedy, but it was fun. |
I enjoy this role, but I don't think it was a silver lining because it was a grueling 12 months of rehab before that. I'd much rather have just stayed healthy and continue doing what I did before I got hurt. But I got a second life, and I've just tried to make the most out of that opportunity by preparing every time and get ready and stay focused every time that ninth inning comes up. |
I got to know this one season ticket-holder who came to the park with a new joke every day. So every day I brought a new joke for him. |
I just hope I'm alive at 40. |
I know it was South Africa and people said, 'Oh, they're not going to beat [the U.S. team],' but they said that about Canada, too, right? I'm sure it was a pretty intense game. |
I like the idea of coming into the game with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth, |
I said, I'll probably have a 35-pitch inning where I walk three or four guys and have the bases loaded and have to get out of it. |
I think absolutely we put too much pressure on ourselves (earlier). We'd be four games back and try to make up three games in one. |
I try to take pride in leaving stuff behind. The next day I come to the field and yesterday's over with and today's what it's all about, and it's not about tomorrow. It's just about your task at hand. I think that helps in that kind of role. You've got to be able to forget the bad stuff. |
I was outside and saw a bunch of people in the rain, and I thought I might go and keep the people happy -- give them an autograph and a picture. Everybody was really nice and cooperative. |
It became one of those things out of necessity that I wanted to give it a shot and thought I could do a good job of it, ... I went down there and committed myself to doing it. I haven't really thought about starting because of it. I just went down there and said, 'This is what I'm going to try to do and do the best I can with it.' |