June 19, 2001

The Week in Quotes

June 11-17

by Derek Zumsteg

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BYE BYE BONIFAY

"When we are ready to make the announcement, we'll announce it."
-- Cam Bonifay, Pirates GM, on Derek Bell's return from the DL

"To Derek's credit, he's given us every effort. He works hard. He does everything he's asked to do. He just needs to get healthy. People will say the Derek Bell signing was bad. But given Derek Bell's track record, nobody could have predicted Derek Bell was going to hit .130."
-- Lloyd McClendon, Pirates manager

"I really thought we could be a winning club again. We've been devastated."
-- Bonifay, after being fired

"There is no club in major league baseball that could have undergone the injuries that we've suffered this year."
-- Bonifay

"I was disappointed because I don't think it's time for me to leave this post."
-- Bonifay

"I think it's always nice to hear that, but it was more important for the players to hear it. I'm smart enough to know that we're all hired to be fired. If you're lucky, you're hired, fired, re-hired and fired a couple times."
-- McClendon, on being told his own job was secure

ADVERSITY

"One thing you can't do when you're in a funk is feel sorry for yourself. It will test you. Adversity makes you dig down deep inside yourself. You find out a lot about people when adversity hits the fan."
-- Larry Bowa, Phillies manager

"I don't think we're snakebit. We're just being tested right now, and how we come out of this is going to determine what kind of team this is going to be."
-- Gary Sheffield, Dodgers outfielder, on injuries to the team

"It's just a tough time for this ballclub. We're going to find out how good we are. You can't go crying because nobody cares. We can't ask for sympathy."
-- Joe Torre, Yankees manager

FIGHT! FIGHT!

"He tried to show everybody he was tough. He's not. If you want to fight come down the line and let's go. He's stupid. He's lucky."
-- Raul Mondesi, Blue Jays outfielder, on being hit and yelled at by Braves pitcher John Rocker, clearing both benches

"It would have been real harmless if someone, who will remain nameless from the bullpen, had minded his own business."
-- Chipper Jones, Braves infielder

LOSING

"By definition, they're a veteran team because of their experience. But not all of their experience is good. Sometimes, they'll see signs that remind them of some things when it wasn't so good, and they didn't win, and surmise that this is like that rather than as they might want it to be."
-- Bobby Valentine, Mets manager

"We still lost. Good jobs and attaboys aren't a statistic. No one keeps track of them. What they keep track of is wins and losses."
-- Steve Trachsel, Mets pitcher

"We had some chances. We just didn't have enough of them."
-- Buddy Bell, Rockies manager, on a loss to the Mariners

PESTERED

"One of the reasons I wanted to hit in that situation was because of the flies and bugs and moths. I didn't want to struggle with those things next inning. I wanted to make the game end."
-- Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Mets outfielder, on his desire to end a 10-inning game against the Orioles

THE REST

"He's an unbelievable hitter. You'd think you can make a mistake to him once in a while, but he hits every one of them."
-- Mark Mulder, Athletics pitcher, after giving up two home runs to Giants outfielder Barry Bonds

"The pain, that's what ticked me off. Dang, it was 96 miles per hour and in the ribs. Pain ticks me off. I knew he didn't do it intentionally. After I cooled off, I understood the situation."
-- Torii Hunter, Twins outfielder, on being hit by a pitch from the Astros' Roy Oswalt

"I want to go out there and log innings. I don't know if I can pitch like Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine, but I want to pitch similar."
-- Odalis Perez, Braves pitcher

"During batting practice, Bobby told me he believes I'm the same Timo from last year. That made me feel pretty good."
-- Timo Perez, Mets outfielder

"As soon as I threw it, I said, 'Oh boy. Here comes a scolding.'"
-- Shane Spencer, Yankees outfielder, on a bad throw to the infield that nearly cost the Yankees a game

If you would like to submit a quote, please email Derek and be sure to include both the quote itself and a URL pointing to the quote.