December 3, 2001

The Week in Quotes

November 19-December 2

by Derek Zumsteg

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THE WORST IDEA EVER MARCHES ONWARD

"Did we miscalculate? No. Do I think we should have started this earlier? No. After Sept. 11, I wouldn't have had the unmitigated gall to interrupt the playoffs and the World Series with this."
--Bud Selig, commissioner of baseball

"It's the system. It's a very easy answer. I have an eight-year-old granddaughter who could answer that question after she looks at the numbers."
--Selig, asked how successful businessmen could manage to lose money as baseball-franchise owners

"Baseball will contract. I can't give you a precise timetable today because in some parts it's out of our hands."
--Selig

"The loss stunned everybody. The debt is even more worrisome to people we do business with."
--Selig, claiming baseball lost $500 million on revenues of $3.5 billion

"He's a leader and will take baseball where we have to go."
--George Steinbrenner, Yankees owner, on Selig

"I think Bud should look in the mirror. He's been saying for five years...that he's going to fix baseball, and I've seen him do nothing to fix baseball."
--Jesse Ventura, governor of Minnesota, on Selig's comments that fans of franchises facing contraction should "look in the mirror"

"More power to Andruw Jones down in Atlanta, but when a .250[-hitting] outfielder can sign a contract for $75 million, I think something is wrong at the top level of baseball that needs to be fixed."
--Ventura

MAYBE NOT AS BAD AN IDEA AS CONTRACTION

"The Devil Rays are extremely fortunate to have someone with Cam's baseball background and expertise joining our organization,"
--Chuck LaMar, Devil Rays GM, on hiring Cam Bonifay, former Pirates GM, to be director of player personnel

"I think Cam is one of the most respected men in baseball in the areas of scouting and player development and we're honored to have him as part of the organization."
--LaMar

THE TIMES, THEY DO'A CHANGE

[Quotes dug up and compared by the Washington Post "Media Notes" column]

"A new [baseball] stadium is not the best and highest use for public money.... The economic benefit to anyone but the owners is limited."
--St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial, June 26, 2000

"Keeping the Cardinals in downtown St. Louis is critical.... A strong economic case can be made for the ballpark."
--Post-Dispatch editorial, Nov. 11, after its parent company Pulitzer bought a stake in the team

THE REST

"He fit in really well with the winning concept. He used to come over all the time to my locker after we won a good game and talk about what a great game it was, and he might have gone 0-for-5. He genuinely felt that way. He was really, really a team player."
--Paul O'Neill, retired Yankees outfielder, on the retirement of Yankee infielder Scott Brosius

"Jason is able to grow facial hair here, he can wear jeans on the plane. He runs the show. It definitely would be different in New York."
--Johnny Damon, Athletics outfielder, on Jason Giambi's choice in free agency

"Some people say the 50-homer season was fluke, but nothing that takes six months to accomplish can be considered a fluke."
--Brady Anderson, former Orioles outfielder, on his hopes for being picked up after his release by the team

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.