April 30, 2002

The Week in Quotes

April 15-28, 2002

by Derek Zumsteg

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THE BIG STORY

"I do."
--Derek Zumsteg, Baseball Prospectus writer, to his new bride, Jill

Ed. note: Congrats, Derek and Jill, from everyone here at BP.--JSS]

MANAGING

"He's testing me. That will be taken care of."
--Don Baylor, Cubs manager, noticing outfielder Sammy Sosa taking batting practice with an untucked jersey

"My head was completely empty so it just popped in there."
--Mike Hargrove, Orioles manager, on a game-winning suicide squeeze

"Our ballpark is so doubles-oriented, such a pitchers' park, that it's very hard to hit a ball out. And the ballpark hasn't changed. So why not go back to what was beneficial to this team over 40 years?"
--Dan Evans, Dodgers general manager, on emphasizing speed, defense, and pitching

CHEMISTRY, WINNING

"A lot of people have said that our chemistry is better. I tell them the record is better. Chemistry doesn't drive the record. The record drives chemistry. That's my take on it. You never hear about winning teams with bad chemistry."
--Dave Littlefield, Pirates general manager

"With the chemistry this team has, we are capable of winning 12 or 13 in a row just as easy as we lost them."
--Shane Halter, Tigers infielder

TWINS, EXPOS WIN TWICE AS MANY GAMES AS BREWERS

"If we were going to contract a club and they win their division, we'll confront that issue at that time."
--Bud Selig, commissioner of baseball, on the early-season starts of the Expos and Twins

"I still think it adds a very exciting dimension and we'll worry about that later."
--Selig

COMPARISONS

"When's the last time they won a World Series around here? They had the opportunity, and they lost Jason Isringhausen and Johnny Damon [last winter]. With that young talent they have, they could go out and win the World Series, but I'm not going to be disappointed in my decision. I still think I did what was best for my career."
--Jason Giambi, Yankees infielder, asked by a reporter why he'd decided the Yankees were more likely than the Athletics to play in the World Series

"If you're going to play in New York, you want to play for the Yankees. Once you've been with the Yankees, how would you want to go across town?"
--David Justice, Athletics outfielder, on being traded from the Yankees to the Mets to the Athletics this off-season

FEATS OF HITTING

"The first week of the season, I went up there to see more pitches. But I talked to a lot of players, and they told me, 'Sori, don't take a pitch. If the pitcher throws the first-pitch fastball in the middle, swing at it. If you like it, swing.' Now I'm looking for my pitch - I don't care if it's first pitch, second pitch."
--Alfonso Soriano, Yankees infielder

"I even hit a foul ball to my cousin. I was trying to hit a foul ball to every fan."
--A.J. Pierzynski, Twins catcher, on hitting 20 foul balls in one game

"I don't worry about (my average). You know why? I know I can bunt. I know I can bring my batting average up. So I don't worry about it."
--Neifi Perez, Royals infielder

THE REST

"The guy has too much time on his hands. Why don't you get a part-time job at Kroger?"
--Jose Rijo, Reds pitcher, responding to outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. calling Rijo "Satchmo"

"I didn't think nothing until he took off his helmet. Then I thought, 'I've got to move!' It looked like he had some meaningful intentions with that helmet."
--Ben Sheets, Brewers pitcher, on Pirates infielder Aramis Ramirez charging the mound

"It was funny. He looked so serious up there. I've never seen that side of him."
--Tim Hudson, Athletics pitcher, on seeing Yankee Jason Giambi bat in Oakland

"Hey, I can no-hit Tampa Bay."
--Adam Dunn, Reds outfielder, hearing that Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe threw a no-hitter against the Devil Rays

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.