November 11, 1998

The Week in Quotes

October 26-November 8

by Dennis Cleary

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"I might as well get booed by the best if I was going to get booed by anyone."
-- Mike Piazza, Mets catcher

"I definitely had some growing pains coming here. Once I went through the ups and downs of New York, I definitely wanted to finish my career here."
-- Mike Piazza

"The Mets showed incredible commitment to me. If I'm so fortunate as to go into the Hall of Fame someday, it definitely will be in a Mets uniform."
-- Mike Piazza

"I grew up in the entertainment business, the book business, and we're selling entertainment. It was my perception that if we got someone of Mr. Piazza's stature, ability, [the fans would] come back, and they did."
-- Nelson Doubleday, Mets co-owner

SIGNINGS...

"I'm playing for a team I truly rooted for growing up. I grew up on the Jersey shore. I'm playing for my team."
-- Al Leiter, Mets pitcher, on signing a 4-year contract

"The team has always been able to score runs. It was just a matter of getting some pitching."
-- Brian Bohanon, pitcher, on signing with the Rockies

"Signing Jeff Shaw is a huge step toward rebuilding a championship team. This issue was our first priority for the offseason and he proved to us how much he wants to stay in Los Angeles and win a championship."
-- Kevin Malone, Dodgers GM

"We needed to make a move quickly, I think, to get a player of this guy's ability. We're now locked in for the next three years with a premier, premier center fielder. That's comforting to know."
-- Kevin Malone, on signing Devon White

"I'm very pleased. This is an extremely important player to this franchise. It would have been devastating to lose him."
-- Gerry Hunsicker, Astros GM, on signing Moises Alou

... AND SPECULATION

"I'll take less money, but they have to give me my years. I'm 30 years old and want a 5-year deal. No 4 years and an option. A solid, 5-year, guaranteed deal. A base deal, and maybe they can throw some options after that."
-- Mo Vaughn, free agent infielder, on re-signing with Boston

"Nobody's history scares me. We have a discipline in the organization that has proven itself."
-- George Steinbrenner, Yankees owner, on the possibility of signing Albert Belle

"We have no idea how the Houston offer will look, but the offer Drayton [McLane] made out of the box ... was extremely generous and fair."
-- Alan Nero, Randy Johnson's agent

THE REST

"It is sound policy to treat the employment matters of major league baseball players under the antitrust laws in the same way such matters are treated for athletes in other professional sports."
-- Bill Clinton, U.S. President, on signing the Curt Flood Act

"[Don Baylor's] success as a standout major league player, a major league coach and as a major league manager have distinguished him as one of the game's most capable individuals. He will be a tremendous asset to the Braves."
-- Bobby Cox, Braves manager, on the hiring of Baylor as hitting coach

"The success of the Yankees has been built around pitching, and our catchers have clearly played a major role. At a time when quality catching is at a premium, Joe Girardi is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball and Jorge Posada is one of the game's emerging stars at that position."
-- Brian Cashman, Yankees GM, on picking up Girardi's option

"I'd have missed my hunting trip this weekend if I would have ran with him."
-- Kent Hrbek, former player, on declining to be Jesse "The Body" Ventura's running mate

"I signed documents tonight, so the deal is done. The process is over with. This has been a dream I've had for a long time."
-- John Henry, on buying the Marlins